SATURDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 4, Buffalo 1
Miami (Ohio) 9,
Tennessee Tech 6
SIUE 4, Wright State 0
Belmont 4, Mississippi State 3
@Arkansas 8,
Murray State 0
Virginia Tech 5,
Jacksonville State 1
Detroit 1,
SIUE 0
Eastern Illinois 1, Kent State 0 (8)
Eastern Kentucky 9, Toledo 2
McNeese State 7,
UT Martin 2
Murray State 4, ULM 1
Morehead State 7, UMBC 1
Ole Miss 9,
UT Martin 8 (8)
Eastern Kentucky 3, Northern Kentucky 2
Morgan State 3,
Tennessee State 0
Bradley 5,
Tennessee State 2
Samford 1,
Southeast Missouri 0
Nicholls State 8,
Southeast Missouri 7
UMKC 4,
Belmont 3
Tennessee Tech 3,
Missouri State 0
SIUE 3, WRIGHT STATE 0; DETROIT 1, SIUE 0
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Amanda Lambrecht tossed a one-hit shutout in a 4-0 win over Wright State. Erin Greenwalt followed that with a no-hitter against Detroit. However, the Cougars lost the game 1-0 on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning
SIUE enters the final day of the Blues City Classic with a 6-4 record. The Cougars face Mississippi State in an 11 a.m. game Sunday.
Lambrecht fanned six and improved to 2-0 for the season. The only hit allowed was a fourth-inning double by Katie Rapshus.
SIUE's offense picked up six hits. Alex McDavid drove home three runs for the Cougars beginning with a sacrifice fly in the first inning that drove home Rebecca Gray after her one out triple. McDavid added two more RBIs in the seventh on a single to left field.
In game two, Greenwalt would retire the last 22 batters she faced. She pitched a fantastic game with 11 strikeouts and no walks. Greenwalt's more than hard luck loss dropped her to 1-3.
It is the 27th no-hitter in SIUE softball history. Greenwalt becomes the 14th different pitcher to throw a no-hitter at SIUE.
The lone run of the game scored due to the setup of the international tiebreaker rule where the last batter in the previous inning is placed on second to start the inning.
Detroit placed pinch runner Kat Hoffman on second. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Katy Severson and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Kayla Kostich.
The Cougars, which had four hits off Detroit starter Karyn McCarty, had a chance to tie in the bottom of the eighth. Kelsey Hansen was placed at second and nearly scored on a single by Chelsea Yankolovich but was thrown out at home on a throw from Detroit left fielder Dani Holmes.
ARKANSAS 8, MURRAY STATE 0; MURRAY STATE 4, ULM 1
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Murray State softball team fell in their day two opener of the Arkansas Invitational on Saturday to host Arkansas, 8-0, but bounced back with a 4-1 win over Louisiana-Monroe in the backend of a doubleheader.
In game one, the Racers (2-5) and the Razorbacks were scoreless for the first three innings, despite two hits by MSU. However, Arkansas (10-4) notched two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to put the Racers at 7-0 disadvantage. Arkansas added one more run in the top of the sixth to end the game via the 8-run rule.
The four Murray State hits were spread out over four different players in the game, including Mo Ramsey, Leslie Bridges, Sarah Anderson and Shelbey Miller. CheyAnne Gaskey took the loss for the Racers to fall to 0-2 on the year, after allowing five runs off of seven hits with three strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work.
In the second game, the contest was once again scoreless through three, as neither team was able to get runners across the plate. However, the Racers finally found their offensive stroke in the fourth with four big runs in the inning.
Miller got the scoring started for Murray State with a two RBI double that scored Alexa Becker and Casey Castile, who reached base via a single and double, respectively. The Racers added two more runs later in the frame via a fly out to center from Ramsey.
The Warhawks (6-6) scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Janel Salanoa crossed the plate on an illegal pitch. Neither team scored in the final three innings, but MSU was able to hold on for their second win of the year.
Castile and Becker each finished the game going 2-for-3 with a run a piece, while Leslie Bridges went 2-for-4. Shelby Kosmecki picked up her second win of the season by allowing just one run off of seven hits with six strikeouts over seven complete innings.
Murray State will close out play in the Arkansas Invitational on Sunday. Depending on the results of the final game today, the Racers will either play at 9:30 or 11:30 a.m., tomorrow, followed by an appearance in either the championship or consolation game at 2 p.m.
MOREHEAD STATE 7, UMBC 1
WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Morehead State softball team used a three-run first inning to defeat Maryland-Baltimore County, 7-1, at the Seahawk Clash on Saturday evening.
Senior Katie Pfost went four innings in the circle and got the win for MSU. She gave up no earned runs, allowed only two hits, and struck out three. She is now 2-1 on the young season. Junior Kelcey McMurray also threw three innings in relief and picked up the save.
