INDIANAPOLIS – Perhaps mimicking the conditions in which their pair of bouts were set, the IUPUI softball team (12-17, 2-0) got off to a beautiful start in Summit League play, dropping South Dakota State 5-4 and 6-1 in a doubleheader Friday (March 24).  The victories move the Jags to a season-best six-game winning streak.
 
Getting a brilliant effort from their lefty, Nickole Finch was terrific in the circle for the Jags, as she picked up a pair of wins in 10 innings of work, surrendering just one earned run on six hits while striking out seven.  She allowed just one walk in the pair of appearances.  The Jackrabbits had just a .176 average against the junior, as she posted a 0.70 ERA for the day.
 
McKenzie Loge put up solid numbers at the bottom of the order for IUPUI, going 4-for-5 with an RBI.  Roni Patterson continues to elevate her game as the season progresses, going 4-for-7 with a homerun and two RBIs.  Taylor Chitwood was solid from the three-spot, going 3-for-7 with a homerun and three RBIs, while Kristin London also had a big fly with three RBIs and three runs on a 2-for-5 day.  Alyssa Matson was once again strong at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-8 with two RBIs, including a game winner in the Jags opener.
 
The Jags saw the Jackrabbits get on the board first in game one, as SDSU plated a pair of runs on three hits in the top of the second inning.  After The Jacks posted another run in the third, IUPUI responded in the bottom half, as London reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the frame.  A single by Delaney Thompson followed by a sac bunt from Loge moved her to third, as she came home on a groundout from Matson.
 
IUPUI broke through again in the bottom of the fourth, as Patterson swatted a two-out solo homerun to center field, cutting the SDSU lead down to one run.  They'd get one back in the fifth, but the deficit simply set the stage for the Jags' late game heroics.
 
Chitwood started things with a solo homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Jags needed their offense to get things going in the final frame.  After a strikeout, London was again hit by a pitch, followed by a single to second base by Thompson.  With a pair of runners on, Loge singled up the middle to score a run for IUPUI and tie the game.  Matson then stepped into the box after the lineup turned over and promptly unloaded a ball to center field, ending the game as the pinch runner Delainey Turner came across to the score.
 
In the second game, the Jags were quick to respond to a first inning run by South Dakota State, as an RBI single from Patterson brought home Matson who hit an infield single to start the half inning.  They kept the offense going in the second inning, as with the bases loaded, Chitwood singled to bring in two runs, as the Jags had three hits and saw one error in the inning.
 
The third inning allowed the Jags to put the game seemingly out of reach early, as Patterson began the frame with a single up the middle.  An error put runners at first and second, as London came to the plate and hit a three-run bomb to center field, putting the Jags ahead 6-1.  The Jags nearly broke through again as two hits and an error loaded the bases, but the Jacks were able to escape the threat.
 
From there, Finch took care of business for IUPUI, cruising through the remaining innings as she gave up just five hits in the contest and her second win of the day following the complete game outing.
 
The Jags will look to close the series out Saturday (March 25) with a single game schedule for 10:30 a.m. EST.  The game has been bumped up due to anticipated poor weather conditions.
 
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