SUNDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee Tech 11, Providence 4
Murray State 6, Bowling Green 4
SIUE 12, Quinnipiac 2
Austin Peay 5 , Miami (Ohio) 1
@Evansville 8,
Murray State 2
Tennessee State 5, Mississippi Valley State 4 (8)
Southeast Missouri 4, Bowling Green 1
Eastern Illinois 4, Lehigh 3 (8)
Eastern Illinois 5, Creighton 0
Tennessee State 5, Alabama State 1
@Evansville 9, Southeast Missouri 2
Wisconsin 5,
Eastern Kentucky 1
MURRAY STATE 6, BOWLING GREEN 4; EVANSVILLE 8, MURRAY STATE 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Murray State softball team split a pair of games on Sunday on the final day of the Evansville Invitational in Indiana. The Racers won the first game against Blowing Green, 6-4, but feel in the finale, 8-1, to host Evansville.
In game, one the Falcons (8-6) were first on the board in the game when Hannah Fulk led off the bottom of the first with a home run to give her team an early 1-0 advantage. Alexa Becker answered in the top of the next inning with a two-run blast of her own, giving the Racers (6-10) their own 2-1 lead.
With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Sarah Anderson became just the seventh Racer in school history to hit a grand slam, pushing MSU’s lead out to 6-2. Anderson’s blast will go down as the 11th grand slam in school history and the first in 2013.
Bowling Green cut the lead to just two in the bottom of the sixth when Marissa Shook homered to left field, making the score 6-4. Shook’s long ball was the fourth of the game, making all runs scored in the contest coming by way of the home run.
Casey Castile led off the seventh with a double, but the Racers were unable to score her, giving the Falcons a shot at the win. Bowling Green led off their half inning with a hit of their own, but pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey and the Murray State defense shut down the next three batters for the win.
Castile led the Racers in the game by going 4-for-4 with three doubles, a run and a stolen base. Mo Ramsey, Leslie Bridges, Erica Howard, Becker and Anderson all tallied one run each in the contest to give Murray State its fourth nine-hit game of the season.
Gaskey picked up the win in the contest, allowing only one run on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Gaskey is now 3-4 on the season with a team-low 2.61 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .268.
In the second game, the Evansville offense found its stroke and reeled off 12 hits in the contest. The Purple Aces (5-9) scored five of their eight runs on the afternoon via three home runs from three different players. Evansville scored four runs in the first, two in the third and two in the sixth to cap their scoring at eight.
Ellyn Troup accounted for both Murray State runs in the game, as she went 2-for-3 on the afternoon. She scored the first run on an RBI double from Sarah Anderson in the second and crossed the plate the second time on a solo home run in the seventh.
Shelby Kosmecki took the loss for MSU in the contest, falling to 3-6 on the year. She allowed six runs on six hits with two strikeouts over 2.1 innings.
On Saturday, the Racers will begin their 2013 OVC campaign at home against Southeast Missouri. First pitch for both Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s single-game finale at Central Park is set for Noon.
SIUE 12, QUINNIPIAC 2
CLEARWATER, Fla. - SIUE improved its winning streak to five games Sunday with a 12-2, five-inning victory over Quinnipiac at the USF Under Armour Classic.
The softball Cougars won their third straight short game with six different players recording RBIs against the 2-12 Bobcats.
SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said the Cougars continued to fare well at the plate.
Since nearly everyone is hitting in the lineup from the leadoff down to the No. 9 slot, it could create a problem on who to play.
SIUE improved to 12-6 overall after an impressive 6-1 week in Florida. The Cougars return home to their first game at Cougar Field. On Wednesday, SIUE entertains Missouri State for a 4 p.m. single game Wednesday.
Pitching continued to be at a premium as SIUE's Erin Greenwalt won her third game of the week. She allowed four hits and struck out two. The Cougar right-hander threw just 79 pitches.
Greenwalt got immediate help Sunday before she even had to throw one pitch. Chelsea Yankolovich led off the game with a double to left field.
