FRIDAY'S SCORES
NC State 8,
Eastern Kentucky 1
Belmont 6, Saint Louis 2
Northwestern State 9,
Belmont 0 (5)
Arkansas 4,
Jacksonville State 0
@Jackson State 4,
Morehead State 1
Jacksovnille State 6, Virginia 2
Eastern Kentucky 6, Georgia Southern 3
BELMONT 5, SAINT LOUIS 2; NORTHWESTERN STATE 9, BELMONT 0
JACKSON, Miss. - Belmont softball earned a split on its first day of the JSU Softball Tournament Friday as the Bruins defeated St. Louis, 6-2, before falling to Northwestern State in five innings.
Game 1: Belmont 6, Saint Louis 2
BU got off to a fast start offensively Friday morning as the Bruins tallied six runs through the first five innings of play against the Saint Louis Billikins.
Belmont's Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) produced a terrific outing in the circle for the Bruins as the right handed pitcher threw a complete game for the Bruins, allowing only one earned run while striking out four Bilikins.
BU's Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) powered a Bruin offensive attack that scored six runs off six hits. Deloney finishing a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with one RBI and a pair of walks.
Freshman Ally Bessette (Bryan, Tex.) notched her first career RBI in the second inning, using a single to drive in Deloney.
Saint Louis (4-4) broke BU's shutout attempt in the sixth inning when junior Elizabeth Everingham hit a lead off solo blast.
The Bilikins added another run seventh but the Bruins held on to notch their second victory of the season.
Game 2: Northwestern State 9, Belmont 0 (5 inn.)
Northwestern State (6-8) tallied six runs in the second inning in BU's second contest of the day and added three more runs in the forth as the Lady Demons sent the Bruins to their first loss of the weekend.
Belmont's bats fell silent against the Lady Demons as the Bruins could only muster a pair of hits on the contest.
Deloney finished her day perfect at the plate as the sophomore catcher went 1-for-1 off a single to left field in the fifth inning. Deloney reached base on her other at-bat of the contest on a walk.
BU's Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) was credited with the loss as the junior threw for four innings, giving up five earned runs while striking out three NSU hitters.
Belmont (2-4) returns to action Saturday for a pair of games. The Bruins are set for a rematch with Northwestern State at 10 a.m. CT followed by a 12:15 p.m. CT contest with the host Jackson State.
NC STATE 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1; EASTERN KENTUCKY 6, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 3
STATESBORO, Ga. - It took two extra innings, but the Eastern Kentucky University softball team earned a 6-3 win over host Georgia Southern in the Eagle Classic II Friday evening. Earlier in the day, the Colonels fell to NC State, 8-1.
Eastern (4-4) piled together season highs in runs (six) and hits (12) in the nine-inning victory over the Eagles (1-9). Senior Darcy Schueler hit her first collegiate home run in the fourth inning to give the Colonels a 2-1 lead. Freshman Sarah Jackson added a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth to extend the cushion to 3-1.
However, Georgia Southern rallied for a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend the game to extra innings.
In the top of the ninth, two Colonels scored on a Georgia Southern throwing error to make the score, 5-3. Junior Sarah Fobbs then added an RBI single to provide some extra breathing room.
Senior Shannon McQueen led the EKU offense by going 3-for-5 at the plate. Fobbs, junior Kayla Joyce and sophomore Krislyn Campos also added a pair of hits. Senior pitcher Shaylon Robb (1-1) earned her first win of the season by tossing 5.2 innings and only giving up four hits.
The first game of the tournament saw NC State (4-6) explode for seven runs in the second inning to take a quick 8-0 lead. EKU’s lone run came in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Taylor Stewart drew a bases loaded walk.
Wolfpack pitcher Emily Weiman struck out 17 Colonels to tally her third win. Meredith Burroughs came up with the big hit, a three-run home run in the second inning.
The Colonels continue play in the Eagle Classic II tomorrow, Feb. 21 with games against North Carolina (10 a.m.) and Bradley (noon.)
ARKANSAS 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 6, VIRGINIA 2
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Jacksonville State softball team bounced back after a 4-0 loss to Arkansas to down Virginia 6-2 and earn a Friday split on the first day of the Citrus Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.
