AUBURN, Ala. – IUPUI softball will take to the field this weekend for five games at the Tiger Invite, hosted by Auburn on Friday through Sunday (Feb. 26-28).

The Jaguars will play two games against Jacksonville, two against Auburn and finish up the weekend against Murray State.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 26
Jacksonville // 10 a.m. // Live Stats
Jacksonville // 12:30 p.m. // Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 27
at Auburn // 3:30 p.m. // Live Stats
at Auburn // 6 p.m. // Live Stats

Sunday, Feb. 27
Murray State // 12 p.m. // Live Stats

ABOUT IUPUI
The Jags are playing in their first games of the season and are taking to the field for the first time since March 8, 2020.

It will be a new look for head coach Elisabeth Beirne as the Jags roster looks notably different than last season. Only seven players from last year's roster returns for IUPUI with 10 true freshman on the roster and two transfers. Jaylin Calvert (New Palestine, Ind.) transferred to the program from Auburn and Jennah Speth (Delavan, Wis.) comes to IUPUI after playing at Horizon League rival UIC.

IUPUI will be in rare air as the Jags will have three sisters on its roster this year. Jaida Speth is in her third year in the program and Jasmin Speth comes in as a freshman. After playing four years at UIC, Jennah Speth took advantage of the extra year granted by the NCAA to join her sisters.

Take a deep look in to the Speth sisters playing together for the first time here.

Lexi Lucas, who was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team two years ago, is the only Jaguar to return with any significant time spent in the circle for Beirne. The Jags brought in multiple pitchers (Carly Metcalf, Brooke York and Bailey Johnson) as Beirne looks to round out the pitching staff.

The top two bats for the Jaguars return this year as Jaida Speth finished last season with a team-high .373 average and was second on the team with nine runs, and 10 RBI. Rachel Gregory was second on the team with a .350 average and led IUPUI with 12 RBI.

Amber Pagan returns for the Jags after hitting .263 in the 20 games played last year but led IUPUI with a .429 on base percentage.

ABOUT JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville comes in to the weekend with a 3-4 record with wins over Boston College and South Florida on their schedule.

As a team, the Dolphins are hitting .237 on the early season with Makenzie Buss leading the team at .381 and Victoria Rodebaugh the other Dolphin hitting over .300 at .364. Kailey Harrigan leads the team with two home runs and tied for the team lead at five RBI.

Alyssa Bilodeau is the top pitcher for Jacksonville with a 1.19 ERA in 290.1 innings pitched and a 2-3 overall record. Bilodeau is allowing opposing hitters to hit just .202 and has 32 strikeouts to six walks.
The two meetings are the first two meetings between IUPUI and Jacksonville in school history.

ABOUT AUBURN
Auburn is 5-1 overall on the season with a win over #19 South Carolina last weekend. The Tigers received votes in the last NFCA Coaches Poll.

Four Tigers are hitting over .300 for a team that is hitting .288 on the season. Aspyn Godwin has been on fire at the plate with a .500 average, three home runs and eight RBI (all team highs.) Makenna Dowell leads the team with eight hits, is hitting .444 and has not struck out in 18 at bats.

Through 19 innings pitched and three starts (all complete games), Maddie Penta has a 3-0 record with a 1.47 ERA with 22 strikeouts, 10 walks and a 1.21 opposing batting average. Shelby Lowe is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts and 9.1 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts to just one walk.

Auburn and IUPUI have never met before.

ABOUT MURRAY STATE
Murray State is 2-7 on the year with a 1-0 win at South Alabama the only win for the Racers in the last six games. Murray State will play Auburn twice and Jacksonville twice before playing IUPUI to end the weekend.

Lilly Fischer is the top batter for the Racers, hitting .429 with only three strikeouts in eight games. In four games played, Kamryn Carcich is second on the team with a .375 average. The Racers have struggled as a team at the plate with a .180 team batting average and 57 strikeouts in nine games. Sierra Gilmore is the only player on the team with a home run (2) and leads the team with five RBI.

Hannah James leads the team with a 1.66 ERA in five starts and four complete games. James holds a 2-3 record with 36 strikeouts and 16 walks in 33.2 innings.

As with Jacksonville and Auburn, the matchup with the Racers will be the first time IUPUI has faced off against Murray State.