Taylor Tooley followed up with a home run to put the Cougars up 2-0. Tooley said she was supposed to move the runner over by laying down a sacrifice bunt earlier in the at bat.
SIUE wasted little time in knocking out Quinnipiac starter Molly Jarrett. Samantha Stanicek drew a walk to open the second inning and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jill Rackers. Jordan LaFave drove home Stanicek with a triple to put SIUE up 3-0.
After Yankolovich drew a walk, pitcher Katie Alfiere entered the game for Quinnipiac. She loaded by bases by walking Tooley. Consecutive hits by Alex McDavid, Rachel Coonrod, and Kayla Riggs resulted in five more runs. By the end of the second inning, SIUE held a 9-0 lead.
Stanicek, who had the final RBI in the second inning, provided two more RBIs in the fourth.
Stanicek said getting hits from up and down the lineup as well as from pinch hitter has made hitting contagious. Players are locked in at the plate.
AUSTIN PEAY 5, MIAMI (OHIO) 1
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Austin Peay State University’s Morgan Brewer held Miami (Ohio) to one run, Sunday morning in the final day of the University of Louisville Red and Black Classic, to earn the Lady Govs a 5-1 victory.
Brewer (3-3) held the Red Hawks (2-12) to just three hits through the first five innings of play before giving up a run in the sixth inning.
Overall, the senior held the Red Hawks to seven hits -- six singles and a double – while striking out two and walking none. She did hit a batter.
Austin Peay (7-5) pushed across two runs in the bottom of the second inning, with Mel Pavel leading things off with a double off the fence in left field – after fouling off three pitches to stay alive.
Pavel would advance to third on an infield single by Abby Guest and score then the throw attempt to get Guest at first base was off the mark.
The other APSU run of the inning came in on Laurel Burroughs hard hit grounder to third that was misplayed allowing Guest to score.
Miami (Ohio) scored its run on a one-out single by Allie Larrabee, which drove in Taylor Shuey.
Austin Peay’s offense would respond in the bottom of the inning, with Amanda De Vries opening thing off with a single, and two outs later, score on a double to straight away center field by Burroughs.
Burroughs’ double was followed by Lauren de Castro’s second home run of the season – a two-run shot over the left field fence.
The home run was de Castro’s third hit of the game, while Burroughs, Marissa Lake and Pavel had two hits each.
Miami (Ohio) would threaten in the top of the seventh, getting the first two batters on, but Red Hawks Tiyona Marshall was called out when the ball hit her out of the batter box -- on a bunt attempt.
That led Red Hawks coach Clarisa Crowell coming out to argue and ultimately be ejected by home plate umpire Sergio Villareal.
Brewer would get the next two batter on routine ground outs to end the game and wrap up the victory.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, LEHIGH 3; EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, CREIGHTON 0
KISSIMMEE, Fla.- Junior Hanna Mennenga's complete game no-hitter over Creighton highlighted Eastern Illinois softball's first day Florida Rebel Spring Games play, as the Panthers clawed past Lehigh in a eight-inning, 4-3, thriller before blanking the Bluejays, 5-0.
The two-game victory improves EIU to 6-6 on the season, as Mennenga earned her first career no-hitter in a Panther uniform, and the first such performance by an Eastern pitcher since classmate Stephanie Maday no-hit TSU at home in a five-inning rout back in 2011.
Mennenga fanned 12 of the 22 Creighton batters she faced in the circle, coming two Ks shy of tying her personal high Eastern strikeout mark she set earlier this season, and allowed just one walk. She improves to 4-1 overall for the season in the circle.
For the day, senior outfielder Melise Brown led all players with a 4-for-6 (.667) day at the plate, including a walk-up homer to begin rout of Creighton, as well as a pair of doubles against Lehigh. She finished with an amazing nine total bases off three RBI and a 1.500 slug % and two walks.
