INDIANAPOLIS – IUPUI junior
Mandy Dallas matched a career-high with five RBI but the Jags could not contain UIC's explosive offense as IUPUI fell 19-9 in five innings in the first game of a three-game set against the Flames on Tuesday (April 16).
Dallas finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and put the Jaguars up early in the first inning. After giving up a run in the top of the inning, IUPUI loaded the bases after a single and two walks. Dallas stepped to the plate and ripped a single down the left field line that scored both
McKenzie Loge and
Haley Ginger. Two batters later,
Jaida Speth singled home
Delaney Thompson to put IUPUI up 3-1 after the first.
That all changed in the second as UIC took advantage of a Jaguar error the helped lead to a seven-run inning. After having already scored two runs, an error by right fielder
Morgan Schuetter, allowed two more runs to score. The next batter hit the first of five UIC home runs and the Flames led 8-3 after the top of the second.
In the bottom of the third, Dallas helped the Jags cut the lead with a two-run shot to center field that scored Thompson after a lead-off single. It was Dallas's eighth home run of the season.
Things got worse for IUPUI in the top of the fourth as UIC had its first 10 batters reach base. The Flames hit a lead-off home run and a three-run home run later in the inning as UIC put up another crooked number, scoring eight runs and pushing the lead to 16-5.
Back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth put the game further out of reach for IUPUI and looking at their last three outs, IUPUI found itself down 19-5. The 19 runs are the most given up by IUPUI since giving up 20 to Western Illinois on March 6, 2011. The Jags won that game 24-20.
The Jags did not go down quietly, mounting a rally in the fifth. Thompson doubled to start the inning and Dallas again scored Thompson with a single to left. A walk by
Sabrina Trevino loaded the bases and two batters later,
Emily Berrisford singled up the middle to bring home a run.
Delainey Turner drove in a run on a fielder's choice but the Jags were down to their last out. Loge kept things going with a double that scored another run and Ginger walked to again load the bases but Thompson grounded out to end the game.
The top of the lineup did the most damage for IUPUI as Loge finished 3-for-4 in the lead-off spot and Thompson went 2-for-3 in the third hole. Ginger did not get a hit, going 0-for-2 but did walk two times. Speth reached base for the 16
th-straight game, going 2-for-3, the longest reached base streak for IUPUI this season.
UP NEXT
IUPUI and UIC will play two games to finish the series on Wednesday (April 17) with first pitch of the double header beginning at 2 p.m.
