WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Butler 11 ,
@Morehead State 6
Butler 12,
@Morehead State 8
Eastern Illinois 7, @Southern Illinois 6
SIUE 4, @Saint Louis 3
@UT Martin 3, Memphis 0
Western Kentucky 5,
@Belmont 0
@Austin Peay 8, Middle Tennessee 0 (6)
Samford 12,
@Tennessee State 4
Samford 4,
@Tennessee State 3 (11)
BUTLER 11, MOREHEAD STATE 6; BUTLER 12, MOREHEAD STATE 8
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Butler scored 23 runs over two games to sweep a non-conference doubleheader from the Morehead State softball team on Wednesday at University Field. The Bulldogs had 15 hits in an 11-6 game-one win, before scoring seven runs in the last two frames to claim the nightcap 12-8.
In the opener, the Bulldogs (16-21) held off a late MSU (7-25-1) rally that saw the Eagles score all six runs in the last four innings.
MSU used a seven-run fifth inning, highlighted by a grand slam by senior catcher McKenna Bartko, to take an 8-5 lead in the second game. Butler had nine of its 15 hits in the last two innings, however, to help aid the comeback.
Sophomore right fielder Tressa Watson led the way for the Eagles at the plate, going 6-for-9, including three doubles and a two-run home run in the opener.
In game one, junior third baseman Katie Raile (2-for-4, 2 RBI) was the only other MSU player with multiple hits. Sophomore designated player Dana Hutchins and senior shortstop Samantha Howard both finished with two hits in the nightcap.
Brandyce Sallee went 3-for-4 with four RBI, including a three-run home run, to lead the Bulldogs in the opener, while Alex Kotter and Kristen Boros had three RBI apiece in game two.
In game one, Kristin Gutierrez (11-8) allowed six runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts in the win. Junior pitcher Tanna Seuferer (3-11) allowed seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits in 5.1 innings. Freshman pitcher Megan Tymorek allowed four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings of relief.
Senior pitcher Greta Smeins (0-1) took the loss in relief in the nightcap, as she allowed two runs on three hits without recording an out. Senior pitcher Kelcey McMurray started and allowed eight runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Tymorek finished the game by surrendering two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings.
Boros (1-0) picked up the win, allowing just one hit in three innings of relief in her first pitching assigment of the 2014 season.
The Eagles are back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Jacksonville State for an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Eastern llinois softball held on for a 7-6 mid-week road victory over instate rival Southern Illinois on Wednesday (April 9) afternoon as the Panthers improve to 27-11 on the season.
The win marks the second straight EIU victory over for the Salukis (17-18) after the Panthers run-ruled SIU at home last season.
Team-wise, Eastern doubled-up the hosts in hit, 10-to-five, but also committed two more errors.
After SIU took the 1-0 lead in the first inning, EIU jumped ahead 3-1 thanks to an RBI shot from sophomore April Markowski and a two-run blast by senior Reynae Hutchinson in the second and third frames, respectively.
SIU would pull to within 3-2 of EIU in their half of the third, but Eastern plated two more runs in the fourth and fifth, with junior Bailey O'Dell credited with the game-winning squeeze play sac bunt RBI, which led to a Saluki error and brought home senior pinch-runner Kaylie Pruett from third.
Senior Stephanie Maday earned the win to move to 11-5 overall as the reigning OVC 'Pitcher of the Year' pitched just over four innings and registered a strikeout but also allowed five walks and just three earned runs.
Newcomer Hannah Rachor nabbed her first career save in a Panther uniform as she came in for justover two-innings of relief, fanning and walking one batter each while allowing just one solo homer.
Junior Hannah Cole and Markowski led the Panther offensive with respective 2-for-3 plate performances.
Sophomore Jennette Isaac added to her Ohio Valley Conference-leading hitting streak of 18, as she delivered a two-RBI shot.
Panthers will now prepare for a three-game weekend OVC series versus fellow West Division rival UT Martin with an upcoming Saturday twinbill and Sunday single game at Williams Field. First pitches set for 1 p.m. each day.
UT MARTIN 2, MEMPHIS 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team used timely hitting and solid pitching to pick up a mid-week road victory over American Athletic Conference foe Memphis 2-0 on Wednesday night. The Skyhawks have won eight consecutive games, including the first win against Memphis since 2006.
The Skyhawks (22-16-1) received yet another strong performance from freshman second baseman Taylor Manning on the afternoon. Manning posted a perfect 3-for-3 day from plate, including both the Skyhawks runs batted in. Joining Manning with hits on the day were Kayla Wade, Stephanie Nidiffer and Lauren Smith.
Sticking with a winning recipe, the Skyhawks posted yet another dominating pitching performance as three players saw action inside the circle. Casey Vincent (5-4) picked up the victory, striking out four and allowing just one hit in three scoreless innings of work. Elizabeth Wiegand appeared in relief, striking out two in 2.1 innings of work. De facto closer Brooke Kennedy tossed 1.2 perfect innings to pick up the save and seal the victory.
UT Martin would strike for its first run in the top of the second inning. Nidiffer would turn a full count into a walk before being pulled for pinch runner Bella Zizzi. Zizzi then wasted little time getting involved in the inning, stealing second base for her 13th stolen base of the season. Manning would bring the speedster around to score on the next at bat, doubling down the left field line to give the Skyhawks the 1-0 lead.
The Skyhawks would strike again in the fourth following a pair of doubles. Faced with two outs, Nidiffer got the ball rolling with a double down the left field line. Nidiffer’s time in scoring position would be short as Manning got the Skyhawks another run on the board by lacing a double to center field to score the third baseman from second.
