SATURDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 3, @UT Martin 0
Jacksonville State 7, @UT Martin 5
Eastern Illinois 1, @Tennessee State 0
Eastern Illinois 2, @Tennessee State 0
@Morehead State 1, Murray State 0
Murray State 5, @Morehead State 1
SIUE 3, @Belmont 2
SIUE 3, @Belmont 1
Tennessee Tech 3, @Southeast Missouri 0
Tennessee Tech 5, @Southeast Misssouri 3
@Eastern Kentucky 3, Austin Peay 0
Austin Peay 8, @Eastern Kentucky 4
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, UT MARTIN 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, UT MARTIN 5
MARTIN, Tenn. - - Senior Tiffany Harbin tossed a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 game one win at UT Martin on Saturday before slamming the door on a 7-5 win in the nightcap and on a doubleheader sweep of the Skyhawks.
The senior from Hazel Green, Ala., continued her dominance of Ohio Valley Conference hitters in the twinbill sweep of the Skyhawks (23-22-1, 10-9 OVC), tying her career high with 15 strikeouts in the opening game gem and grabbing her first save in the finale. For the third time in her career and the second this season, she came one strikeout away from the Gamecocks (33-12, 17-4 OVC) record of 16 in a game.
On the day, she tossed 9.2 scoreless innings, extending her scoreless innings streak against OVC opponents to 28.2. She has taken the circle in 81.2 innings in OVC play this season and has not allowed a run in 76 of those innings, dropping her earned run average in OVC play to 0.86. She has struck out 119 OVC batters while limiting them to a .161 average.
Senior Hayden Crawford had a big day at the plate, going 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles and two RBI, while junior Savannah Sloan went 3-for-7 and scored three runs.
In the opening game, UTM starter Brooke Kennedy matched Harbin for four innings and took a no-hitter into the fifth. The Gamecocks put an end to it in that fifth inning, thanks to a Crawford leadoff single to right. Sophomore Ella Denes doubled her in two batters later to break the scoreless tie and then scored on a two-out single from junior Sara Borders to give JSU a 2-0 lead.
That would be all Harbin (14-6) would need, as she allowed just one base runner after she was given the lead. She struck out multiple batters in five of her seven shutout innings, while the two hits she allowed were singles. Seven of the final nine outs were via strikeout.
The Gamecocks gave her an insurance run in the seventh, thanks to a two-out single from Denes and an RBI triple from freshman Taylor Sloan.
Kennedy (4-2) took the loss despite limiting JSU to three runs on five hits in 6.2 innings. She struck out three and walked two. Denes was the only player on the field with multiple hits in game one of the twinbill, both of which led to JSU runs.
In the finale, freshman Logan Green tossed a gem for four innings before the Skyhawks put their lone rally of the day together in the fifth. JSU took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth, when the Skyhawks grabbed four runs on five hits to cut the lead to one. Harbin entered to put out the fire with runners at the corners and one out, and she promptly retired the next two batters to preserve the lead. She kept them off the board the rest of the way to earn the save in 2.2 scoreless frames that saw her strikeout five of the final six batters she faced.
Green (10-2) grabbed the win after giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings in the circle. She also struck out five batters and walked one. She gave up a lead off homer to Renate Meckl in the third, snapping a streak of 40 consecutive scoreless innings by JSU pitchers against OVC hitters.
The Gamecocks grabbed a 1-0 lead on an RBI grounder from Taylor Sloan in the second and never looked back. Crawford's first of two doubles in the game drove in a run in the third, just before junior Melanie Steer's RBI single staked JSU to a 3-0 lead.
After Meckl's leadoff homer in the third cut the UTM deficit to two, an Amanda Maldonado RBI double and a Skyhawk error got two for JSU in the fourth and put the Gamecocks up 5-1. They stretched it to 6-1 an another RBI double in the fifth, this one by Borders, and answered the fifth-inning UTM rally with Crawford's second RBI double of the game in the sixth.
Crawford went 3-for-4 in the nightcap with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI to lead an 11-hit JSU attack. Savannah Sloan also went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in the game, while Maldonado added two hits in her four at bats.
Casey Vincent (6-7) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs, four earned, on eight hits and four walks in 3.2 innings in the circle. Elizabeth Wiegand gave up the other two JSU runs on three hits in 3.1 innings of relief work.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 1, TENNESSEE STATE 0; EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, TENNESSEE STATE 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois extended their season-high win streak to 11 straight on Saturday (April 19) afternoon, as the Panthers swept Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee State in a pair of shutouts, 1-0 and 2-0, in Nashville, Tenn.
The sweep moves EIU to 34-11 and 14-4 in league play, while the Tigers fall to 16-34/4-16 on the season.
Sophomore outfielder Jennette Isaac paced all Panthers with a 3-for-7 (.429) day at the plate, joining fellow sophomore Haylee Beck and junior Hannah Cole with a run.
