SATURDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 7, Southern 0
UT Martin 3, Saint Louis 2
Austin Peay 5, East Tennessee State 0
ULM 5,
Southeast Missouri 1
SIUE 11, Troy 3 (5)
Akron 9,
Tennessee Tech 2
Tennessee Tech 4, St. John's 3
Delaware 7,
UT Martin 2
Troy 7,
Tennessee State 3
@Belmont 2, Valparaiso 1 (8)
@Mississippi State 8
, Tennessee State 0 (6)
Nicholls State 4,
Jacksonville State 2
Army 10,
Austin Peay 3
Northwestern 8,
Southeast Misssouri 0
Western Illinois 10,
@Belmont 2
AKRON 9, TENNESSEE TECH 2; TENNESSEE TECH 4, ST. JOHN'S 3
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Tennessee Tech softball team split its opening games of the '13 campaign with a win over St. John's and a loss to Akron. The Golden Eagles dropped game one to Akron, 9-2, but defeated the Red Storm, 4-3, just one our later with two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Golden Eagles opened play at the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern at Eagle field against Akron. Tech, the visiting team, opened the contest on a roll as the first four batters for Tech singled, scoring two runs. Tech's lead off, Kayla Floyd, singled down the third base line and stole second while senior Melody Christian took her turn at the plate. Christian also singled to third before Chanelle Spalding stepped to the plate and sent a ball flying up the middle allowing Floyd to score Tech's first run.
Junior Kendall Hooper had two runners in scoring position, and sent in another run after singling to right center. The Golden Eagles ended the inning with a 2-0 lead.
It wasn't until the bottom of the second that the Zips would go up on the scoreboard, brining the score to 2-1. The third inning was the turning point in the game as Akron scored four runs off of four hits. Tech never recovered. The Golden Eagles would come close to scoring again in the top of the fourth, but freshman Cortney Fry was thrown out at the plate. Akron scored 2 runs in the fourth and fifth innings and finished the Golden Eagles 9-2.
Just over an hour later, Tech bounced back to face St. John's. St. John's scored first as the visiting team, but freshman Erica Tuck settled into a groove in her first career start ending the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. The Golden Eagles took a strong defensive stand, never allowing a runner past second until the fifth inning. In the sixth inning St. John's scored two runs off of three hits giving them a 3-0 advantage.
The Golden Eagles battled back, scoring 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a St. John's dropped fly allowing Chanelle Spalding to advance to second. Hooper earned her second RBI of the day and then scoring two batters later bringing the score to 3-2.
Tech held the Red Storm at three and in the bottom of the seventh exploded on offense. Hannah Eldridge doubled to center field and Melody Christian advanced Eldridge and Floyd, who reached on walk, on a bunt to the pitcher. Chanelle Spalding hit a walk-off single up the middle allowing Floyd and Eldridge to score. The Golden Eagles beat the Red Storm 4-3.
The softball team returns to action Sunday in the final day of the Eagle Round Robin. The Golden Eagles will seek revenge on Akron at 8:30 a.m. CT before taking on host Georgia Southern at 12:30 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, SOUTHERN 0; NICHOLLS STATE 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
HAMMOND, La. - Junior Tiffany Harbin tossed a three-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over Southern before the Jacksonville State softball team fell to Nicholls State 4-2, splitting the second-straight day at the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic.
Harbin, a native of Hazel Green, Ala., struck out 10 batters and didn't allow a ball out of the infield before a pair of back-to-back singles in the seventh to earn her first win of the season. The Gamecocks (2-2) got another home run from junior Kalee Tabor, her third in the first two days of her JSU career, to pace the seven-run offensive output.
A native of Lake Mary, Fla., Tabor went 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBI on her third-inning blast over the left field wall. The homer was the final blow in a four-run third that started with back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from freshman Cadi Oliver and senior Krystal Ruth.
