CHICAGO – IUPUI managed to escape multiple jams to beat Northern Kentucky 1-0 in the first round of the Horizon League Softball Championship on Wednesday (May 8). Junior
Dezirae Leonard fired a complete game shutout to help move the Jags on to the next round.
The game was one of missed opportunities for both teams as IUPUI left six runners on base and the Jags managed to keep 11 Northern Kentucky runners on base. Northern Kentucky managed to get a runner to third on three of the last four innings and IUPUI was able to keep the tying run 60 feet away each time.
"We just kept talking about controlling what you can control, staying within yourself and not worrying about the situation," said head coach
Elisabeth Beirne. "[Leonard] did a good job letting her defense make plays behind her."
IUPUI looked like it could get off to a quick start as
McKenzie Loge doubled to lead off the game and moved to third with two outs but
Sabrina Trevino struck out to end the inning.
Northern Kentucky also put a runner on second in the first with a two-out double but a fly out to Loge in right kept the game scoreless.
In the bottom of the third, the first of multiple big plays by an IUPUI outfielder saved a run for the Jags. After a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second with just one out. Two batters later, after a flyout, a ground ball to right field looked to put the first run of the game on the board but Loge's throw home easily beat the runner and Trevino applied the tag to end the inning.
Mandy Dallas led off the fourth getting hit by a pitch and Trevino singled on a bunt attempt to put two runners on a no outs.
Jaida Speth moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt and with
Haley Ginger at the plate, ball four to Ginger was a wild pitch that scored Dallas. The Jags looked to add more but Addison Lorsung popped in to a double play to end the inning.
For the rest of the game, Leonard and the rest of the Jaguars would have to battle to keep NKU off the board. In the bottom of the fourth, the Norse loaded the bases with a two-out walk and Leonard fell behind 3-0 to the next batter. After getting two called strikes, NKU's Toree Stalter hit a fly ball to center. Speth took a couple of steps in before retreating and making an over the head catch to end the frame.
NKU got another runner in scoring position in the fifth with a two-out single and walk but Leonard again got out of the jam with a ground ball to
Emily Berrisford at shortstop.
The Norse led off the sixth with a single to left and the runner was ruled to have been obstructed with, allowing the runner to move to second. Another sacrifice bunt moved the tying run to third but Leonard got the next batter to pop out to Dallas in foul territory. With two outs, Stalter again put one in the air but this one was right at Loge in right to end the inning.
IUPUI was looking for an insurance run in the top of the seventh and it started out with
Amber Pagan reaching on an error by NKU's first baseman. Berrisford moved Pagan to second on a sacrifice bunt in the next at bat.
Delainey Turner lined out to short but the throw back to second to try to double-off Pagan was wide of the mark and Pagan took third. Loge came up with two outs but popped up to second on the second pitch of the at bat, leaving Pagan at third.
Leonard was just three outs away from securing the victory but had to face the top of the order to do so. The Norse led off the inning with a single up the middle and the runner was moved to second on a sacrifice fly. The next batter reached on catcher's interference putting the winning run on first. A fly ball to foul territory in right was caught by Loge and the runner at second tagged. Loge's throw was just late and NKU had the tying run 60 feet away. Facing NKU's starter Taylor Ginther, Leonard found herself in a full count. Ginther hit one hard to center field and Speth was on the warning track but reached up to make the catch and end the game.
UP NEXT
IUPUI will face off against the No. 1 seed UIC Flames on Thursday (May 9) with first pitch set for 1 p.m. ET.
