STATESBORO, Ga. – IUPUI softball picked up its first win of the season behind a gem in the circle by freshman Lexi Lucas as the Jags beat Mount St. Mary's 3-0 on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 16).

IUPUI 3 – Mount St. Mary's 0
The Jaguars grabbed their first win of the season as Lucas fires a one-hitter against the Mountaineers.

Lucas was dealing all game, allowing just the one hit and did not walk a batter while striking out two. Lucas only needed 73 pitches and threw 57 strikes as the Martinsville, Ind., native through the first one-hitter since Brooke Boetjer did so on April, 26, 2016.

"Lexi pitched a great game being very aggressive and going after hitters," said head coach Elisabeth Beirne. "The defense also stepped up and had her back making some amazing plays."

Only the Jags managed to put a runner on second through the first three innings but IUPUI finally broke through in the fourth. Haley Ginger reached on an error with one out and a single by Delaney Thompson moved Ginger to second. Sabrina Trevino stepped to the plate and singled to bring home Ginger for her fourth RBI of the season.

As the Jags remained held off of the scoreboard, Lucas continued to keep The Mount off of the bases, setting down the next three innings in order.

In the top of the seventh, IUPUI gave Lucas some more help at the plate. Maddie Keeley started the inning with a single and then Mount St. Mary's would commit three-straight errors to help the Jags. Mandy Dallas reached on a fielding error and on Delainey Turner's sacrifice bunt attempt the throw by the pitcher was off the mark and Keeley scored to make it 2-0. In the next at bat, Turner stole second and Dallas scored after another throwing error.

Lucas took to the circle looking for IUPUI's first no-hitter since 2003 and got the first batter to pop up to third base. On a 2-1 count in the next at-bat the Mountaineers got to Lucas with a double to right field, ending the no-hit bid. Looking to keep the shutout intact, Lucas got the next batter to fly out but things got interesting after a field error put runners on the corners and brought the tying run to the plate.
IUPUI had been burned all season by two-out runs but Lucas got a fly out to Thompson in left field to end the game.

UMKC 3 – IUPUI 2
In the first game of the day, IUPUI looked to have its first win in its sights but fell victim to a late UMKC home run.

Both starters held the offenses at by for the first three innings until UMKC finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run.

The Jags would not stay behind for long as Kristin London began the top of the fifth with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Jaida Speth came through with an RBI single and moved to third on a throwing error. Delainey Turner then gave the Jags the 2-1 lead with a single to left that scored Speth.

UMKC looked to take advantage of a Jag error in the bottom of the inning, moving runners to second and third with two outs, but Dezirae Leonard forced a pop-out on the next pitch to end the threat.
Needing just six outs for their first win of the season, Leonard needed to navigate the heart of the UMKC order in the sixth. Lia Lombardini, who finished the game 3-for-3 began the inning with a single and three pitches later a two-run home run to left flipped the lead in favor of the Roos.

Leonard managed to get out of the inning but the damage had already been done as IUPUI needed a run to keep the game alive.

Maddie Keeley started the seventh with a pinch hit single but after a pop-out and a fielder's choice, the Jags still only had a runner at first with two outs. Sabrina Trevino came to the plate to pinch hit but the junior struck out to end the game.

Six Jags finished with hits led by a 2-for-3 performance from catcher Kristin London, but the top three spots in the Jags' order finished 0-for-9 on the day.

Despite picking up the loss, Leonard (0-2) was solid, scattering eight hits and only walking one over the six-inning outing.

UP NEXT
IUPUI will finish play at the Eagle Round Robin taking on Morehead State on Sunday (Feb. 17) at 9 a.m.