Senior outfielder Elizabeth Wagner led the Eagles with three hits, while junior Samantha Howard chipped in two.
MSU’s first-inning scoring included an RBI single from senior shortstop Kayla Ashbrook and a home run from senior first baseman Amber Riddle. The roundtripper was Riddle’s 29th of her career, which puts her one shy of tying the MSU career mark.
The Eagles added a run in the third and the fifth and capped off the night with a pair of runs in the sixth to secure the victory.
MSU committed only one error to the Retrievers’ four in the contest.
The Eagles are back in action on Sunday for the final day of the Seahawk Clash. They are scheduled to take on Gardner-Webb at 8:30 a.m. ET and UMBC at 10:15 a.m.
VIRGINIA TECH 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Jacksonville State softball team dropped its opening game of the Kennesaw State Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament on Saturday, when Virginia Tech handed the Gamecocks a 5-1 defeat at KSU's Bailey Park.
The Gamecocks (5-7) scored first but could hold off the 27th ranked Hokies (10-1), who snapped JSU's three-game winning streak by scoring five runs on eight hits and holding Jax State to a run on just two hits.
The Gamecocks got on the board in a hurry, thanks to a leadoff double from senior Krystal Ruth, who eventually scored on a fielder's choice by junior Kalee Tabor. The lead didn't hold long, however, as Dani Anderson drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the inning that tied the game at 1-1.
The Hokies grabbed their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth, when Bkaye Smith doubled and came around to score on a Lauren Gaskill single. Amanda Ake drove in another in the Va. Tech fifth, as did Gaskill to push that Hokie lead to 4-1.
They added one more in the sixth on a Kelsey Mericka double and then retired the Gamecocks in order to close the game. Maggie Tyler earned the win for Va. Tech, holding JSU to a run on one hit in four innings in the circle, while Kelly Heinz grabbed the save by striking out four batters in three innings of one-hit softball.
Junior Tiffany Harbin suffered the loss for the Gamecocks, surrendering five runs, four earned, on eight hits in six innings. She struck out six and walked eight in the loss. Ruth and sophomore Savannah Sloan had JSU's two hits.
The Gamecocks will wrap up the event on Sunday with a pair of games. They will face Bowling Green at 7 a.m. CT before closing the day against Youngstown State at 11 a.m.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, BUFFALO 1; EASTERN ILLINOIS 1, KENT STATE 0
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - – Eastern Illinois softball opened Louisville Cardinal Classic action on Saturday (Feb. 23), topping Buffalo and Kent State off respective scores of 4-1 and 1-0 (8-inn.). The first day sweep evens the Panthers to 3-3 on the early-season.
Junior pitcher Hanna Mennenga paced EIU in the morning win versus the Bulls (2-5), coming one pitch shy of her first career no-hitter in a Panther uniform. The complete-game win upped her spring mark to 2-0, while the right-hander registered a career-high 14 strikeouts in the win, while allowing just one walk and throwing two HBPs.
She unfortunately surrendered a solo Buffalo homer in the top of the 7th, yet limited the Bulls to a low .043 batting mark as the EIU defense backed her up with 21 put-outs, UB stranded four baserunners, including one via a fielder's choice.
Offensively, sophomore designated hitter Hannah Cole led EIU with a two-RBI double in the opening frame to lead the Panthers to the victory. She would eventually come around to score herself in the same inning thanks to a junior outfielder Morgan Biel's sac fly RBI.
Junior catcher Brooke Owens also ripped an RBI double in the third frame to bring home classmate Carly Willert for the final EIU run.
In the afternoon contest with Kent State (2-5), the Panthers and Golden Flashes battled through a pitching dual. EIU junior starter Stephanie Maday retired four KSU batters via strikes, allowed five walks and fanned three KSU hits as she secured her first win in the circle this spring to improve to 1-2 overall.
The Panther defense helped Maday get out of a sticky situation in the bottom of the seventh as the Flashes left a bases loaded situation prior to the game going into extra-innings. KSU would strand nine total players, compared to eight for Eastern.
Junior infielders Bailey O'Dell and Ashleigh Westover both registered team-high four assists to shine defensively.
EIU finished with five hits in the pitching and defensive battle, with Willert connecting on two pitches to lead her squad. She ripped the eventual game-winning RBI shot in the top of the eighth, as she drove home freshman Haylee Beck from third. Beck had previously been placed on second under the international tie-breaker, before moving over to third thanks to a sac bunt by senior outfielder Melise Brown.
For the day, Owens and Willert tied with three hits apiece to record respective .500 and .429 batting marks. Owens would finish with five total bases and a .833 slug %.