Seniors Brooke Owens and Carly Willert added a pair of hits, while classmate Reynae Hutchinson and junior Bailey O'Dell notched respective RBI shots.
The senior duo of Hanna Mennenga and Stephanie Maday teamed up for respective shutout wins in the circle. The two combined for 16 strikeouts with Mennenga notching nine in the first game win and Maday adding seven Ks of her own,while limiting the TSU bats to a low .167 mark in the nightcap.
The EIU pitching staff has now combined for 15 shutouts on the season.
In the opener, EIU needed just one run in the top of the first inning to secure the win, as Hutchinson delivered a one-out RBI-shot to plate Isaac, who joined Willert with respective singles earlier in the frame.
Mennenga would settle in for the eventual win, striking out eight TSU batters over the next three innings before stranding three Tiger base runners in the shutout. She ups her season tally to 18-4 overall and 7-2 in OVC action.
Owens led the EIU bats in the opener off a 2-for-3 plate performances.
Another pitching duel followed in the nightcap as neither squad were able to muster a run thru five full innings, with EIU unable to take advantage of a bases-loaded scenario in the first inning and stranding six total base runners.
However, the Panthers would eventually take the lead in the top of the sixth as a TSU error helped Cole advance to second. An RBI shot to center field by O'Dell allowed Cole to scamper home, touching the plate under the tag attempt by the TSU catcher.
A couple additional Tiger miscues in the seventh helped the Panthers add to their lead as Beck came around to score off an untimely fielding error.
Maday held on for the win in the circle to improve to 15-5 overall and tie Mennenga with her own 7-2 league tally.
Isaac finished with a 2-for-3 mark in the nightcap.
Team-wise, neither squad hit particularly well, with TSU holding a slight .191-to.182 batting advantage, while EIU finished with one more hit (10-to-nine) and total base (11-to-10) than the Tigers. The game came down to errors, as Eastern won that stat mark, two-to-five.
MOREHEAD STATE 1, MURRAY 0; MURRAY STATE 5, MOREHEAD STATE 1
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Freshman designated player Karly Thompson hit a walk-off single in game one to help the Morehead State softball team earn a split with Murray State in an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader on Saturday at University Field. The Eagles took the opener 1-0, before falling 5-1 in game two.
Game one marked the first shutout victory of the season for the Eagles (11-30-1, 6-13), who saw their three-game OVC winning streak snapped in game two. After winning seven straight, Murray State (25-21, 12-8) has dropped three of its last four.
Thompson's single between the legs of Murray State pitcher Mason Robinson was just one of three hits in game one for the Eagles. Senior shortstop Samantha Howard scored the winning run after collecting a one-out single and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Jamie Massaro.
Senior pitcher Tanna Seuferer (6-13) earned her third victory of the week, as she allowed just five hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Robinson (9-8) struck out eight and walked one.
CheyAnne Gaskey (9-11) allowed only five hits in the nightcap. MSU scored its lone run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Jordan Boone.
Freshman pitcher Megan Tymorek (5-13) allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits. Senior pitcher Kelcey McMurray allowed just one hit in three innings of relief.
SIUE 3, BELMONT 2; SIUE 3, BELMONT 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The SIUE softball team extended its Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to seven games by sweeping a doubleheader against Belmont Saturday afternoon at Rose Park.
Similar to their doubleheader sweep at Tennessee State on Friday, the Cougars (24-19, 16-3 OVC) used strong pitching to prevail in a pair of low-scoring affairs against the Bruins. SIUE took game one 3-2 before rallying for a 3-1 victory in game two.
In Saturday's first game, sophomore Haley Chambers improved to 11-1 in conference play by limiting Belmont to two runs on four hits to go with nine strikeouts.
The Cougars grabbed an early 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the second inning, as Brittany Toney plated Whitney Lanphier with a sacrifice fly before ripped an RBI double to score Rachel Keller.
Belmont (12-29, 6-14 OVC) got a run back in the bottom half of the second, but Chambers scored what turned out to be the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Coonrod in the sixth inning.
In game two, senior Erin Greenwalt didn't allow a hit over six scoreless innings while striking out nine Belmont batters. The victory was Greenwalt's ninth of the season and fifth in OVC play.
SIUE got all three of its runs in the top of the fifth inning after trailing 1-0.
Chambers got the visitors on the board with an RBI single to score Jill Rackers before Coonrod provided an RBI single of her own two batters later to drive home Chambers and Alex McDavid.
McDavid led the Cougars in game two with a season-high three hits.
TENNESSEE TECH 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; TENNESSEE TECH 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Tennessee Tech softball team continued its hot play of late, sweeping Southeast Missouri (7-29, 2-16) in a Saturday doubleheader. The Golden Eagles (18-32, 10-11) won the opener 3-0 behind another outstanding performance from inside the circle by freshman Danielle Liberatore (10-10), before completing the sweep with a 5-3 win in game two.