The Gamecocks added another run in the fourth on an RBI single by senior Jessica Guy, who went 2-for-3 in the game. An RBI ground out by senior Cara Longworth and a run-scoring single from sophomore Savannah Sloan capped the JSU scoring in the fifth. Sloan also recorded two of JSU's nine hits, while also scoring a run.
It would be more than enough run support for Harbin, who allowed a bunt single in the first and held the Jaguars hitless for the next 5.2 innings. Her 10 strikeouts come just one day after fanning 15 St. Louis batters in the season opener, giving her 25 strikeouts in 14 innings in the circle so far this season. She led the OVC in strikeouts per seven innings a year ago and struck out all but one batter in Southern's lineup at least once on Saturday.
Kendyl Stevenson suffered the loss for Southern after allowing five runs on six hits in four innings of work. Delphia Holmes gave up the other two JSU runs on three hits in three innings in the circle.
In the nightcap against the Colonels, a pair of JSU errors led to two unearned runs, and the Gamecocks couldn't play catch-up after falling behind 3-0. The Gamecock bats struggled to get going early and didn't get their first hit until a fourth-inning single by Tabor.
NSU got an unearned run in the first and then scored two more in the fifth, thanks to a Brittany Marcet solo homer and an RBI double from Courtney Vanlandingham.
The Gamecocks drew to within one in the top of the sixth, an inning that was started by freshman Ella Denes' first of two hits in the game. The Pisgah, Ala., native singled to lead off the inning and scored on a single from Ruth/ Oliver, who doubled to advance Denes to third, scored the other run on a fielding error by Colonels' second baseman Ashley Bertot.
NSU answered with another run in the bottom of the sixth, when Danielle Phillips' two-out double game the Colonels the deciding 4-2 advantage. The Gamecocks got the tying run to the plate after a Denes two-out double, but Hayden Crawford's attempt to tie it fell in the glove of Phillips in center field.
Freshman Casey Akenberger suffered the loss after allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits in six innings in the circle. Hannah Haydel grabbed the win by limiting the Gamecocks to two runs, one earned, on four hits in seven strong frames.
The Gamecocks will conclude the Lion Classic on Sunday, when they play host Southeastern Louisiana at 12 p.m.
SIUE 11, TROY 3
STARKVILLE, Miss. - CC Hutchinson's first collegiate home run will likely be a memorable one.
The Cougar freshman hit a grand slam in the fifth inning as SIUE overpowered Troy 11-3 in five innings at the MSU Bulldog Kickoff Classic.
SIUE, 2-1, outhit Troy 10-8 with hits coming from all parts of the lineup. SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said the Cougars have been making good adjustments at the plate and swinging the bat well.
SIUE's offense recorded multiple-run innings three times against the Trojans, 1-2.
Brittany Toney provided a three-run double in the third inning. Her blast to left center drove home Jill Rackers, Rebecca Gray, and Alex McDavid.
After Troy scored twice in the bottom of the third, SIUE answered with another big hit. Samantha Stanicek gave SIUE its first home run of the season. The two-run blast over the fence in left center put SIUE up 5-2.
Troy replaced losing pitcher Rachel Rigney after the fourth. After Gray and McDavid each singled off reliever Sarah Thomas, Troy went back to the bullpen for a third pitcher Jaycee Affeldt.
Affeldt walked Toney and Kayla Riggs. With the bases loaded, Hutchinson turned on a 3-2 pitch and belted the ball down the left field line. Hutchinson, in the lineup as the designated player, said she was thrown an off-speed pitch right before the 3-2 pitch and was trying to keep her focus.
The Cougars tallied once more when Rackers walked, stole second, and scored on a single up the middle by Chelsea Yankolovich.
SIUE freshman pitcher Haley Chambers was dominant in her first career victory. She struck out 10 and did not walk a batter. She threw 96 pitches with 72 for strikes against the Trojans.