After the shutout earlier in the day to the Southeastern Conference's Razorbacks, the Gamecocks (7-5) came to life in the nightcap to plate six runs on eight hits against the Cavaliers of the Atlantic Coast Conference. After a win over Virginia Tech on Sunday, Friday's win over UVA gives JSU two wins over ACC foes in less than a week.
Against the Cavaliers, freshman Jordan Bullock went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI to lead JSU at the plate. Senior Sara Borders and junior Cadi Oliver each posted a 2-for-3 game, with Oliver scoring and driving in a run.
Oliver got the scoring started for JSU with a bunt single in the first that plated Emily Woodruff and sparked a three-run inning for the Gamecocks. Senior Savannah Sloan reached on an error that scored Bullock, and an RBI ground out from sophomore Jamie McGuire scored Oliver and gave JSU an early 3-0 lead.
Another UVA error in the second inning allowed another run to score and pushed JSU to an early 4-0 advantage.
The Cavaliers would cut their deficit in half in the home half of the second on a two-run double from Megan Harris, but the Gamecocks turned to the bullpen and Whitney Gillespie (3-2) shut UVA down from there.
The freshman from Pelham, Ala., allowed just one hit over the final 5.2 innings to earn the win. She struck out seven and walked two in relief of Logan Green, who allowed two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings in the circle.
Andie Formby tossed all seven frames for UVA, allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits and four walks. She struck out just one JSU batter in the loss.
In the opener, the Razorbacks got on the board early and didn't look back. A Sydney Wright sac fly in the first put them up 1-0 and a two-run single from Devon Wallace made it 3-0 in the third.
JSU wouldn't be able to get anything going against Wright in the circle. She struck out five and allowed just four singles in seven scoreless innings to earn the win. Gillespie took the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings before giving way to Logan Green. The sophomore tossed the final 5.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits. She struck out three and walked two.
Wallace singled in the game's final run in the seventh to cap a 3-for-4 game for Arkansas. Bullock was one of four Gamecocks with a single at the plate for the Gamecocks.
NORTHWESTERN STATE 6, MOREHEAD STATE 2; JACKSON STATE 4, MOREHEAD STATE 1
JACKSON, Miss. -- The Morehead State softball team dropped both of its contests on Friday in the opening day of the Jackson State Tournament at the JSU Softball Field. The Eagles suffered a 6-5 setback to Northwestern State in the opener and 4-1 decision to host JSU in the nightcap.
The Ohio Valley Conference Eagles slip to 2-6 overall, 2-3 at neutral sites and 0-3 on the road. The Southland Conference Demons, who won both games on Friday, improve to 6-8 overall and 3-2 at neutral sites. The Southwestern Athletic Conference Tigers improve to 4-10 overall and 1-1 at home.
Morehead State will get a re-match with both schools on Saturday. The Eagles are slated to face Northwestern State at 3:45 p.m. ET and Jackson State at 6:15 p.m. OVC member Belmont is also playing in the three-day event, but the Eagles and Bruins won't square off in the Magnolia State.
Sophomore shortstop Karly Thompson led Morehead State in the twinbill by going 3-for-7 with one run and one RBI. She singled twice and scored once in the opener before smashing an RBI triple in the nightcap. Thompson paces the Eagles in batting average (.391), slugging percentage (.565), hits (9) and runs (5) through eight games.
MSU registered 10 hits in the opener, while the Demons collected just five. Senior designated player Cassandra Barefield, who belted her 39th home run earlier in the day to set Northwestern State's career record, brought home the game-winning run on a fourth-inning double.
Jackson State scored all of its runs in the third inning and hung on for the win. Sophomore shortstop Denisha Knight highlighted the frame with a two-run roundtripper, which was her second long ball of the campaign. The Tigers posted five hits, while the Eagles managed just four.
Sophomore right-hander Skylar Cagle earned the win for NSU. She allowed just two hits and fanned eight in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. Senior right-hander Kelsey Townsend went the distance to earn the victory for JSU. She yielded three walks and four hits while striking out seven.
Freshman right-hander Mackenzie Grossmann and senior right-hander Tanna Seuferer suffered the losses in the circle. The duo combined to allow 10 runs, 10 hits and 11 walks in 10 innings. Sophomore right-hander Megan Tymorek work two scoreless innings in the nightcap for the Eagles.