SUU Unable to Sweep at IUPUI in 3-1 Defeat

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - April 7 - Southern Utah University missed a series sweep at IUPUI on Saturday morning, falling to the Jaguars 3-1 in Indianapolis. The Thunderbirds left eight runners on base as the team dropped to 22-16 overall and 10-5 in Summit League play.

SUU opened the first with a runner on third as Mikkel Griffin drew a one-out walk and then advanced two bases on a pair of passed balls. However, the junior was stranded at third as the inning ended with a strikeout and pop up to first.

The Thunderbirds broke through in the top of the second when Madison Resley led off the frame with a walk and later advanced to third on a double by Haylee Hoch. Kylee Schmitke came on to pinch run for Resley and later scored on an IUPUI error, giving the T-Birds a 1-0 lead.

Southern Utah's offense struggled over the next two innings, going down in order in the third and fourth. The Jaguars used the lull from the T-Bird bats to build their first lead of the game, 2-1, with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. SUU committed two errors in the stanza, leading to both runs on sloppy fielding on a bunt and a dropped pop up to third.

The Thunderbirds looked primed to tie the game in the top of the fifth with runners on the corners and only one out, but back-to-back strikeouts derailed the rally and kept the Jaguars in front by a run. IUPUI then doubled its lead with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double to stretch the advantage to 3-1.

Southern Utah recorded a pair of hits in the sixth, putting a runner on second, but were unable to capitalize and left another runner on first in the seventh, falling 3-1.

SUU starter Heather Black was given the loss after throwing 6.0 innings where she allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts. IUPUI's Nikki Thomas picked up the victory in 7.0 innings where she allowed the one run on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.

Southern Utah will remain on the road next week with games at UNLV and IPFW. The Thunderbirds will face the Rebels in Las Vegas in a doubleheader on Wednesday before making the trip to Fort Wayne for a three-game conference series with the Mastodons.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Heather Black: P; 5' 10"; Senior

#17 Mikkel Griffin: INF; 5' 5"; Junior

#15 Haylee Hoch: UT; 5' 9"; Senior

#00 Madison Resley: 1B; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#16 Kylee Schmitke: OF; 5' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#7 Heather Black
: 5' 10"; Senior
: P

#17 Mikkel Griffin
: 5' 5"; Junior
: INF

#15 Haylee Hoch
: 5' 9"; Senior
: UT

#00 Madison Resley
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: 1B

#16 Kylee Schmitke
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: OF