Her only nemesis was Troy leadoff hitter Hannah Renn who was 3 for 3 with a double and a home run. Troy's Chandler Griffin also had two hits.
TROY 7, TENNESSEE STATE 3; MISSISSIPPI STATE 8, TENNESSEE STATE 0(6)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Tennessee State lost both games Saturday afternoon at the MSU Bulldog Kickoff Classic. The Tigers led early, but saw Troy comeback and steal a 7-3 victory. In game two, it was Mississippi State earning a six inning, 8-0 win. TSU has started the season 0-3, while Troy improved to 2-2 and MSU climbed to 2-1.
In the first game, the Tigers struck first with three runs in the top of the third inning. Freshmen Kiarra Freeman and Jayna Hanawahine led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt, fellow freshman Lindsey Burgess grounded to short giving Freeman a chance to break for home. Freeman beat the play to the plate and gave TSU an early 1-0 lead. Two batters later, sophomore Kate Morris dropped a two-out single into left center to bring home Hanawahine and Burgess.
Troy started to chip away at the Tiger lead with a run in each of the third and fourth innings. Starter Olivia Gamache (0-1) saw her lead slip away as the Trojans scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning for a 5-3 lead. Two more Trojan runs in the sixth provided the final score.
Morris finished 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI, while Ashley Haynes was 1-for-2 with two sacrifices. Freeman scored a run as she was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice.
Hanawahine recorded the fourth hit for TSU and was 1-for-3 with a run and was hit by a pitch.
The second game started as a pitcher’s duel for the first four and a half innings, as both pitchers refused to allow a hit until freshman Brianna Roberts delivered a two-out single into center in the top of the fourth inning. The hard line drive was the first career hit for the Culloeka product.
Pitcher Shea Morris (0-2) cruised through the first four innings not allowing a hit and surrendering just one walk, while fanning five Bulldog batters. But MSU took advantage of a couple of Tiger miscues to explode for six runs in the fifth inning. The SEC opponent added two more in the sixth to close out the game in six innings.
Roberts claimed the lone hit for TSU and added a walk in a 1-for-2 performance.
The Tigers will conclude play in Starkville on Sunday at 1 pm against Georgia State.
ULM 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1; NORTHWESTERN STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0
MONROE, La. - Southeast Missouri (2-3) was swept Saturday in two games. Southeast first lost to host school University of Louisiana at Monroe, 5-1, followed by a loss to Northwestern State in six innings, 0-8.
Southeast suffered their first loss of the Mardi Gras Classic Saturday afternoon to host school ULM, 5-1.
ULM jumped out in front early and never looked back. The Warhawks out-hit the Redhawks 2-7 while Southeast recorded three errors in the game.
ULM scored on a throwing error by Chelsea Smith on a pick-off attempt at third base to take a 0-1 lead in the second.
The Warhawks extended their lead in the fifth inning when scoring two more runs on two more Redhawk errors.
In the sixth inning, Lindsey Patterson got the Redhawks on the board with an RBI single to right-center to bring pinch-runner Renee Terry home and cut the Warhawk lead to 1-3.
ULM added another run in the bottom of the inning with an RBI triple off the bat of Mackenzie Miller. Miller was then sent home off an RBI single from Faith Bohack widening the Warhawk lead to 1-5.
The Warhawks held Southeast to only two hits in the contest. L. Patterson went went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Leah Becker came in to pinch hit in the seventh and recorded the other Redhawk hit.
Miller went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while Bohack went 2-for-3 with two RBI for ULM.
Cowan (1-2) suffered her second loss at the hands of ULM. Cowan pitched a complete game, striking out two batters and walking three. Cowan gave up five runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits.
Stephanie Routzon (2-0) pitched a complete game for ULM recording five strikeouts and five walks.
Northwestern State run-ruled the Redhawks Saturday evening, 0-8 in six innings. The Redhawks pitching staff could not slow down the Lady Devil bats as Northwestern out-hit Southeast 3-7.