Junior Brooke Owens ripped her own ttwo-run home run to blow the game open against the Bluejays, while sophomore Bailey O'Dell also finished with a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
Junior pitcher Stephanie Maday picked up a nice first game win over the Knights of Lehigh, retiring 11 batters via strikes and allowing just two walks, four hits and three earned runs. She limited the Lehigh bats to a low .133 batting average.
As a team, the Panthers out-hit the two Sunday opponents, 11-to-four, off a .208-to-.078 batting mark advantage. EIU did end up a total of 14 total baserunners as compared to six for Lehigh and one for Creighton.
EIU enjoyed an early 3-0 second-inning lead over Lehigh to begin the days action in the first game as O'Dell scored off a Knight miscue following her opening double. Senior Ally Seplak then grounded out for an RBI to plate junior Reynae Hutchinson at third. Brown then followed with her RBI double to bring home junior Ashleigh Westover.
But Lehigh would eventually counter with three runs of their own in their half of the fourth frame, forcing an extra-inning of play utilizing the international tiebreaker scenario of placing a runner on second.
Consecutive strikeouts by Maday would eliminate Lehigh's chances of scoring in the eighth, while sophomore Hannah Cole converted a perfect sac bunt to advance junior Carly Willert to third base. Willert would scamper home for the game winner off a fielder's choice RBI by Owens, as Lehigh's throw from second to home came up short.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, BOWLING GREEN 1; EVANSVILLE 9, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Southeast Missouri (5-11) defeated Bowling Green State (8-7) Sunday afternoon, 4-1, before falling to Evansville (6-9) in the final game of the Evansville Tournament, 2-9 in a rain-shortened game.
Southeast Missouri 4, Bowling Green 1
The Redhawks got on the board in the first inning; this is the first game Southeast scored first since Feb. 23 against Nicholls. Freshman Savannah Carpenter hit the first home run of her career with runners on first and second to go up 3-0 on the Falcons.
The Falcons narrowed the Redhawk lead in the fifth by manufacturing a run and scoring on an RBI single to right field, 3-1 Southeast.
Southeast was quick to take the run back in the bottom of the inning when Kaitlin Zink scored on an RBI single from Taylor Cowan to retake a three-run lead.
Southeast held on through the end of the game to pick up their fifth win of the season.
The Redhawks out-hit Bowling Green 8-5 in the contest.
Carpenter was perfect in game one with a 3-for-3 performance with three RBI and a run scored off her home run. Simone Patterson, Xia Wilson, Alexis Anderson, Zink, and Cowan all contributed a hit.
Cowan (3-5) pitched her seventh complete game this season, her second of the tournament. Cowan gave up one run on five hits, striking out two batters and walking one.
Jamie Kertes (3-4) pitched 1.0 innings after giving up four runs in the first. Paris Imholz pitched 5.0 innings in relief for the Falcons.
Southeast Missouri 2, Evansville 9 (five and a half innings)
The Redhawks touched home first when Renee Terry scored on an error to go up 1-0 on Evansville in the second inning.
The Aces added two runs of their own in their half of the second when two runs crossed home; one on a single, one on a fielder's choice, going up 1-2 on Southeast.
Simone Patterson launched her first home run of the season over the fence to tie the ball game at 2-2 in the top of the third inning.
The Purple Aces pulled away from Southeast in the bottom of the inning, manufacturing three runs on four hits and a Redhawk error, re-taking the lead, 2-5.
Evansville added two more in the fourth as well as two in the fifth to take a commanding lead of 2-9 over the Redhawks.
After five and a half innings, the game was called due to rain; final score: 2-9 Evansville.
Evansville out-hit Southeast 9-5 in the contest.
S. Patterson went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored with her home run.
After pitching a complete game earlier, Cowan (3-6) pitched 3.0 innings, suffering the loss, giving up six runs on six hits. Clemons pitched 2.0 innings in relief, giving up three runs on three hits.
Sarah Baldwin (1-2) recorded her first win of the season, putting up 5.0 innings of work, giving up two runs on three hits.
