FORT MYERS, Fla. – Enjoying some of the finest pitching the Jags have seen all season, the IUPUI softball team (7-17) split day one of the Battle at the Beach Tournament in the sunshine state, falling 0-2 to Iowa State before knocking off the host team Florida Gulf Coast 2-1 in the nightcap Thursday (March 16). The Jags got complete game performances from both their pitchers on the same day for the first time all season.
Erica Tharp was simply superb in the Jags victory over the Eagles, as the sophomore righty tossed a complete-game, seven inning performance while giving up one unearned run on three hits and a walk, while recording a magnificent career-high 11 strikeouts.
Nickole Finch displayed a different form of mastery, as the junior lefty was simply impeccable in clutch situations, as she also threw a seven inning complete game while surrendering two earned runs on 12 hits, giving up a walk and striking out five. Finch saw a runner reach scoring position in every inning, but she regularly found ways to strand runners on base, including five innings in which runners stayed at both second and third.
The Jags didn't need the usual breakout performance they've grown accustomed to from their offense, as IUPUI plated just two runs on the day.
Taylor Chitwood went 3-for-6 out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup, all of which were singles. She also walked once.
McKenzie Loge went 2-for-6 with a pair of singles while
Roni Patterson was 2-for-6 with a run scored.
Delilah Wright was the only Jag with an extra-base hit, going 2-for-7 with a double.
Giving credit where credit is due, the Jaguar offense was simply stunned in the first game against Iowa State. The Cyclones pitcher, Brianna Weilbacher, regularly worked from ahead in the count and flustered numerous hitters. She gave up just three hits with two walks, allowed no runs to cross while striking out 11 batters. The Iowa State pitcher faced just six over the minimum.
The Jags best opportunity to score in the game came during the bottom half of the fourth, in which Wright led off with a single to second base. She advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, while Chitwood followed with a walk to put two runners on. A strikeout, foul out and strikeout disposed of the next three batters, as the Jags couldn't do anything with the opportunity.
In addition to the lack of offense, the Cyclones went wild on the base paths, tying a team record with seven stolen bases in the contest. Despite their success in moving runners from station to station, Finch was strong in keeping them from coming home.
In the second game, things looked bleak early for the Jags. A fielding error allowed the leadoff batter to reach in the bottom of the first inning. After Tharp recorded a pop up, a wild pitch moved the runner to third base. A double to the next batter brought the runner home, but a strikeout and pop up quickly ended the frame.
The lineup was quick to back up their pitcher, as the Jags went to work in the second inning. Patterson singled to start the frame, followed by a fielding error that put runners at first and second. A sacrifice bunt by
Kristin London moved both runners into scoring position, as a fielder's choice hit into play by
Delaney Thompson brought Patterson home. The Eagles didn't get an out on the play. After a groundout, an RBI single by
Alyssa Matson scored
Maggie Armstrong, as the Jags got their second run of the inning.
From there, it was all Tharp, as the pitcher picked up two strikeouts in each of the next three innings. She added another in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh, as the Jags didn't need to do much else in getting the victory.
With the split, IUPUI will now look to day two in Florida, as the team is slated to face Cleveland State and Drexel in a doubleheader.
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