SATURDAY'S SCORES
@SIUE 10, Austin Peay 2
@SIUE 8, Austin Peay 0
@Southeast Missouri 5, UMSL 4
UMSL 6,
@Southeast Missouri 4
Morehead State 3, @Belmont 1
@Belmont 7, Morehead State 0
@Jacksonville State 9, Tennessee Tech 0 (5)
@Jacksonville Staet 17, Tennessee Tech 3 (5)
UT Martin 6, @Murray State 1
UT Martin 4, @Murray State 3
Eastern Kentucky 1, @Tennessee State 0
@Tennessee State 4, Eastern Kentucky 1
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5, UMSL 4; UMSL 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (5-8) split a doubleheader with in-state rival Missouri-St. Louis (8-2) Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks came from behind to win game one, 5-4, and dropped the nightcap, 6-4.
Southeast Missouri 5, Missouri-St. Louis 4 (8 Innings)
Haylee Krack drew a walk-off bases on balls and pinch-runner KC Saxe touched home for the game-winning run to give Southeast Missouri a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in game one.
Saxe was placed on second base via the international tiebreaker rule and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Deering. Savannah Carpenter and Lindsey Patterson were both intentionally walked after that. Krack ran the count to 3-2 before reaching base on her fifth walk of the season.
Southeast fell behind in the top of the first inning when Alex Stupek launched a grand slam over the left field wall off freshman pitcher Keaira Schilling to give the Tritons a 4-0 advantage. Schilling gave up four hits and four runs, and issued two walks in just one-third of an inning.
The Redhawks capitalized on two errors and tied the game in the bottom of the third. Kelsey Gass and Summer Burger each walked and Gass went to went to third on an error. After Renee Terry popped up to short, Nicole Deering reached on a throwing error, allowing both Burger and Gass to score. Savannah Carpenter's single to center knocked in Deering and Krack doubled home Carpenter to bring the game to a 4-4 deadlock.
There were only five baserunners between the two teams after the third inning before the international tiebreaker decided the game in extra innings.
Hannah Durham (2-1) was credited with the win in relief after striking out seven in 7.2 scoreless innings. She scattered four hits and did not allow a walk. Durham faced 26 hitters.
Left-hander Hannah Perryman (3-2) suffered the loss. Perryman worked 7.1 innings, allowing three hits, five runs and walking six along the way. She also recorded 14 strikeouts, including six-straight to start the game.
Carpenter, Krack and Burger each had one hit for Southeast, while Stupek went 2-for-4 with a run scored and for RBI to lead UMSL.
Missouri-St. Louis 6, Southeast Missouri 4
Brittni Chapman struck out four and pitched a complete game, while Brianna Butler hit a two-run home run to key Missouri-St. Louis' 6-4 win in game two.
UMSL pulled ahead, 3-0, on Butler's round-tripper in the fourth inning.
Southeast cut the lead to a run with two unearned tallies in the bottom of the fourth before Stupek scored on a fielder's choice to give UMSL a 4-2 advantage in the sixth.
The Redhawks, however, quickly made it a one-run game again when they loaded the bases with one out during their at-bat in the sixth. Chelsea Smith's pinch-hit walk scored Summer Burger to slice the Tritons lead to 4-3. UMSL then silenced Southeast's rally with an inning-ending double play.
The Tritons added two more runs and Southeast came up empty with the tying run at the plate in the final inning.
Chapman (4-0) gave up eight hits and four runs, while striking out four and walking one in seven innings.
Aubrey Denno (2-4) suffered the loss. Denno allowed four runs on six hits, struck out seven and walked one in 5.1 innings. Durham was charged with the other two runs in the last 1.2 innings.
Southeast outhit UMSL, 8-6, with Carpenter, Leah Duffe and Jamie Woodworth chipping in two hits apiece.
The Redhawks begin their spring break with a home game against North Dakota State Tuesday.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 9, TENNESSEE TECH 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 17. TENNESSEE TECH 4
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Jacksonville State softball team made sure Saturday would be a special day for head coach Jana McGinnis.
The Gamecocks (16-5, 2-0 Ohio Valley Conference) slugged its way to a pair of mercy-rule wins over Tennessee Tech and gave McGinnis her 699th and 700th career wins, while also getting the 2014 OVC season off to a roaring start. They used a 9-0 win in the opener before rolling to a 17-4 victory in the finale to secure their coach's milestone, and did so in impressive fashion.
In just 10 total innings after the two five-inning wins, the Gamecock offense went 27-for-53 (.509) with 26 runs, six doubles, two triples and three home runs. They tied the 2009 team for the most runs in an OVC game by a JSU squad and had a nine-run inning in game two that saw them get nine hits, two more than TTU had in both games combined.