Memphis would present its biggest threat in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Tigers would string together a pair of hits in the inning, but the Skyhawks would ultimately strand two runners on base to end the threat.
The Skyhawks will return to Ohio Valley Conference play when they travel to defending champion Eastern Illinois for a three-game weekend series beginning Saturday, April 12-13. Action from Williams Field is schedule to get underway both Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 5, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont Softball couldn't get anything going offensively Wendesday evening as the Bruins fell to Western Kentucky University, 5-1, at Rose Park.
Belmont (11-23, 5-7 OVC) went hit less through the first five innings of play as starting WKU pitcher Emily Rousseau threw a gem from the mound.
WKU (25-13-1) lit up the scoreboard in the first and third innings as the Lady Toppers notched a pair of runs in both innings in order to take a 4-0 advantage over the Bruins.
Belmont found itself only trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the six inning even though WKU held a commanding 11-0 advantage over the Bruins on hits.
In the sixth, BU's Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) broke up Rousseau's no hit attempt with an infield single.
Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.) followed that with a single to third base and the two base runners advanced after on a pass ball on the next at bat.
Belmont lit up the scoreboard soon after when shortstop Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Ill.) reached base on an error as Wells crossed home plate.
The Bruins couldn't get any close, however, as Belmont went three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh inning as WKU went on for the easy, 5-1, victory.
WKU's Rousseau (14-9) was credited with the win as the senior threw a complete game allowing one run off two hits.
WKU's Olivia Watkins led the Lady Toppers at the plate as the senior went 3-for-3 on the day with three stolen bases.
Belmont returns to action this weekend as the Bruins return to OVC action with a three-game series at divisional foe Eastern Kentucky. The Bruins begin the series with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 4 p.m. CT.
SIUE 4, SAINT LOUIS 3
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - SIUE softball Head Coach Sandy Montgomery won the 900th game of her 26-year career Wednesday afternoon as the Cougars defeated Saint Louis 4-1 at the Billiken Sports Complex.
Montgomery is the 39th head coach in the history of NCAA softball to reach the 900-win plateau and has earned all of her wins at SIUE. Her 900 wins are the 15th-most among active NCAA Division I head coaches.
The Cougars (16-18) earned the victory on the back of a strong pitching performance from senior Erin Greenwalt, who allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven SLU batters. It was the Glen Carbon native's fifth complete-game victory of the season.
Greenwalt cruised through the first three innings before working out of a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. She took a no-hitter into the fifth, but the Billikens' Hailey Weavers broke it up with a double to center field.
At the plate, SIUE got out to a quick lead in the top of the first inning when third baseman Alex McDavid singled through the right side for Chelsea Yankolovich to score her team-leading 21st run of the season.
The visitors tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, with Rachel Coonrod providing a two-out RBI single that drove in Whitney Lanphier and Rebecca Gray.
Yankolovich would add one more insurance run in the seventh inning, knocking an RBI single up the middle to score Rachel Keller.
Weavers got a run back for SLU in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to right center, but that's all the hosts would get.
Saint Louis drops to 18-15 overall with the loss. The Cougars and Billikens are scheduled to face one another again next Tuesday in Edwardsville.
SIUE will play its second game in as many days Thursday when it welcomes Bradley to Cougar Field for a 4 p.m. matchup. The game is a makeup date after the Cougars and Braves were rained out on March 27.
AUSTIN PEAY 8, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 0
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Kayla Davidson drove on four runs while Lauren de Castro recorded her fifth shutout of the season, Wednesday afternoon, as the Lady Govs defeated former Ohio Valley Conference member Middle Tennessee, 8-0, in six innings at Cheryl Holt Field.
Austin Peay (18-21) broke open the game in the bottom of the second inning by scoring five runs on three hits while also being aided by two walks and a hit batter
Niya Sparks opened the inning by drawing a one-out walk, moved to second base on a single by Laurel Burroughs and score on a single by Kristin Whitmire to make it 1-0.
Burroughs, Whitmire and Davidson all recorded two hits each to lead Austin Peay.
Amanda De Vries then walked to load the bases, followed by Courtney Brower being hit by a pitch to force in Burroughs with the second run of the inning.
After Middle Tennessee (7-33) recorded the inning's second out, Davidson blasted a ball over the outstretched glove of Blue Raiders center fielder LaRi Mitchell, driving in De Vries, Brower and Marissa Lake to make it 5-0.
That would be all the runs de Castro (12-8) needed as she limited the Blue Raiders to four hits – all singles – while striking out two and walking one. The five shutouts for de Castro are the most by a Lady Govs pitcher since the 2007 season.
Middle Tennessee’s best scoring chance came in the top of the fifth -- as they loaded the bases with two outs and their number two hitter Samantha Nieves at the plate – but de Castro got her to ground out to Davidson at shortstop to end the threat.
The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Lady Govs closed out the game with three more runs.
Burroughs and Whitmire opened the inning with back-to-back singles followed an out later by Brower being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to load the bases.
Pinch hitter Christiana Gable then hit a come-backer to MTSU pitcher Caitlin McClure, who missed played the ball for an error allowing all runs to advance, including Burroughs scoring the Lady Govs' sixth run.
Davidson then walked to force in a run, bringing up Mel Pavel, who blasted the ball over Mitchell’s head in center field driving in Brower to make it 8-0 and end the game by the eight-rule mercy rule.
The Lady Govs return to action this weekend as the closeout their eight-game homestand with a three-game OVC series against Murray State.
SAMFORD 12, TENNESSEE STATE 4; SAMFORD 4, TENNESSEE STATE 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State dropped both ends of a doubleheader with visiting Samford on Wednesday.
Complete recap coming soon.