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VERMILLION, S.D. – Behind four home runs, the IUPUI softball team slugged its way to an 8-7 victory over South Dakota Saturday in the series finale at Nygaard Field giving the Jaguars the series win over the Coyotes.

By claiming the series, the Jags moved into a tie with South Dakota in The Summit League standings at 6-5 while improving their overall record to 18-17. The win not only equaled the team's win total from a season ago, but also improved the Jaguars road record to 11-4.

"This was a big series for us and we finished this series with the right mentality," head coach Amanda Rivera said. "We played to win today and it showed. We have been playing some good softball as of late and hopefully we can continue our improvement as we head into the home stretch."

Three players led the way with two hits for IUPUI, but Sarah Lawrence turned those two hits into three RBI to pace the squad.

IUPUI climbed out to a lead in its first at-bat, which was aided by a South Dakota error. Ali Mosier drew a lead-off walk to start the game, before moving into scoring position on a Morgan Schlobohm sacrifice bunt. After Roni Patterson was hit by a pitch, a fielding error not only allowed Taylor Chitwood to reach base and Patterson to move to third, but it allowed Mosier to score putting the Jags up 1-0. Two batters later, Angela Bartucci brought home Patterson with a RBI single to boost the early cushion to 2-0.

The Coyotes used two extra-base hits in their half of the first to climb within a run, 2-1, but after a scoreless second inning IUPUI upped its lead in the third.

The Jaguars hit back-to-back-to-back solo home runs to kick off the third inning as Patterson, Chitwood and Lawrence all went deep to up the advantage to 5-1.

However, that lead quickly evaporated in the bottom of the third when Kassie Loe hit a grand slam to even the score at 5-5 heading to the fourth.

The Jags failed to capitalize with the bases loaded in the fourth, but they made up for it in the fifth scoring three runs to re-establish a three-run lead. Similar to the third inning, the fifth started with a home run when Lindsey Richards hit a solo home run to right-center field. Singles from Eryn Dillon and Mosier and a walk to Patterson ensued to load the bases with one out, and following a strike out Lawrence brought in two runs on a RBI single to move the lead to 8-5.

South Dakota made things interesting with two runs in the sixth on a two-run homer, but just as she did a day before, Cassie Vodde retired USD in order in the seventh to preserve the 8-7 win.

The Jags return to action on Tuesday, April 22, when they head to Chicago, Ill., to take on Illinois-Chicago. IUPUI and UIC were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader, but the teams will now play a single game beginning at 5 p.m. ET.