Eight different JSU players recorded multiple hits, with seven of them recording three or more. Senior Amanda Maldonado, junior Sara Borders and freshman Taylor Sloan each picked up four hits, while Maldonado and sophomore Cadi Oliver drove in five runs apiece. Borders and junior Melanie Steer, who recorded her first career hit in the first game, each drove in four runs over the two games.
Senior Tiffany Harbin tossed yet another gem to open things up, limiting the Golden Eagles (8-20, 0-2 OVC) to just two hits in a complete game shutout that also saw her strike out five. The Hazel Green, Ala., native earned the win to improve to 5-3 on the year, but, more notably, notched the 64th win of her career to tie Jill Wilcoxson's school record set from 1998-2001.
JSU scored five runs in the first inning of both games, using the long ball to get them in the first game. Oliver blasted Danielle Liberatore's 1-0 pitch over the wall in left for a grand slam that gave Harbin and the Gamecocks ab early 4-0 lead. Two batters later Maldonado chased the TTU starter with a solo homer that gave the Gamecocks the five-run first inning.
Senior Kalee Tabor's second-inning sacrifice fly would be all JSU would get off of reliever Taylor Ketchum until Maldonado's second blast of the game, a three-run walk-off that put the finishing touches on the 9-0 win.
Liberatore (3-7) suffered the loss after giving up five runs on four hits and a walk despite recording just two outs. Ketchum tossed the final 3.2, surrendering four runs on six hits and a pair of walks.
JSU didn't hit a home run in the day's finale, a game that saw Borders and Taylor Sloan each go 3-for-3 at the plate. Borders drove in four runs, the first on a first-inning single and the second on a base hit in the second inning. Her big blow was a two-run double in that marathon fourth inning.
That fourth inning watched the Gamecocks turn an 8-4 lead into the 17-4 final, and featured three singles, five doubles and triple. Maldonado doubled twice in the inning, while Savannah Sloan had two singles in the frame. Fourteen JSU batters went to the plate in the inning and all but one spot in the order recorded a hit in the frame.
Freshman Taylor West (2-0) grabbed the win in relief, holding Tennessee Tech scoreless on two hits in 2.2 innings in the circle. She struck out one and walked one after taking over for freshman starter Logan Green with one out in the third. Green gave up four runs, three earned, on three hits.
Hannah Weaver (3-9) started the game for TTU and suffered the loss after surrendering 11 runs, only six earned, on 11 hits in three innings in the circle. Erica Tuck was tagged with the other six runs, all earned, on six hits while recording the first two outs of the fourth inning.
Steer went 2-for-2 in the game with four RBI, thanks to a two-run single in the first and a two-run double in the fourth. Sophomore Ella Denes also had two hits in the game, going 2-for-3 and scoring three runs.
MOREHEAD STATE 3, BELMONT 1; BELMONT 7, MOREHEAD STATE 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont Bruins softball team used the long ball in the second game of the day Saturday against Morehead State as BU recovered from a 3-1 loss in the opening game to shutout the Eagles, 7-0, in the second contest, earning a split on the day.
Game 1: Morehead State 3, Belmont 1
Both teams got off to a quiet start offensively on the day's opening contest as the two team's bats were silenced through the first four innings of play.
During that stretch, Belmont's Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.) and MSU's Megan Tymorek starred on the mound as both players threw for four hitless innings.
Belmont dented the scoreboard first as a Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) fly ball to centerfield drove in MJ Lawson (Tuscon, Ariz.) as the Bruins took the lead.
Morehead State used a big sixth inning to take control of the game as MSU's Katie Raile evened the contest when she was hit by a pitch in a bases loaded situation.
A two-RBI double to centerfield by Samantha Howard proved to be the difference maker in the low scoring affair as the Eagles held off the Bruins to capture the first game of the three-game weekend series.
Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) led the offensive effort for the Bruins with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate and a pair of stolen bases.
Game 2: Belmont 7, Morehead State 0
Belmont shook off the frustrating loss in the opening game to shut out Morehead State in the day's final contest as BU rode the momentum of two huge swings from a pair of Bruins.
Belmont came out of the gates swinging as a double by Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.)drove in a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning to put the Bruins on the scoreboard. Jessica Wilson (Alvin, Tex.) answered that quickly after with a two-run home run.
The homer was Wilson's third of the year as the sophomore recorded her 16th RBI on the season, on just 15 hits.
Belmont matched a three-run first inning with a three-run third inning using a familiar formula.
The scoring started when Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) hit her first home run of the season with a two-run shot to centerfield. An RBI single from Jordan Daly soon after put the Bruins comfortably ahead, 6-0.
BU tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth inning off another RBI hit from Daly as the sophomore flied out to right field.
The Bruins went on to shutout the Eagles as Belmont captured the 7-0 victory to earn a split on the afternoon.
