HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – On a day filled with stellar pitching and bad weather, the IUPUI softball team (16-29, 4-10) split their midweek doubleheader with Northern Kentucky (11-36, 3-14) Tuesday (April 26), taking game one, 2-1, before falling in a rain shortened nightcap, 0-3.
Brooke Boetjer was fantastic on the day, tossing a complete game one-hitter to lower her earned run average (ERA) to 3.02 and improve to 9-12 on the year.
Backstop
Roni Patterson went a combined 2-for-6 through the pair of contests, scoring two runs for IUPUI. Shortstop
Morgan Schlobohm finished 2-for-5 while
Delilah Wright finished 1-for-4 with two runs batted in (RBIs).
Game One
Demonstrating the resiliency and composure one would expect of a highly decorated senior pitcher and ace of the staff, Boetjer took to the circle and guided the Jaguars to a hard fought win after running into early trouble.
After the offense went down in order in the top half of inning number one, Boetjer struck out the leadoff batter on four pitches before serving up a 1-0 left field solo homerun to the second batter she faced. She'd quickly rebound, however, inducing a pop out and groundout to the next two batters to end in the inning.
From there, both offenses were stagnant, as the teams combined for only one hit, a Patterson single in the top of the second inning, until the top half of the fifth. Patterson came through with her second hit of the day, a leadoff double down the right field line, to start the frame. After a pop out,
Sarah Lawrence would reach first safely on an infield single, followed by an error to put both runners in scoring position. The next batter up, Wright smacked a single up the middle to score both runners, the only offense the Jaguars would need in the game.
Boetjer took the reigns from there, giving up just a walk through the next three innings to shut the door and secure a complete game victory for the Jags.
Game Two
After the victory, IUPUI looked to be in position to build on their early victory, as the team generated at least one base runner in every inning.
Schlobohm started the festivities with a one out infield single to reach base, advancing to scoring position on a throwing error by the third baseman. However, a foul out and a lineout would strand the runner, sending reigning Summit League Pitcher of the Week
Kaitlynn Moody out to the circle.
Moody started strong, recording a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts to secure a 1-2-3 start to the ballgame.
A walk put leadoff batter
Maggie Good on base for the Jags, but three straight strikeouts would negate the free pass and send it to the bottom half of the inning.
After a leadoff walk, Moody induced a pop up, fielder's choice and a strikeout out to quickly change hands and give the Jaguar' offense another opportunity.
A pair of singles by
Ali Mosier and
Taylor Chitwood put runners on the corners with two outs, but a full count fly out to center field would end the best scoring opportunity IUPUI had in the game.
A walk, double, and homerun for the Norse would plate three runs on two hits for Nothern Kentucky, the only runs scored for either teams in the game, to take a 3-0 lead. Despite putting runners at first and third base in the next half inning on a Good double and an
Alyssa Neff single, the Jags once again couldn't cash in on the scoring opportunity. The rains then set in, delaying the game by roughly one hour before play briefly resumed. The teams got through the top of the fifth inning before sever weather once again delayed, and inevitably ended, the shortened affair.
The Jaguars will next play Western Illinois (11-31, 4-8) at home in a doubleheader Friday (April 29) before honoring their seniors in their final home game of the season Saturday (April 30) at the IUPUI Softball Complex.