Panthers will return to action at Ulmer Stadium tomorrow, first battling Buffalo again at 9 a.m., before finishing up Cardinal Classic play versus the host Louisville squad at 2 p.m.
MIAMI (OHIO) 9, TENNESSEE TECH 6; TENNESSEE TECH 2, MISSOURI STATE 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Taylor Ketchum earned her fifth win, Brittney Spalding slugged the team's first home run, and the defense threw out two runners at the plate in the seventh to preserve a 2-0 win as Tennessee Tech topped Missouri State Saturday to split games in the Frost Classic.
Ketchum (5-1) pitched a complete-game, seven-hit shutout, walking two and striking out three to beat the Bears. Spalding led off the second inning with a home run to left field to stake the sophomore from Newcastle, Ohio, to a 1-0 lead.
Spalding led off the fourth with a double, moved to third on a single by Tori Gentile, and scored on a triple by sophomore Angi Sakamoto.
Ketchum stranded two Bear runners in the second inning, and got out of a huge jam in the fifth. With runners at second and third and one out, she coaxed a foul pop up for the second out, and ended the threat with a strikeout.
Missouri State's best scoring chance came in the bottom of the seventh when a single, and error and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Second baseman Cortney Fry fired to catches Kendall Hooper to get the first out on a force out, then Chanelle Spalding did the same from first base, forcing another runner at the plate. Ketchum got cleanup hitter Mary Stephens to ground out to end the game.
Madison Taylor and Brittney Spalding each collected two of Tech's eight hits in the game, while Stephens had two of Missouri State's seven safeties. Bear pitcher Jessie Van Es (0-6) took the loss.
The win helped coach Bonnie Bynum's team put a Saturday morning, 9-6 loss to Miami (Ohio) behind them.
A three-run double by Miami's Alli Larrabee in the first inning got the Redhawks off to a good start, but Tech battled back with five in the bottom of the first and another in the second to take a 6-4 lead off MU starter Megan Matera.
Matera settled down after that, however, and limited Tech to two hits over the final five scoreless innings to earn her first career win.
The Redhawks jumped on the board in the first as five-straight batters reached base, against TTU starter Erica Tuck. Senior Claudia Harke (2-3) took over and halted the uprising, and the Golden Eagles responded with a five-run inning.
With one out, Taylor and Chanelle Spalding drew walks and Hooper loaded the bases with a single. A walk to Hannah Eldridge brought home Tech's first run, and with two outs Brittney Spalding and Fry each ripped two-run doubles to make it 5-4.
The Golden Eagles tacked on another run to take a 6-4 lead in the second when an infield single by Hooper drove home speedster Melody Christian.
Miami tied the score in the fifth when another double by Larabee scored for her fifth RBI of the game. The Redhawks scored two more in the sixth on a two-run double by Tiyona Marshall, and their final run in the seventh when Larabee doubled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.
Harke (2-3) took the loss, throwing seven innings and allowing five runs on six hits. Christian, Hooper and Brittney Spalding each had two of Tech's seven hits. Larabee and Marshall each collected three of Miami's eight hits.
Tech's fifth and final game at the Frost Classic is at 11:15 a.m CT Sunday against Ohio.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, TOLEDO 2; EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team picked up two more victories at the 2013 Frost Classic Saturday thanks to a 9-2 win over Toledo and a 3-2 decision against Northern Kentucky in nine innings.
With the two wins, the Colonels move to 6-2 overall for the second consecutive season.
Eastern scored runs in four of its six at-bats to earn a very convincing win over Toledo (1-3). After the Rockets got a single run in the top of the first, sophomore Katie Tackett put the Colonels ahead with a two-run blast in the bottom of the frame.
Senior Melissa Costa gave the Colonels the lead for good in the bottom of the second with a two-out, RBI double. Freshman Sarah Fobbs put an exclamation point on the victory with a three-run homer, her first collegiate home run, in the fifth inning.
Freshman Kayla Joyce went 3-for-4 at the plate versus the Rockets while Costa notched a pair of doubles. Sophomore pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger went the distance and struck out 10 UT batters to earn her third victory.
In game two, EKU scored the winning run on a passed ball to escape with a 3-2 win over Northern Kentucky (2-6). Neither team tallied a hit in the two extra innings, but senior Raquel Howes scored the winning run with one out in the ninth following a sacrifice bunt and the passed ball.
The Colonels never trailed against the Norse. Eastern got on the board in the first thanks to junior Christina Ciolek’s sacrifice fly. Northern Kentucky tied the game in the second, only to see the Colonels jump back in front 2-1 in the fourth behind junior Nicole Heitz’s two-out RBI single.
The Norse forced extra frames with a run in the top of the sixth inning.