The trio of Vierra, Wilson, and Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.) paced Belmont's offense as all three notched a pair of hits on the contest.
Belmont's Taylor Moon (3-4) earned the shoutout victory as the sophomore threw for five innings, allowing three hits.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 1, TENNESSEE STATE 0; TENNESSEE STATE 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tigers used an Ashley Haynes home runs and a strong pitching performance to earn a split to open Ohio Valley Conference play at home on Saturday. Tennessee State picked up a 4-1 victory in game two of the twin bill, after dropping the first game 2-1.
TSU is now 13-17 on the season and EKU is 11-11, as both teams start OVC play at 1-1.
Hannah St. Clair and Leanna Pittsenbarger went toe-to-toe in game one to produce an old fashion pitcher’s duel. Both pitchers went the distance and allowed just three hits between the two of them.
EKU picked up a Christina Ciolek double in the first and a Shannon McQueen single in the fourth. McQueen’s single was a high hopper over St. Clair’s head and fielded behind second base by Lindsey Burgess, giving McQueen time to leg out the two-out single. On the play, Lauren Mitchell scampered home from third to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.
Pittsenbarger would make the score hold up as she kept the Tigers off the base paths for most of the game. Tayler Shimizu earned a walk to leadoff the third, but was stranded on second after a sacrifice bunt. Shimizu was the lone Tiger to reach base on the EKU pitcher until Burgess stepped to the plate with two outs in the sixth. The sophomore missed tying the game by a foot as she hit just underneath the top of the fence in left center. The Burgess double was the only hit Pittsenbarger would surrender.
The EKU pitcher earned the win with six strikeouts, while St. Clair fell to 2-5 surrendering three walks and striking out four.
The Tigers wasted little time jumping on Pittsenbarger in the backend of a double dip, as Ashley Haynes drove a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for a quick 2-0 lead. Haynes drove in Kate Morris, who began a two-out rally in the first with a single into left center.
The Tigers extended their lead in the fourth inning on a two-run single off the bat of Rebekka Gross. Haynes led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a single by Jayna Hanawahine. The two runners advanced 60-feet on a Shimizu sacrifice bunt, to set up the clutch hit by Gross.
Olivia Gamache kept the Tigers in front as she held the Colonels to two hits and four walks over the first six innings of play. After allowing a leadoff walk in the seventh, Shea Morris entered for Gamache. Morris pitched the final inning, striking out one, walking one and was touched for a hit.
Gamache improved to 4-6 on the season, as Morris collected her fifth save of the season. Pittsenbarger took the loss and is now 8-6.
Haynes and Kate Morris each finished 2-for-3, as Hanawahine, Gross and Courtney Gearlds all picked up a hit in game two.
SIUE 10, AUSTIN PEAY 2; SIUE 8, AUSTIN PEAY 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The SIUE softball team got its Ohio Valley Conference season started in style Saturday afternoon, cruising to a pair of lopsided victories over Austin Peay at Cougar Field.
The Cougars (8-14, 2-0 OVC) needed just six innings to defeat the Lady Govs in both games of Saturday's doubleheader, securing a 10-2 victory in the first matchup before blanking the visitors 8-0 in the second game.
In first game of the day, SIUE broke a 0-0 tie with RBIs from Kayla Riggs and Chelsea Yankolovich in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Lady Govs got two runs back in the top of the fifth, but the hosts took control down the stretch. The Cougars scored eight unanswered runs between the fifth and sixth innings, with six different SIUE players contributing RBIs over that span.
Rikki Arkansas and Mel Pavel recorded Austin Peay's two hits in the the first game.
Riggs led the charge for the Cougars, going 4-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
The Cougars picked up where they left off in game two, as senior Jill Rackers set the tone with a solo home run over the left field fence in the third inning. The homer was Rackers' first of her career.
Rackers would add another RBI in the fourth inning, before the Cougars plated three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Alex McDavid was one of a number of players who contributed, going 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
SIUE's Erin Greenwalt allowed just two runs, none earned, on two hits to go with six strikeouts in game one. Haley Chambers followed suit in the second game, shutting out the Lady Govs while tossing 11 strikeouts.
UT MARTIN 6, MURRAY STATE 1; UT MARTIN 4, MURRAY STATE 3
MURRAY, Ky. - UT Maritn swept a doubleheader with Murray State on Saturday to open up conference play.
Kelsey Dixon led the Skyhawks with four RBI in the sweep while Deven Wilson recorded a team-best six hits on the afternoon. Elizabeth Wiegand and Casey Vincent each picked up wins on the circle
Mo Ramsey went 4-for-6 to lead the Racers while Cayla Levins drove in a team-high two runs. CheyAnne Gaskey and Mason Robinson were both tagged with losses.
Full recap coming soon.