INDIANAPOLIS – Playing in front of their home fans for the first time this season, the softball team (10-15) put together a solid performance on a chilly but sunny Monday afternoon, taking down the University of Illinois-Chicago (13-10) 6-1, their final tune-up before the start of their Summit League schedule.
 
Pitching highlighted the afternoon for the Jaguars, as senior Brooke Boetjer spun four innings of one-run ball, surrendering just three hits and two walks while striking out six. Nickole Finch picked up her second save of the season, pitching three innings in relief while surrendering just two hits and recording three strikeouts. 
 
The Jags' jumped onto the scoreboard first, as Roni Patterson led off the inning with a walk. The slick-footed backstop would advance to second on a stolen base, followed by a trot to third on a passed ball. After a groundout, Maggie Good clubbed a double, one of three extra-base hits for IUPUI, to score Patterson from third.  Two batters later, Sarah Lawrence knocked a single to center field to score Good.
 
Up 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Morgan Schlobohm was gifted third base on a bunt single and an errant throw by the Flames' pitcher that ended up in right field.  Taylor Chitwood would walk in the next at bat, which set up a golden opportunity for head coach Amanda Rivera to roll the dice.  Chitwood would successfully swipe second base on a steal attempt, which allowed Schlobohm to score from third on the catcher's throw down to second. 
 
Good was able to get on once again in the fourth inning on a hit-by-pitch, and would play station to station on a steal of second, followed by a passed ball. Kristin London was able to score the run in a smart at-bat, grounding the ball to the right side of the infield and away from the runner for the RBI groundout. 
 
After putting the leadoff runner on via error to begin the bottom of the fifth inning, the Jaguars just missed picking up a run on a Patterson double, as the good relay from left field would gun down Schlobohm at the plate. Ali Mosier would make up for the missed opportunity however, as she connected on a deep homerun to right-center field to score two more runs for IUPUI.  With the runs, IUPUI took a 6-1 lead and would hold serve as Finch shut it down in relief of Boetjer. 
 
The Jaguars can now look forward to the start of their Summit League schedule, as they'll face the University of Nebraska-Omaha in a three game series, starting with a double header (March 25) Friday in Omaha, Nebraska.