FRIDAY'S SCORES
Maine 3,
Jacksonville State 1
Virginia Tech 4,
Jacksonville State 0
SIUE 10, Troy 0
@Georgia 9,
SIUE 0 (5)
Boston College 7,
Tennessee Tech 1
Campbell 3, Tennessee Tech 0
UT Martin 4, Lamar 1
UT Martin 6, Illinois 5
Eastern Illinois 4, Winthrop 2
Mercer 6,
Eastern Illinois 4
Southern Illinois 8,
Morehead State 6
Miami (Ohio) 13,
@Austin Peay 2
Miami (Ohio) 9,
@Austin Peay 0
Tennessee State 13, @Alabama A&M 11
Alabama State 8,
Southeast Missouri 5
Murray State 4, Nicholls State 3
ULM 11,
Southeast Missouri 3
MAINE 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1; VIRGINIA TECH 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The bats couldn't get going for the Jacksonville State softball team on Friday, when the Gamecocks fell 4-0 to Virginia Tech and 3-1 to Maine on Day one of the North Florida Tournament.
The Gamecocks (4-3) saw a pair of pitching gems on the first day of the UNF Tourney, starting with Kelly Heinz of the Hokies (6-0). The Black Bears (1-0) then watched Erin Bogdanovich toss a complete game in their season opener.
In the opener against Virginia Tech, JSU managed four hits off of Heinz but had at least one baserunner in all but one inning. Freshman Emily Woodruff went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a stolen base, while senior Sara Borders reached twice with a single and a walk.
Heinz struck out five and walked two in her seven scoreless innings, while JSU freshman Whitney Gillespie tossed a complete game for the Gamecocks, allowing four runs on six hits. The Pelham, Ala., native struck out seven Hokies and walked four.
VT cracked the scoreboard with a two-run double from Katey Smith in the third and then tacked on two more in the fifth on singles from Kylie McGoldrick and Kelsey Mericka.
Against the Black Bears in the second game of the day, the Gamecocks drew first blood in the bottom of the second on an Ella Denes double that plated Cadi Oliver after her leadoff hit.
Maine answered quickly, scoring twice in the top of the third on an RBI double from Felicia Lennon and a run-scoring single from Janelle Bouchard. The Black Bears would tack on another run in the sixth on Lennon's second hit of the game.
Denes and Melanie Steer each went 2-for-3 for the Gamecocks in the loss.
Sophomore Logan Green (2-1) took the loss for JSU after allowing three runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. She walked six and struck out three. Bogdanovich (1-0) won the game after holding JSU to a run on six hits in seven frames. She struck out five.
The Gamecocks will continue play on Saturday against James Madison at 3:45 p.m. CT before closing the day against host North Florida at 6 p.m. CT.
SIUE 10, TROY 0; GEORGIA 9, SIUE 0
ATHENS, Ga. - Haley Adrian blasted a grand slam Friday in the opening game of the Bulldog Invitational as SIUE earned a split on day one of the tournament.
The Cougars overpowered Troy 10-0 and lost to No. 10-ranked Georgia 9-0 in five innings. SIUE now stands 5-2 for the season and next will take on Elon Saturday at 9 a.m. and Troy at 2 p.m.
SIUE's offense was clicking in game one. The Cougars collected 13 hits to Troy's two and scored in six of the seven innings.
It was the first complete-game shutout for Chambers, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week. She struck out 13 batters and improved her season record to 4-0.
SIUE scored single tallies in each of the first three innings on RBIs from Rachel Keller, Adrian, and Jordan LaFave. Keller added an RBI in the sixth, and Alex McDavid ripped an RBI triple. McDavid led all players with three hits.
Adrian, a freshman from Auburn, Alabama, said she was trying to make sure she didn't let a good pitch go by against reliever Jaycee Affeldt when she connected on a seventh-inning home run, the first of her career.
In Friday's second game, Georgia's Chelsea Wilkinson and Bekah Farris combined for the win over the Cougars.
The 10th-ranked Bulldogs improved to 6-0. "They have tremendous speed at the top of the order," said Montgomery.
The Cougars were charged with four errors in the Georgia game.
