ROSEMONT, Ill. – The IUPUI softball team was six outs away from victory in both games of its doubleheader Saturday against Northwestern, but the Wildcats rallied in both contests to claim the sweep over IUPUI in Rosemont, Ill.
The losses dipped the Jaguars to 14-6 as they enter Summit League play next weekend at home against South Dakota State, while Northwestern improved to 11-10.
In the opener, the Jags couldn't take advantage of five Northwestern errors as it dropped a 6-5 decision, before five IUPUI errors in Game 2 helped the Wildcats rally for the 5-3 win.
IUPUI couldn't have asked for a better start to the day as
Roni Patterson blasted a two-run home run in the top of the first to place IUPUI in front, 2-0,
Both teams took advantage of errors to score one run apiece in the third keeping IUPUI's two-run lead intact, before
Eryn Dillon drove in a run in the fourth to move the lead to 4-1. Unfortunately, three Northwestern runs in the bottom of the fourth evened things up, but the Jags were able to settle down and eventually take a lead going to the bottom of the sixth when a Northwestern throwing error plated
Morgan Schlobohm.
In the bottom half of the six, the Wildcats had two on with two out and Julia Kuhn doubled home two runs to give Northwestern its first lead of the day.
The Jags put a runner on in the seventh, but a pick off preceded two strikeouts completing the Northwestern victory.
In Game 2, the Jags again took an early lead when
Brooke Boetjer walked with the bases loaded in the first, before they doubled their lead in the second on a Schlobohm RBI single that plated
Megan Cory.
The Wildcats scored two runs on three hits and two Jags errors in the third to tie the game at 2-2, before both teams went scoreless for the next two innings.
IUPUI again took a late lead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Sarah Lawrence in the sixth, only to have the Wildcats put a 3-spot on the board in the bottom of the inning to catapult them in front, 5-3.
The Jaguars put the tying run on base with one out in the seventh, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the ball game.
IUPUI plays its home and Summit League opener next weekend when it welcomes South Dakota State to the IUPUI Softball Complex for a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21.
