INDIANAPOLIS – An almost complete role reversal from the day prior, the IUPUI softball team (17-26, 7-5) once again found a way to salvage a conference series by taking the finale against South Dakota (17-26, 8-7) Sunday (April 23), dropping the Coyotes 9-1. The Jags scored all nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings, taking advantage of seven errors from South Dakota.
Nickole Finch returned to the circle for the Jags and pitched a stellar ball game, going the distance in a six-inning complete game while giving up just one earned run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Eight of the total nine runs scored by the Jags were unearned.
Hits came throughout the entire lineup, as the only Jag to record a multi-hit game was
McKenzie Loge batting out of the nine spot. Loge went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, boosting her batting average to a team-best .486 in 12 Summit League games.
Taylor Chitwood,
Delaney Thompson, and
Maggie Armstrong all went 1-for-4 on the day, each picking up two RBIs in the contest.
Alyssa Matson tallied an RBI on a 1-for-4 performance, while
Mandy Dallas and
Delilah Wright also had base knocks for the Jags.
An offensive outburst that started in bizarre fashion, the Jags saw a pitching change in the bottom of the fifth inning as an opportunity to get after the Coyotes. After a fielding error allowed the leadoff batter to reach, a pitching change took place in the middle of the next at-bat, as the South Dakota pitcher was called for an illegal pitch. The call was a recurring one from the day prior, prompting the Coyotes' coaching staff to force the change. After switching back to their original starter, Wright worked out a walk after facing two different pitchers in the same at-bat. Loge hit a ground ball to the infield that should've been converted for a fielder's choice, but instead ended up the second error for South Dakota on a dropped throw at second base. Dallas, who was the lead runner, was already headed for home on the play, scoring the run to put the Jags in the lead. Matson then singled on a bunt to load the bases with no outs.
Chitwood came through with a single to left field, scoring a run while keeping the bases loaded. After a fly out and a fielder's choice that got the lead runner at home, Armstrong benefitted from a controversial foul call from the first base umpire, who said the Jags' designated player made contact with the ball while still in the batter's box on a weak ground ball hit to the infield. Getting a second chance in the at-bat, Armstrong came up with a single to left field that plated two runs, giving IUPUI a 4-0 lead.
After the Coyotes got a run back on a triple and an error in the sixth, the Jags put together another score keeper's nightmare of an inning, as the leadoff batter again reached on an error. A single by Wright to center field followed by a single from Loge to the shortstop loaded the bases, as Matson came up with an RBI ground out in the next at-bat. An attempted out on a fielder's choice gave the Jags another run, as Chitwood knocked in Wright to open up the score. Another error gave IUPUI a baserunner, as
Maggie Good swatted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Loge on the play. Finally, after yet another batter reached on an error, a double by Thompson ended the game in run-rule fashion, as the Jags swiped a 9-1 win.
With the win, the Jags will go on a mid-week non-conference road trip to play two against Eastern Illinois Wednesday (April 26) beginning at 5 p.m. EST.
For all the latest in news, scores, highlights, stories, and more, follow IUPUIJags.com.