The pair of victories brings Tech's record to 6-1 in the last seven affairs.
Liberatore continued her stellar pitching of late, shutting out the Redhawks on just two hits for the 5-foot-10 southpaw's fifth consecutive OVC win in the opening tilt. The Peotone, Ill. native fanned seven in her complete game effort, finishing the weekend striking out 19 batters after whiffing 10 in Friday's 6-2 victory over UT Martin, and two more in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader as Liberatore came on to record the save.
Sophomore Madison Taylor provided the bulk of Tech's offense in the opener as the 5-foot-2 outfielder drilled a solo home run down the right field line to break a scoreless tie in the top of the third, before doubling home freshman Gabby Perez in the top of the fourth to give TTU a 2-0 edge.
Taylor ended game one going 3-for-4, wrapping up the twin bill with four hits and four runs driven in after going 1-for-2 with two RBI in the second contest.
The Golden Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the fifth to move the lead to 3-0, scoring on a Gabby Perez RBI fielder's choice that knocked in senior Kendall Hooper, who began the frame with a single down the right field line.
SEMO freshman Aubrey Denno (3-8) was tagged with loss in going 2 1/3 innings, surrendering one earned on two hits, walking four and striking out one. Sophomore Hannah Durham pitched the final 4 2/3 innings for the Redhawks, entering the contest in the third and ultimately giving up two earned on seven hits.
TTU junior Angi Sakamoto went hitless for the game, snapping the Waipahu, Hawaii native's 17-game hitting streak.
Locked up in a tight one in game two, Tech exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth to jump ahead 4-1 after the Redhawks plated one in the bottom of the second on a Renee Terry run-scoring single to left center.
A Cortney Fry walk, a Hannah Eldridge sacrifice bunt, a steal of third by Fry, and consecutive walks to Gabby Perez and senior Kayla Floyd loaded the bases with one down in the fifth. Angi Sakamoto then tied the game, reaching on a fielder's choice that brought around Fry and moved Perez to third and Floyd to second.
Squared at 1-1, Madison Taylor broke the deadlock with a two-run single up the middle, scoring both Perez and Floyd to give TTU a 3-1 edge. Freshman Alyssa Richards capped off the four-run inning after the Italy, Texas native singled to center to plate Sakamoto.
Southeast Missouri jumped right back into the thick of things in the bottom of the fifth after loading the bases with two out. The Redhawks would go on to score a pair of two-out runs on a Leah Duffe RBI single down the left field line, and a Chelsea Smith run-scoring single to left.
Sophomore Hannah Weaver (6-16) gave up the Duffe knock, before head coach Bonnie Bynum called on Danielle Liberatore, who was greeted with the Smith RBI single to left but escaped further trouble after junior Haylee Crack was thrown out at the plate, trying to tie the game on the Smith base hit.
That hit was the only knock that Liberatore would allow in her outing, tossing consecutive scoreless sixth and seventh innings for her first career save.
Weaver earned her sixth win of the season behind an effective 4 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on six hits. Freshman Keaira Schilling (2-12) was hit with the loss after allowing five runs on only three hits in a complete game showing.
Tech plated an insurance in the top of the fifth thanks to a Gabby Perez single down the right field line that scored senior Chelsea Burgess.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, AUSTIN PEAY 0; AUSTIN PEAY 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4
RICHMOND, Ky. - Junior pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger recorded her 10th shutout to lead the Eastern Kentucky University softball team to a 3-0 win in game one of a doubleheader with Austin Peay. The Lady Govs piled on three home runs to win game two, 8-4.
Pittsenbarger (17-8) was dominant in the opener as the righty struck out 16 APSU batters and limited the Lady Govs to just two singles.
Eastern (25-16, 13-6 OVC) got all the run support Pittsenbarger would need in the third inning. Senior Nicole Heitz scored all the way from first base on an Austin Peay (19-27, 7-13) throwing error.
Senior Christina Ciolek and sophomore Sarah Fobbs chipped in with RBI hits in the fifth to round out the scoring.
Game two featured four home runs overall including a pivotal fourth inning grand slam by Austin Peay’s Chandler Groves.
The Colonels quickly jumped on top in the first inning behind a Fobbs three-run shot down the left field line. Austin Peay responded with its first run of the day on a Kristin Whitmire solo home run in the second inning.
The game turned in the fourth inning when Groves hit a two-out grand slam, her first home run of the year, to put the Lady Govs on top, 5-3. Whitmire added a three-run homer in the sixth to give Austin Peay a comfortable 8-3 lead.
Eastern Kentucky stranded eight runners on base in the loss.
With the game two win, Austin Peay snapped a six-game losing streak.
The Colonels are back in action Tuesday, April 22 with a doubleheader at Northern Kentucky.