WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 4, South Dakota State 0
SIUE 12, LaSalle 0 (5)
Campbell 8,
@Austin Peay 6
Kennsaw State 5,
@Belmont 4
Kennsaw State 7,
@Belmont 1
CAMPBELL 8, AUSTIN PEAY 6
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team was down four runs heading into their final at bat, Wednesday at Cheryl Holt Field, but battled back to have the possible game-tying run at the plate, but couldn’t get the final big hit, in an 8-6 home-opening loss to Campbell.
The Govs (7-8) were down 8-4 as they came to bat in the bottom of the seventh, but got things going right away with Danielle Liermann hitting the second pitch of the inning out over the right field fence to make it a three-run game, 8-5.
Liermann would finish the game 3-for-4, with a run scored and two RBIs.
Allie Blackwood would follow with a single, move into scoring possession on a wild pitch, and two-outs later score on a single by Kendall Vedder to make it 8-6.
Vedder went 2-for 3 at the plate, with three RBIs.
But that would be as close as the Govs would get, with Emily Moore getting called out on strikes to end the game.
Austin Peay would take an early lead on Campbell, scoring a first-inning run on a sacrifice bunt by Blackwood.
Campbell would tie the game with a single run in the second inning and take the lead with two runs in the third inning and then extent that lead out to 6-1 with three more runs in the third.
Austin Peay would cut the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer by Vedder, her second of the season, which also scored Christiana Gable; who finished the game with two hits.
Both teams would score single runs in the fifth inning, with Liermann driving in Kacy Acree – who had reached with a double – making it 7-4.
Campbell would score its final run in the top of the seventh.
Kelsey Gross (5-3) would take the loss for the Govs, going three innings and giving up five runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out three.
SIUE 4, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 0; SIUE 12, LASALLE 0
CLEARWATER, Fla. - SIUE softball improved to 14-0 in neutral-site games this season with a pair of shutouts Wednesday.
The Cougars defeated South Dakota State 4-0 and La Salle 12-0 in five innings. The win by Emily Ingles and Ashley Koziol over LaSalle was the first combined no-hitter in school history and the 33rd overall for the program.
Chambers-Book, now 8-3, nearly tossed a no-hitter of her own, settling for a one-hitter on a leadoff single in the third inning against South Dakota State. The Cougar senior struck out 11 and has now collected 10 or more strikeouts in a game five times this season.
Koziol threw the final inning against La Salle. "Pitchers have to pitch to stay sharp, and we have to get ready for the weekend," added Montgomery.
Chambers-Book also provided half of the RBIs in the win over South Dakota State. She blasted her second home run of the season, a two-run homer in the third inning.
Reagan Curtis scored the game's first run on an odd play in the second inning. After Curtis was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Allison Smiley laid down a sacrifice bunt only to be hit in the helmet by an errant throw to first base. The ball skipped down the right field line, allowing Curtis to score.
Curtis also provided fireworks in the fifth inning with her first career triple that drove home Zoe Schafer.
SIUE's offense provided three big innings against LaSalle, 7-4.
Timely hitting proved important with the Cougars hitting 9 for 17 in RBI opportunities. Chambers-Book (1), Zoe Schafer (2), Curtis (1), Page Clinton (1), Smiley (2), Sarah Lopesilvero (2) and Savannah Fisher (1) all had RBIs for SIUE.
Haley Adrian and Fisher also came off the bench for pinch hits against LaSalle.
The Cougars now have Thursday off before starting the Under Armour Showcase. SIUE plays five games in three days in Clearwater, Florida, with Holy Cross and Providence Friday, IPFW and Saint Joseph's Saturday and a return game with South Dakota State Sunday.
KENNESAW STATE 5, BELMONT 4, KENNSAW STATE 7, BELMONT 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont Softball's amazing momentum was slowed on its home field on Wednesday evening. The Bruins (14-4) dropped a pair to visting Kennesaw State (16-5), marking the first time this season the team posted back-to-back losses.
In game one, a massive comeback effort fell just shy in the sixth inning as BU was edged 5-4.
Belmont never found an offensive groove in the nightcap and was held off, 7-1.
More to come...