BOSTON COLLEGE 7, TENNESSEE TECH 1; CAMPBELL 3, TENNESSEE TECH 0
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Tennessee Tech softball team was limited to just one run in two games in Friday's opening day of the Georgia Southern Invitational, as the Golden Eagles dropped both contests with a 7-1 loss to Boston College and a 3-0 defeat to Campbell University.
Senior Angi Sakamoto proved to be Tech's hitting star throughout the twin bill, as the lefty-swinging outfielder recorded a pair of multi-hit games, going 2-for-4 in each contest.
A five-run sixth doomed the Golden Eagles (1-5) in the opener with Boston College (4-2), as Tech was right in the thick of things heading into the bottom of the inning, trailing just 2-1 before an Eagle five-spot essentially put the game on ice.
BC began the offensive onslaught with a Jordan Chimento single through the left side, which was followed by a Taylor Coroneos double to put runners on second and third with no one out.
Tech would show reliance to the precarious position after junior third baseman Cortney Fry gunned down Chimento at the plate for the first out of the inning on a ball hit by freshman Chloe Sharabba. The fielder's choice moved Coroneos to third, before the Sewell N.J. native came around to score one batter later on a Jordan Weed RBI sacrifice bunt for the second out of the inning that pushed the BC lead to 3-1 and also scooted Sharabba to second.
With the Golden Eagles just an out away from limiting the damage, senior Chelsea Dimon was hit with a Hannah Weaver (1-2) offering that put runners on first and second, before three consecutive singles plated four more Boston College runs to put the game out of reach. Junior Megan Cooley's knock up the middle drove in Sharabba, which was promptly followed by an Annie Murphy single to left that brought around Dimon and Cooley, before a Jessie Daulton hit plated Murphy to cap off the five-run inning and extend the Eagle lead to 7-1.
The damage was done off Weaver, who ended up going the distance for the Golden Eagles, surrendering seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. BC used a pair of hurlers to pick up its fourth win of the season, with sophomore Jordan Weed (1-0) allowing one run over the first four innings of the contest and freshman Allyson Frei blanking Tech in the final three frames, while striking out six to record her first collegiate save.
The Golden Eagles christened the scoring in the top of the third behind a Kelly Kennedy RBI single through the left side that plated junior Madison Taylor, who began the frame with a single to right, before she was moved to second on Angi Sakamoto's second hit of the tilt.
Sophomore Danielle Liberatore (0-3) struck out nine against Campbell (3-1) in the second game as part of a complete game effort that saw the Peotone, Ill. native give up three runs (one earned), scattering eight hits as well.
The Camels broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third, plating two in the frame on a Tech error and a bases loaded hit by pitch to freshman Chandler Patterson that brought around sophomore Katie Baker with the second unearned run of the inning.
Leading 2-0, Campbell tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth, using a Bailey Bjorson RBI single up that middle that allowed freshman Lia Batchelor to score after Batchelor began the frame with a walk, before advancing to second on a Maggie Christopher sacrifice bunt.
The three-run advantage was in good hands for the aforementioned Katie Baker (3-0), as the 5-foot-8 righty came on in the third inning and proceeded to shutout the Golden Eagles for the remainder of the contest to remain undefeated on the young season.
Day two of the Georgia Southern Invitational continues on Saturday, with the Golden Eagles slated to take on the host GSU at 3 p.m. CT.
UT MARTIN 4, LAMAR 1; UT MARTIN 6, ILLINOIS 5
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team used a late game rally to defeat Big Ten member Illinois 6-5 after knocking off Lamar handedly 4-1 to sweep the opening day of the Mississippi State February Freezer.
The Skyhawks (5-2) saw big performances from a mixture of newcomers and returners in the pair of victories. As a team the Skyhawks posted a .308 batting average on the day while tallying eight RBIs and one home run in the twinbill.
Freshman Alicia Hansen stole the show for the Skyhawks, tallying three RBIs in the comeback victory over Illinois, including a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hansen tallied four hits in six plate appearances, notching two doubles, one home run and three RBIs. Senior Kenzi Tate was terrific in against Lamar, tallying the team’s two RBIs in the contest.
