Box Score SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A competitive game hardly indicated by the final score, the IUPUI softball team (15-22, 5-1) saw the sixth inning turn from great to awful in a matter of minutes as the Jags dropped a 4-13 six-inning contest to Notre Dame (23-15) Wednesday evening (April 12). The Jags put up four runs in the top of the sixth inning to make it a one-run game before the Irish hung an eight-spot in the bottom half.
Getting most of their offensive production from the top half of the lineup,
Alyssa Matson continued to be effective as the leadoff hitter, going 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI single.
Roni Patterson had a big fly on a 2-for-3 day, plating two runs out of the cleanup spot while
Taylor Chitwood was 2-for-3.
Maggie Good picked up a double in the No. 6 spot, while
McKenzie Loge had an RBI single on a 1-for-3 effort.
The Jags had plenty of bright spots on defense and remained competitive for most of the ball game.
Delainey Turner got a start at short stop and made a pair of impressive defensive plays while a rotating outfield showed good consistency.
Maggie Armstrong got some of her first reps in the circle in several games, tossing 2.2 innings while giving up two earned runs on five hits.
After seeing the Irish strike for five runs due in part to a pair of errors through the first five innings, the Jags finally broke through in an exciting sixth. After Chitwood worked the count to reach base on full count walk, Patterson came up with a two-run homerun to left center field that ricocheted off the scoreboard at Melissa Cook Stadium. After a groundout on a seven-pitch at-bat by Armstrong, Good got her first hit on a double to left field that dinged off the bottom of the left field corner wall, coming just a few feet shy of a homerun.
Maddy Griffin walked to make it first and second, as a fielder's choice turned error to the next batter loaded the bases for IUPUI with only one out. Loge came up with an RBI single on the first pitch as she sent the ball through the left side to re-load the bases and get the Jags their third run of the inning. Matson followed with an RBI single, making it a 4-5 ball game. IUPUI was unable to cash in further, as with the bases loaded and one away, the next two batters struck out and popped up.
A highlight worthy turn-and-fire throw by
Nickole Finch fielding a bunt ground ball gave hope that the Jags were going to be able to send the game to the seventh inning with a chance to win it, but things quickly got away as the Irish just kept hitting. They came through with six singles, capped off by a three-run homer that ended the game in run-rule fashion.
With the loss, the Jags will now turn their focus to the weekend, as IUPUI will travel to Macomb, Illinois to face the Western Illinois Leathernecks in a three-game series beginning Friday. The Jags and Leathernecks currently occupy the top two spots in the Summit League standings.
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