The Lady Devils gained an early 0-1 lead on an RBI double off the bat of Brittany Virgoe. Virgo added insult to injury in the bottom of the second with a two-out, two-RBI single through the right side to widen the Lady Devil lead to 0-3.
In the fourth, Northwestern manufactured another run and scored on a single to left-center by Shenequia Abby. Brianna Rodriguez then scored on a sacrifice fly in the fith from Cassandra Barefield to extend the lead to 0-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Devils scored a run on a single followed immediately by a home run to center field by Virgoe to end the game with a final score of 0-8.
Zink, Terry, and Becker recorded Southeast's three hits.
Virgoe finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBI and a run scored.
Hannah Clemons (1-1) suffered her first career loss for Southeast. Clemons, who started the game, pitched 1.2 innings, giving up three runs on three hits. L. Patterson pitched 1.2 innings letting up one run on two hits. Lauren Reinagel closed-out the game pitching two innings giving up four runs on two hits.
Kylie Roos pitched a complete game shut-out for Northwestern. Roos struck 10 Redhawk batters out and walked three.
Southeast Missouri returns to action Sunday for a showdown with UC Santa Barbara to close-out the 2013 Mardi Gras Classic.
BELMONT 2, VALPARAISO 1; WESTERN ILLINOIS 10, BELMONT 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont softball team (2-2) split action on day two of its Spring Kickoff Tournament on Saturday at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins went to extra innings to defeat Valparaiso, 2-1, but fell in the nightcap to Western Illinois, 10-2.
Sophomore Amanda Criscione (Upland, Calif.) was the first player for either team to record a hit in the top of third in what would become a huge dual between freshman pitchers. Rookie Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) turned in an excellent showing in her collegiate debut. Valparaiso was able to tally one run in the bottom of the third inning but it would not be long before the Bruins began building momentum toward making a mark on the scoreboard.
Junior Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) smashed her first triple of the season to open the fourth inning but was stranded after Valpo's Taylor Weissenhofer turned up the heat inside the circle to keep the Crusaders on top 1-0. Belmont had a great opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth, going on to load the bases with just one out on the board before a foul tip was caught. However, the Bruins would settle for tying the score at one after senior Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.) was sent to first base courtesy of four balls to push sophomore Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Texas) over the plate. The score would remain stalemated at 1-1, forcing the game into extra innings.
To open the international tie breaker, a sacrifice bunt by was followed by a sacrifice fly by Vierra to give Belmont a slim 2-1 lead. Valpo's first batter muffed a sacrifice attempt but it was able to load the bases on back-to-back walks. However, Snodgress continued to put in work inside the circle and wrapped the game with her ninth strikeout of the game to secure to 2-1 victory.
After a pair of uneventful innings to open the game with Western Illinois, the Leathernecks opened the third inning with a series hits to load the bases and used some squeeze plays to tally a 5-0 lead by the end of it. Belmont worked to get back in the contest in the bottom of the same inning. Freshman Jordan Daly (Humble, Texas) sliced a ball up the middle to send sophomore Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Texas), who notched an RBI earlier in the inning, looking to spark the Bruins. However, the two runs would be all BU could put together as the Leathernecks got hot twice more before the end of the game, cementing the win. WIU would add three in the fourth inning and two more in the top of the seventh to take the game, 10-2.
For the day, Ferrell and sophomore Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas) led the Bruins with two runs apiece. Vierra knocked her first triple of the season. Daly, Ferrell, Vierra and senior Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.) finished with one RBI each.
Inside the circle, Snodgress finished with 10 strikeouts and notched her first complete game and career win. Junior Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.), freshman Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) and sophomore Katie Clancy (Pasadena, Calif.) also saw time and combined for four strikeouts.
Belmont returns to action the weekend of February 15-16 at the Alabama State Hornet Invitational. The Bruins will take on UNC Greensboro and host-ASU on the first day of competition.