Sophomore pitcher Shaylon Robb went the first six innings for Eastern Kentucky and allowed one earned run. Pittsenbarger (4-1) tallied the win in relief, going the final three innings without allowing a hit and striking out four.
Eastern Kentucky concludes play at the Frost Classic tomorrow with a single game against North Carolina Central. Game time is set for 10 a.m.
MORGAN STATE 3, TENNESSEE STATE 0; BRADLEY 5, TENESSEE STATE 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State softball returned home to change their fortunes as they hosted the Tiger Invitational. TSU could only find more heartache as they continue to search for offensive production. Morgan State stunned the Tigers 3-0 in game one, while Bradley got the better of the Big Blue 5-2 in the final game of the night.
TSU is now 0-9 on the season, as Morgan State improved to 1-7 and Bradley moved to 6-6.
Junior Ashley Haynes finished the day 3-for-3 with a triple, two walks and a sacrifice bunt. Haynes increased her average to a team high .333.
Pitcher’s Shea Morris and Olivia Gamache each had solid performances on Saturday. Morris was tagged with the loss in game one and is now 0-5. Morris surrendered just five hits and two earned runs, while fanning nine Bears. Gamache dropped to 0-4 in an outing where she allowed just one earned run.
In game two, TSU managed to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Bradley wasted no time getting the lead back with a run in the top of the fifth and added to their lead with two more in the sixth.
The Tigers used hits by Tedra Alford, Tayler Shimizu and Jennifer Givens in the bottom of the seventh setting up an opportunity to get back in the game. Bradley pitcher Mackenzie Camp capped the win for her team, recording her ninth strikeout to end the game.
Freshmen Kacie Daugherty and Kiarra Freeman picked up hits in the first game of the day. Daugherty extended her hit streak to five games, but the streak came to an end during a 0-for-2 performance in the nightcap.
The Tiger Invitational will continue on Sunday with games beginning at 9:30 am. The Tigers will take to the field at 3:30 pm vs. IUPUI and will close out the tournament with a matchup against Butler at 5:30 pm.
SAMFORD 1, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; NICHOLLS STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - Southeast Missouri (3-5) dropped both games at day two of the Blues City Classic Saturday; falling to Samford (5-5) 1-2 in eight innings, and Nicholls State (6-5) 7-8 in walk-off fashion.
Southeast Missouri 1, Samford 2 (8 innings)
The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 0-1 lead on an RBI double off the bat of Kayla Shaffer.
Hot off a 4-for-5 performance Friday night, Taylor Cowan hit an RBI double to right to bring Simone Patterson home and tie the game at 1-1 in the Redhawk's half of the first.
With the game tied through the seventh inning, the game went in to extra innings for the second game in a row.
With the international tie-breaker rule in effect, the Bulldog runner placed on second scored on a sacrifice fly to right field and went up 1-2 on Southeast.
The Redhawks could not capitalize with runners on second and third in their half of the eighth, ending the game.
Southeast tied Samford in hits with six hits each. S. Patterson went 2-for-4 in the game and scored a run.
Cowan (1-3) pitched her second complete game of the season, going eight innings, giving up two runs, on six hits, striking out three, walking none.
Mollie Hanson (3-4) pitched a complete game for the Bulldogs giving up one run on one hit, striking 13 Redhawk batters out and walking only one.
Southeast is now 6-12 against Samford all-time.
Southeast Missouri 7, Nicholls State 8
The Redhawks got on the board in the top of the first on an RBI double off the bat of Cowan followed by an RBI single off the bat of Savannah Carpenter to go up 2-0 on the Colonels. In each game of the Blues City Classic, Cowan's first at-bat has been an RBI double.
Nicholls wasted no time scoring when Brittany Marcett hit an RBI single; followed by a hit and an error to score two and take the lead 3-2.
Southeast added two runs in the second, two in the third, and one in the fourth. Lindsey Patterson tripled to plate Kaitlin Zink and S. Patterson in the second. Southeast added two runs on a fielding error by the shortstop in the third to increase the lead, 6-3, followed by Xia Wilson bringing Carpenter home in the fourth, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Colonels narrowed the Redhawk lead to 7-4 in the sixth on an RBI single from Maggie Bryan.
Nicholls pieced together a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh that started with an RBI single followed by a triple and an error to allow the Colonels to pull ahead and nab the win.
The Colonels out-hit Southeast 11-7 in the contest. Elysia Mesa went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Redhawks.
Marcett went 3-for-4 with two RBI and scored twice for the Colonels.
After coming in to face the last batter of the game, L. Patterson (1-1) recorded the loss for Southeast.
Hannah Haydel (2-2) got the win for the Colonels going 5.2 innings in relief.
Southeast will play Mississippi State on Sunday at 9 a.m. followed by the tournament finale against host-school Memphis at 2:30 p.m.