MEMPHIS, Tenn. – IUPUI was done in by late inning runs in both games on the first day of the U of M Softball Tournament hosted by Memphis on Friday (Mar. 8).
INDIANA STATE 6 – IUPUI 3
IUPUI allowed five runs in to top of the seventh inning to fall in the first game of the U of M Softball Tournament this weekend.
The Jags took a 2-1 lead in to the final frame but Indiana State began the inning with a single and tied the game on a double in the next at bat. Jags starter
Amanda Melzoni, who had held the Sycamore to one run on three hits through the first six innings, hit the next batter and in the next at-bat another double brought home two runs and gave ISU a 4-2 lead. The big blow came during the next at bat as a drive cleared the left field wall and made the score 6-2.
Jaida Speth came in for Melzoni and was able to get out of the inning with no more damage done.
In to bottom of the inning,
Taytum Schaney singled with one out and back-to-back errors by Indiana State loaded the bases.
Kristin London hit a sacrifice fly to pull the Jags one run closer and bring the tying run to the plate. After a wild pitch,
Delaney Thompson grounded out to end the game.
The Jags had plenty of opportunities against the Sycamores throughout the game, leaving nine runners on base. After falling behind 1-0 after the top of the first, The Jags loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with the first three batters reaching base.
Maddie Keeley kept things going with single to bring home the tying run. That would be all the Jags could get in the inning as the next three batters would pop up in the infield.
IUPUI missed another chance to get more runs on the board in the bottom of the third after
Mandy Dallas began the inning driving the ball of the top of the left field wall for a triple. IUPUI would leave Dallas stranded after a strikeout, foul out and a ground out.
Keeley led off the fourth getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on an
Emily Berrisford single. Speth came through for the Jags with a single to right field to score Keeley and give the Jags a 2-1 lead. With the heart of the order up and only one out IUPUI looked poised to increase the lead but
Haley Ginger and Dallas both popped up in the infield to end the frame.
Melzoni (1-2) maintained IUPUI's lead getting out of jams in both the fifth and sixth innings. In the top of the fifth, the Sycamores ended up with the bases loaded and two outs after walk but Melzoni got a fly out to center field to strand three. In the sixth, ISU began the inning with a double but Melzoni quickly got two outs. After another walk, a ground out to shortstop kept the Jags ahead going in to the final inning.
BELMONT 3 – IUPUI 2 (8 innings)
IUPUI made a comeback to force extra innings but fell to Belmont 3-2 to drop its third-straight game. The Jags only managed three hits against the Bruins and left four runners on base in the loss.
It was a pitchers dual between IUPUI freshman
Lexi Lucas and Belmont's Alicia Veltri as both teams were held scoreless for the first four innings.
Belmont struck first, getting two runs across in the top of the fifth. The scoring for the Bruins began with a solo home run to left center field on a 1-1 count. After two outs, Belmont continued the inning with a single and a double to the right centerfield gap plated the second run of the inning.
IUPUI was able to get back in to the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after
Emily Berrisford walked to start the frame. Berrisford was bunted to second and a single by
Mandy Dallas moved the freshman to third. After Dallas stole second to put two runners in scoring position,
Delaney Thompson singled to left to score both runners and tie the game.
Both teams went down easy in the final inning of regulation meaning IUPUI was playing their third extra inning game of the season. After a groundout to start the inning, Belmont's Veltri helped herself out with a home run to left center field. Lucas managed to get out of the inning without any more damage but the Jags needed one run to keep the game going.
The inning began with a pop-up by Berrisford and Ginger and Dallas struck out to end the game.
UP NEXT
IUPUI will be back in action with one game on Saturday (Mar. 9) against Memphis. The game against the Tigers is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET.
