STARKVILLE, Miss. – The IUPUI softball team began the 2024 season with a split on day one at The Snowman. The Jaguars defeated UAB with a late home run from
Kinsey Pfeiffer, 2-1 then fell to host Mississippi State in five innings, 8-0.
In the opening game against UAB, the Jags took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Junior
Kendal Calvert walked in her first plate appearance of the season.
Morgan Gilbert then moved her to second on a ground out to put Calvert in scoring position. Senior
Rachael Gregory singled to right field, scoring Calvert and giving the Jags the lead.
UAB threatened in the top of the second inning with a single from Makenzie Droddy, followed by a double from Olivia Valbak but a good relay from the Jaguars' left fielder,
Maicey Bedrick swiped Droddy from scoring.
Both teams traded scoreless innings in the third, fourth and fifth. UAB tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning with a sac fly from Droddy but IUPUI answered in a big way in the bottom half of the sixth. Pfeiffer knocked her first home run of the season to retake the lead for the Jags, 2-1.
Carly Metcalf completed the complete game in the seventh and earned the win on the mound with six hits, one run, three walks and two strikeouts.
Kelli Riordan went 2-for-3 while Calvert, Gilbert, Gregory, Pfeiffer and
Paige McPhearson all recorded a hit in the win.
In game two, the Jags offense went cold with Mississippi State earning the no-hitter against the IUPUI in five innings.
The Bulldogs took the early lead in the first with three runs off a triple, double and home run. Mississippi State added to their lead in the third inning with a three-run homer from Ella Wesolowski to make it 6-0.
IUPUI couldn't get their bats going and the Bulldogs scored two more runs in the fourth inning to earn the run rule win, 8-0.
Alexa Holman took the loss for the Jags, giving up seven runs on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout in 3.0 innings pitched.
IUPUI is now 1-1 on the season with two more games tomorrow. The Jags will face UAB tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM followed by Mississippi State at 1:00 PM.