Sophomores Elizabeth Wiegand (2-1) and Brooke Kennedy (2-0) tallied victories on the day, combining to allow just one earned run in 10 innings of work. Senior Casey Vincent started against Illinois, but saw her day cut short in the fifth inning after giving up five runs.
UT Martin 4, Lamar 1
The scoring would get underway in the top of the third inning. Renate Meckl would get the inning started with a leadoff single up the middle before being pulled for Bella Zizzi as a pinch runner. A sacrifice bunt would move Zizzi into scoring position before scampering home on a throwing error on Gonzales’ following at bat to break the game’s scoreless margin.
The Skyhawks would strike once again in the fifth inning as Kayla Blanco led off the inning with a single of her own to right field. Blanco would be temporarily pulled for freshman Chelsey Smith to pinch run. Chelsey Smith would waste little time making her presence known on the bases, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt before taking third base following a deep fly to right field.
Following a single by Gonzales, the pair would convert a successful double steal attempt, bringing Chelsey Smith around to score the Skyhawks second run of the contest.
Keeping with the trend of scoring runs in odd innings, the Skyhawks would get on the board with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Meckl’s leadoff double would put the sophomore in scoring position, before inching closer to scoring as Samantha McClure reached on a fielder’s choice – moving the pair to second and third with no outs.
Meckl would register the first out of the inning after being caught attempting to steal home. Gonzales would come through with yet another single - this one to the shortstop – placing runners on the corners with two outs. Tate would come through in the clutch, lacing a two-out double to right field to bring both McClure and Gonzales around to scoring while holding a 4-0 advantage heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Wiegand would see her shutout snapped in the bottom of the seventh as Lamar’s Stephanie Meeuwsen tallied her first home run of the season with a leadoff blast. Despite the home run, Wiegand would shut down the Lady Cardinals from there, posting a 4-1 victory.
With the victory, Wiegand moves to 2-1 on the season while allowing just four hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. Included in her outing, she tallied five strikeouts while issuing just two walks in the complete game.
UT Martin 6, Illinois 5
Faced off against Big Ten foe Illinois, the Fighting Illini would strike first in the game. After Vincent would escape from a bases loaded jam in the first, a solo home run would put the Illini on top in the second inning off a shot from Emily Brodner.
Illinois would strike for another pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 3-0 lead. A pair of stolen bases would put an Illini duo on the base paths with just one out before Kylie Johnson would bring the pair around to score on a single to left center.
The Skyhawks would look to respond in the bottom of the fourth. Vincent would lead off the inning with a walk before Hansen smashed a two-run blast over the wall for her second home run of the season, trimming the margin to 3-2 after four innings.
The Illini would push their lead back out to three runs in the top of the fifth inning following another home run. After a leadoff double to left center, Nicole Evans would turn on a pitch for a two-run home run, ending Vincent’s day in the circle and giving the Illini a 5-2 lead.
UT Martin would attempt to claw its way back into the contest in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kennedy would draw a one-out walk before scampering to third base on a double to the right center wall off the bat of Hansen, placing runners on second and third. Meckl would respond to the situation with an infield single to score Kennedy and bring the game to a 5-3 margin.
From there the Skyhawks would load the bases with two outs. Senior Lindsey Feigl would bring another run across the plate with an infield single of her own, bringing Hansen across the plate. The comeback would be capped off on the ensuing at bat as Gonzales would single past a diving shortstop, scoring McClure and tying the game at five heading into the seventh inning.
The Skyhawks would look to finish their rally in the final frame. Tate would lead off the inning with a hard liner up the middle before being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Kennedy. With a runner in scoring position, Hansen would notch her third RBI of the game with a single through the right side to bring pinch runner Savannah Dodson around to score the game-winning run.
Vincent would earn a no decision in the contest after allowing five earned runs in four innings of work. Kennedy would move to 2-0 on the season after appearing in relief and tossing three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
UT Martin will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 14 in the final day of the Mississippi State February Freezer. The Skyhawks will face off against Louisiana Tech at 9 a.m. before playing host Mississippi State at 11:30 a.m.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, WINTHROP 3; MERCER 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
AUBURN, Ala. – Eastern Illinois softball earned a Friday (Feb. 13) split to open weekend Auburn Invitational action down in Alabama, holding on to beat Winthrop, 4-3, prior to falling to Mercer, 6-4.
