HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – IUPUI rallied late to win its Horizon League opener, taking down Northern Kentucky 4-2 in eight innings on Friday (Mar. 22).

The Jags bats took a while to warm up in the cold weather but managed to come through when it was needed to win their third-straight conference opener.

Down by one run going in to the seventh inning, Sabrina Trevino was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Maddie Keeley came in to run for the junior catcher. Emily Berrisford sacrificed Keeley to second and Delainey Turner's single to right field moved Keeley to third. Haley Ginger stepped to the plate and perfectly executed a squeeze bunt to score Keeley and tie the game.

A pop up ended the Jags seventh but IUPUI sat down Northern Kentucky in order to force extra innings. The Jags headed to extras for the fourth time this season, having won one of the three extra-inning games this year. This was also the fourth time this season NKU had played extra innings and have not won a game going past regulation.

The eighth inning started with Mandy Dallas getting to second on an error by the left fielder and Delaney Thompson doubled in the next at bat to bring home Dallas and give the Jags the lead. After a pop up, McKenzie Loge doubled the lead with a single to center. A single and groundout moved Loge to third and Turner looked to have grounded out to end the inning but NKU's first baseman could not hold on to the throw and Loge scored to make it 4-1.

The Norse began their half of the eighth with a double but starter Lexi Lucas go the next two outs on a fly out and ground out. A single scored NKU's second run of the game and another single put the tying run on first base. Lucas was able to buckle down and got a groundout to give the Jags the win.

Neither team threatened early as both pitchers were in control until Northern Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back doubles by NKU brought home the first run but that was all the Norse could do against IUPUI's freshman Lucas.

Lucas picked up her fifth win of the season (5-8) with another gem. The freshman scattered six NKU hits, only giving up the two runs and finished with one strikeout without walking a batter. The Martinsville, Ind., native retired eight-straight batters to end regulation as the Jags clawed back in to the game.

Thompson and Turner both led the Jags with two hits, each finishing 2-for-4 on the afternoon.

IUPUI and Northern Kentucky will finish up a three-game set with a double header on Saturday (Mar. 23) beginning at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN3.