BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The IU Indy softball team opened play at the Hilltopper Spring Fling on Friday with a pair of contests at the WKU Softball Complex, falling in extra innings to Ball State before dropping a matchup to host Western Kentucky.
 
In the opener, the Jaguars (3-9) struck first and carried a tight game into extras before Ball State walked it off in the eighth for a 2-1 decision.
 
IU Indy wasted no time manufacturing a run in the top of the first. Paige McPhearson singled to lead off the game, and Mae Munson and Molly Kable followed with base hits to load the bases. Callie Dickerson was then hit by a pitch to bring home McPhearson for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Ball State evened the score in the fourth on an RBI double, and the game remained knotted at 1-1 through seven innings. Clara Phariss delivered a strong start in the circle, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing just two runs on seven hits.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Cardinals used two singles and a walk to set up the winning run, which scored on a groundout to shortstop, handing IU Indy the 2-1 loss. McPhearson, Munson, Kable, Dickerson and Adeline Blackwell each recorded a hit in the contest as the Jaguars finished with five hits as a team.
 
In the nightcap, IU Indy (3-10) faced tournament host WKU, which used a big first inning to pull away for a 16-2 win in five innings.
 
The Hilltoppers erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the first, including three home runs in the frame. WKU added four more runs in the second to extend the lead to 15-0 before IU Indy settled in defensively.
 
The Jaguars broke through in the fourth when Kennedy Cowan singled and later scored on an RBI base hit from Reese Rosenbaum. IU Indy added another run in the fifth as Adeline Blackwell scored on a groundout by Lexi Gordon.
 
Blackwell and McPhearson each collected hits in the game, while Rosenbaum drove in one of IU Indy's two runs. Despite the tough result, the Jaguars continued to compete offensively late in the contest.
 
IU Indy will look to bounce back as play continues at the Hilltopper Spring Fling tomorrow.