EIU now sits at 3-4 on the early-season prior to taking on Georgia State at noon and the 17th-ranked host Tiger squad at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday.
In the first game win, Eastern erupted for four runs to break a scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth frame as sophomore Ashlynne Paul got things going as she connected on an RBI single down the right field line to plate junior April Markowski. Newcomer Andrea Roberts followed suit, drilling her own two-score shot in the same spot to bring home classmates Jessica Wireman and Taylor Monahan.
Senior Bailey O'Dell added the eventual game-winner with an RBI ground out to first to score junior transfer Katie Watson.
The Eagles of Winthrop (3-3) would pull to within a run of the Panthers thanks to a three-run bomb in the top of the seventh, but EIU freshman starter Michelle Rogers got out of the inning with her seventh strikeout of the game to improve to 2-1 on the season. In addition to her seven Ks, she allowed just one walk and two earned runs.
In the tough nightcap loss to Mercer, senior catcher Hannah Cole led all Panthers with three RBI off a pair of home runs, the first coming in solo fashion in the first, before also scoring classmate O'Dell in the third inning.
Junior Jennette Isaac added an RBI single in the seventh as the Bears (5-2) scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to pull ahead of the Panthers. Mercer also connected on the long ball as four different players delivered shots over the fence over the course of the contest.
Freshman pitcher Jessica Wireman was tabbed with the loss to fall to 1-3 overall this season as she tallied three strikeouts and walks.
SOUTHERN ILLINOS 8, MOREHEAD STATE 6
KENNESAW, Ga. -- The Southern Illinois softball team scored two runs in the sixth and six more in the seventh to finish off an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over Morehead State on Friday afternoon at Bailey Park. The contest was part of Kennesaw State's Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament.
The Salukis, who compete in the Missouri Valley Conference, improve to 2-4 overall, 2-3 in neutral-site contests and 1-1 in Kennesaw State's tournament. The Eagles, who play in the Ohio Valley Conference, slip to 2-3 overall, 2-2 in neutral-site affairs and 0-1 in the weekend event.
Southern Illinois sophomore first baseman Shaye Harre tied the tilt with a grand slam in the top of the seventh. Freshman third baseman Sydney Jones provided the game-winning, two-run homer just two batters later. Harre now has six roundtrippers in her career, while Jones grabbed her first.
The SIU rally erased MSU's 5-0 lead after five innings. The Eagles scored four times in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore shortstop Karly Thompson registered an RBI double and freshman catcher Laine Simmons clobbered her first collegiate homer, a three-run shot with one out.
Simmons and senior third baseman Katie Raile notched two hits apiece for Morehead State. Harre and junior designated player Caylee Cook collected two each for Southern Illinois. The Eagles recorded nine base knocks on the afternoon, while the Salukis were credited with six.
Morehead State freshman right-hander Mackenzie Grossman cruised through five scoreless innings before running into trouble in the sixth. She finished with a no-decision. Senior right-hander Tanna Seuferer, who allowed three earned runs and two hits in 0.2 innings, suffered the loss.
Freshman right-hander Savanna Dover, who allowed just two runs and two hits despite walking six in 3.1 innings, earned the victory. She is now even on a pair of decisions this season. Senior right-hander Katie Bertelsen worked the final frame to pick up her first save of the campaign.
MSU returns to action on Saturday when it faces tournament host Kennesaw State. First pitch is set for approximately 1 p.m. ET. The Eagles are playing just two games this weekend due to weather.
MIAMI (OHIO) 13, AUSTIN PEAY 2; MIAMI (OHIO) 9, AUSTIN PEAY 0
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University opened the home part of its 2015 schedule with a pair of losses, Friday at Cheryl Holt Field, with Miami (Ohio) taking both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 13-2 and 9-0.
