CLEVELAND, Ohio – The IU Indy softball team took one game against Cleveland State in a doubleheader on the road, securing a late comeback victory in the second game after falling in a tightly contested first game.
The first game was a back-and-forth battle, with Cleveland State having the final answer in a 5-4 walk-off win.
The Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run from Delaney Ellis. IU Indy grabbed the lead in the sixth as
Paige McPhearson doubled to drive in two runs, making it 2-1.
Cleveland State responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a three-run homer by Peyton Mueller Stenz, reclaiming a 4-2 advantage. IU Indy showed resilience once again in the seventh as
Alexa Holman came through with a clutch two-run single to tie the game at 4-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sophie Spellman knocked a walk-off home run to center field, giving Cleveland State the final 5-4 win.
Holman (L, 4-5) took the loss despite a strong performance in the circle, allowing five runs on five hits in six innings of work while striking out three.
In game two, IU Indy rallied from an early deficit to earn a decisive 8-4 victory over Cleveland State. The Vikings jumped ahead in the second inning with a three-run homer by Haley West and a solo shot from Kylie Gorsuch to take a 4-0 lead.
IU Indy responded in the third inning as
Pallas Dominion stole home to get the Jaguars on the board. Later in the inning,
Kendal Calvert's RBI single brought the score to 4-2.
The Jaguars broke the game open in the fourth inning, capitalizing on Cleveland State miscues. A key RBI single from Dominion tied the game at four before
Kennedy Cowan scored on a wild pitch to give IU Indy the lead.
Morgan Gilbert delivered the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run double to extend the advantage to 7-4.
Tori Candler added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single to seal the 8-4 victory.
Lilly Roush (W, 2-6) was stellar in relief, tossing 5.1 shutout innings while allowing just two hits and striking out one.
With the split, IU Indy moves to 9-17 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The Jaguars and Vikings will finish out the three-game series with a single game tomorrow, Saturday, March 22. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.