MACOMB, Ill. – Salvaging something positive from the weekend, the IUPUI softball team (16-24, 6-3) was able to finish their series with Western Illinois (18-24, 9-3) by winning the second of two games Saturday (April 15), capturing the night cap 10-5 after an offensive outburst in the sixth inning. The Jags are now in second place behind the Leathernecks in the Summit League standings.
Erica Tharp was the winner in the circle for IUPUI, as the sophomore tossed six innings in game two, giving up two earned runs on six hits while striking out six. She picked up her seventh victory of the season, and now owns a 4.23 ERA through 104.1 innings of work.
Taylor Chitwood led the way with a .500 batting average through two games, going 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI. She walked once and was hit by a pitch, owning a .625 on-base percentage.
Delaney Thompson returned to the lineup with a 3-for-7 outing, knocking a homerun and picking up three RBIs.
Maddy Griffin,
McKenzie Loge,
Alyssa Matson and
Delilah Wright all had multiple hits while Maggie Armstrong# went 2-for-7 with a homerun and a team-best four RBIs.
Roni Patterson tied a program record at IUPUI by recording her 131st RBI. After hitting a homerun on the day, she's now at 36 for her career, and just three shy of tying
Ali Mosier for the most all-time at IUPUI. She also continues to chase the all-time hits record in IUPUI lore, as she has 197 for her career. With the 200 career milestone on the horizon, Patterson is in pursuit of the record at 208. She currently holds the highest batting average in program history at .340 and slugging percentage at .612. She's just .006 points shy of the highest on-base percentage. A three-time All-Summit League selection, Patterson is hitting .314 for the year through 40 games, tying
Maggie Good with eight homeruns on the team. She's got 30 RBIs with seven doubles, also knocking 37 hits.
In the Jags victory in game two, IUPUI was quickly staring down a deficit after the Leathernecks hung a three-spot in the first inning. Five hits yielded the damage, as Western Illinois left two on base after the outburst. They'd tag the Jags for another run in the fourth inning before IUPUI finally got on the board.
With a 0-4 deficit, the first two batters of the inning provided IUPUI with life, as Griffin started the frame with a single to right field. With the runner on, Thompson knocked a two-run homerun to center field, pushing the score to 2-4. A solo homerun in the bottom half of the inning made it a three-run gap, but the Jags were just getting their offense into gear.
Good started off the top of the sixth inning with a walk, followed by a two-run homerun from Armstrong to left field. After a pitching change, Griffin walked, but was forced out on a fielder's choice to the next batter. After
Delainey Turner came on to pinch run, Wright singled up the middle, putting runners at first and second. Loge uncorked a triple down the right field line, scoring both base runners on the play. Now owning a lead at 6-5, Matson hit a ball into play that ultimately scored Loge on a fielder's choice. Matson was safe on the play. After Chitwood walked, Patterson completed the damage with a three-run homerun to left center field, as the Jags built a sturdy 10-5 lead.
The Jags needed nothing else, as the team held on to take the final game in the series and end a four-game losing streak. IUPUI will next host South Dakota for three games on April 22-23, as the Jags have three remaining Summit League series for the year.
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