TENNESSEE STATE 5, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 4; TENNESSEE STATE 5, ALABAMA STATE 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State used speed, defense and pitching to gain two wins on the final day of the Tiger Classic on Sunday. The Tigers came from behind to score in their final at bat to pull off an eight-inning 5-4 win over Mississippi Valley State and jumped out to an early lead to snag a 5-1 win over Alabama State. TSU improved to 8-14 and dropped MVSU to 7-15 and ASU to 1-20.
Shea Morris went the distance in both games and improved her record to 6-7 with the two wins. In the first game, Morris scattered five hits and a walk over the eight innings allowing just two earned runs. The sophomore fanned 11 batters in the game and moved into second on the TSU career strikeout list.
In her second outing, Morris allowed just four hits and an earned run while punching out six. Her strike out season total sits a 101. This marks the second time she has crossed over the century mark and is only the fifth time in school history for the barrier to be broken. Amanda Vaught accomplished the threshold twice and Caitlin Eaton once.
In the first inning, Jennifer Givens led off with a single and immediately stole second base. After a wild pitch moved her to third, Audrey Sensing hit a high chopper over the pitchers head into centerfield to score Givens giving the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
The Tigers trailed 2-1 after giving up two unearned runs to the Devilettes. TSU responded in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run to even the score at 2-2. Ashley Haynes led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brianna Roberts. Two batters later Haynes crossed home plate as a throw from the catcher on her steal of third got away far enough for the junior to scamper home.
MVSU used a two-out rally in the fifth to regain the lead at 4-2. The Tigers would get one back in the home half of the inning on a two-out single off the bat of Jayna Hanawahine. The freshman’s base knock chased Kacie Daugherty home from second base to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Tigers fought back in the seventh inning with a single by Kiarra Freeman, who then took second on a throwing error. Two batters later, Sensing ripped a triple to right center tying the game at 4-4. TSU could not push Sensing across the plate which forced extra innings and the international tiebreaker.
TSU came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with a chance to win after holding MVSU scoreless. Hanawahine started the inning on second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Haynes. Three batters later Givens stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on the corners. With two strikes, the senior outfielder hit a soft slap just by the pitcher to the shortstop. Givens out ran the play for a single allowing Hanawahine to step on home plate for the 5-4 victory.
In game two and the crowd still buzzing, Givens and Freeman teamed up to put the Tigers up early. After a leadoff single by Givens, Freeman ripped a ball down the left field line that found its way into the corner. The two speedsters raced around the bases for an inside the park home run for the freshman.
In the second inning, TSU increased their lead to 5-0. Freeman slapped a ball to shortstop that was misplayed with basses loaded to score Roberts and Shann’da Hamer. Sensing followed a couple batters later with a ground out pushing Givens home.
ASU could only manage a run in the sixth inning as the Tigers completed the sweep on the final day of the tournament.
On the weekend, Morris finished 3-1 with 35 strikeouts in 29.1 innings pitched. Givens led the team in hitting at .429 (9-for-21) followed by Freeman at .421 (8-for-19) and Daugherty at .400 (6-for-15). In limited action, Haynes was 4-for-8 and a .500 average.
Freeman and Morris were named to the Tiger Classic All-Tournament team.
WISCONSIN 5, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Wisconsin pitcher Meghan McIntosh threw a no-hitter as the Badgers cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Eastern Kentucky University softball team Sunday at the Saluki Invitational. With the loss, the Colonels drop to 10-7.
McIntosh (4-2) struck out eight EKU batters to go along with three walks. Eastern’s lone run came in the final inning when the Badgers (18-3) committed two errors.
Wisconsin scored all the runs it would need in the third behind a sacrifice ground out and sacrifice fly. Michelle Mueller finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the fifth.
Sophomore pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger (7-4) took the loss as she allowed all five earned runs in seven innings pitched.
The last time EKU failed to record a hit in a game was Feb. 19, 2006 against Georgia Tech.
Eastern Kentucky’s final game of the Saluki Invitational against Belmont was rained out.