BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The IU Indy softball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at the Hilltopper Spring Fling, falling to Illinois, 10-0 in six innings, before closing the day with a 12-4 loss to Ball State in five innings at the WKU Softball Complex.
 
The Jaguars were limited to three hits in the opener as Illinois pulled away late for the run-rule victory. After the Fighting Illini scored single runs in each of the first five innings, a five-run sixth sealed the outcome.
 
Pallas Dominion, Adeline Blackwell and Kennedy Cowan each recorded one hit for IU Indy. The Jaguars threatened in the third inning when Dominion singled and Blackwell followed with a base hit, but Illinois starter Abby Sabalaskey worked out of the jam and kept the Jaguars off the board.
 
Lily Roush (1-4) took the loss, allowing three runs over three innings of work. Callie Dickerson tossed 2.1 innings in relief before Clara Phariss entered in the sixth. Illinois finished with 12 hits, including three home runs, to secure the win.
 
In the nightcap, Ball State used a big second inning to build an early cushion and held off a late Jaguar rally to earn the five-inning victory.
 
The Cardinals plated five runs in the second and added two more in the third to take an 8-0 lead. A four-run fifth inning pushed the margin to 12-0 before IU Indy answered in the bottom half.
 
The Jaguars showed fight in their final at-bat. Kalilah Dela Cruz drew a walk to spark the rally, and Paige McPhearson followed with a free pass. Molly Kable delivered a two-run double to left field, and Cowan added a two-run single through the left side to cut the deficit to 12-4. IU Indy finished with six hits in the contest, with Kable leading the way with two hits and two RBI.
 
Sidney Parks (0-2) was charged with the loss in the start, while Reagan Bauer and Alexa Holman combined for the final 3.1 innings in relief.
 
IU Indy (3-12) will wrap up play at the Hilltopper Spring Fling on Sunday with a single game against host Western Kentucky.