In Game 1, the Lady Govs (1-6) fell behind 7-0 after three-and-a-half innings before finally getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Chandler Groves and Allie Blackwood got the inning going for APSU with back-to-back one-out singles, followed an out later by Erica Inagaki’s RBI single to drive in Chandler.
Miami (5-2) would be leading 8-1, when Austin Peay would pick up its final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a one-out home run by Laurel Burroughs – her second of the year.
The RedHawks would close out the game with five more runs in the top of the seventh for the 13-2 final.
In Game 2, Austin Peay would see Miami score seven times in the top of the first inning, which proved to be more than enough runs for starter Remy Edwards, who no-hit the Lady Govs – while striking out nine and walking four.
Austin Peay’s best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the third inning, with Burroughs drawing a two-out walk and stealing second.
ALABAMA STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5; ULM 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
MONROE, La. - - Kayla Fortner went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, run scored and three RBI as Southeast Missouri (0-1) dropped its season-opener to Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Alabama State (2-4), 8-5, Friday afternoon in the first day of the Mardi Gras Classic.
Fortner, who hit third in the lineup, made a smashing Southeast debut, belting her first home run over the center field wall during her second at-bat in the top of the fourth inning. The Redhawks trailed, 3-0, at the time before Fortner's blast made it a one-run game.
Shortly after Meaghan Touchette scored on an error, Fortner gave Southeast its first lead at 4-3 when she knocked in Claire Wernig on a two-out single to center in the fifth.
Southeast's one-run edge didn't last for long as the Hornets answered right back in the bottom of the fifth. Brittney Wilson smacked a two-run homer to left field, regaining a 5-4 advantage for ASU.
Riley Hayes then knotted the game at 5-5 when she singled home Lindsey Patterson with one out in the sixth, but the Hornets countered with three more tallies on four hits in the bottom half of the inning to get by the Redhawks.
Freshman Madeline Krumrey (0-1) allowed six runs on eight hits in her first career start. Krumrey also walked three and struck out two in five innings.
Melissa Christmann (1-0) picked up her first win in relief. Christmann entered the game in the sixth and gave up just one hit in two scoreless innings.
Offensively, Southeast had eight hits, with Fortner, Savannah Carpenter and freshman Taylor McDannold paving the way with two apiece. Five different Redhawks, including Wernig, Alexis Anderson, Fortner, Patterson and Touchette scored a run.
Wilson went a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI to lead ASU.
MURRAY STATE 4, NICHOLLS STATE 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Murray State softball team opened play in the Samford Softball Classic with a 4-3 win over Nicholls State Friday at Samford Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Racers (4-2) fell behind early in the first inning when the Colonels capitalized on five walks by pitcher Mason Robinson. Nicholls (5-2) scored both runs on bases load walks to take an early 2-0 advantage.
However, the Racers were able to answer in the bottom half of the inning and it began with a single from Mo Ramsey. Jessica Twaddle scored Ramsey two batters later with a single of her own and was then brought home herself in the next at bat on Maggie Glass’ second home run of the year.
Nicholls once again took advantage of a walk by Robinson in the second when it pushed across Hayley Parkerson on a single by Danielle Phillips. The score, though, did not stay knotted for long, as Jocelynn Rodgers and Mallory Young led off the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles. The two runners were then advanced one base on a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Odom, followed by Rodger’s pinch runner, Mallory Richardson, scoring on a RBI-groundout by Cayla Levins.
CheyAnne Gaskey came on in relief of Robinson in the top of the fifth and proceeded to shut down the Colonels. Gaskey struck out the side in the fifth, then had a lead-off-double erased by Murray State’s second double play of the game in the sixth. In the seventh, Gaskey struck out an additional batter and retired the remaining two, despite two baserunners who reached via error, to clinch the 4-3 win.
Robinson moved to 3-0 on the season with the win, allowing just two earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts over the first four innings of the game. Gaskey earned her first save of the season for her work over the final three innings by allowing no runs on just one hit with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Racers will continue play in the Samford Softball Classic on Saturday when they take on the host Gardner-Webb at 10 a.m., followed by the host Bulldogs at 12:15 p.m.