INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indy softball team secured back-to-back wins on Friday afternoon in exciting fashion. The Jags managed to secure a comeback victory in game one then earned a walk-off win in the thrilling, high scoring game two.
In game one, Purdue Fort Wayne struck first in the second inning with a solo home run. The Mastodons added two runs in the third inning on three hits to extend their lead to 3-0.
IU Indy responded in the fourth inning when
Callie Dickerson's sacrifice fly brought
Molly Kable home. The Jaguars then capitalized on a fielding error in the fifth, allowing
Pallas Dominion to score.
Kendal Calvert's RBI single then scored
Morgan Gilbert, tying the game at 3-3.
The game-winning run came in the sixth inning when
Kennedy Cowan's single down the left field line scored
Piper Stephens, giving IU Indy a 4-3 victory.
Alexa Holman (W, 3-4) earned the win in the circle after relieving Clara Pharris. Holman pitched a scoreless five innings with six strikeouts to earn the win. Kable led the Jags at the plate with two hits including a double. Calvert and Cowan collected an RBI each in game one.
The second game turned into an offensive showdown. IU Indy jumped ahead early with two runs in the first inning, courtesy of Kable's RBI double and Dickerson's RBI single.
The Mastodons answered in the second inning with two runs to tie the game at 2-2. IU Indy's offense exploded for four runs in the bottom half of the second inning, highlighted by Kable's two-run homer. The scoring in the bottom of the second started when Gilbert stole second allowing
Paige McPhearson to swipe home on the throw. Calvert then singled to left center to score Gilbert. Kable's homer then pushed the Jags' lead to 6-2.
Purdue Fort Wayne stormed back in the third inning, scoring six runs on five hits to take the 8-6 lead.
IU Indy cut into the lead with one run in the fourth inning. Dickerson reached on an error by the Mastodons' center fielder allowing Calvert to score, 8-7.
In the bottom of the fifth frame, the Jags reclaimed the lead. Gilbert recorded a sacrifice fly to score Dominion to tie the game at 8-8. Kable then knocked her second home run of the game with a three-run homer over the left field wall to give the Jags the lead, 11-8.
The Mastodons managed to tie the game at 11-11 in the sixth with three runs on four hits.
Tori Candler then walked it off for the Jags in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run homer over the left field wall to secure the win, 13-11.
Kable shined at the plate in game two, going 3-for-5 with six RBI, two home runs and a double. Calvert went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with four runs and one RBI. Gilbert added two hits, two runs, one RBI and a double.
Holman (W, 4-4) earned her second win of the day after giving up just one run on two hits in two innings pitched.
With the two wins, the Jags improve to 8-16 on the season and 2-1 in Horizon League play. They will next travel to Cleveland State next weekend on March 21 for a three-game series.