SUNDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 11, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 (5)
Nicholls State 3,
UT Martin 2
Murray State 8, Winthrop 4
Indiana State 6,
@Belmont 3
@Mercer 13,
Jacksonville State 6
Tennessee State 4, Memphis 1
Eastern Illinois 7, Incarnate Word 4
Louisiana Lafayette 9,
Eastern Illinois 0 (5)
Lamar 7,
Eastern Kentucky 4
Middle Tennessee 8
, Austin Peay 5
Dayton 8,
Tennessee Tech 3
Kennesaw State 1,
Tennessee Tech 0
SIUE 11, ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF 1
RUSTON, La. – SIUE softball finished off the Lady Techster Invitational Sunday with an impressive 11-1 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in five innings.
Haley Chambers ripped two home runs and tossed a five-hitter for her third win of the season. SIUE closed out its first weekend of the season with a 4-1 record.
Chambers hit her first career leadoff home run. The left-handed hitting junior sparked the SIUE offense with three runs, three hits, and three RBIs.
SIUE collected 13 hits in all, including a second-inning home run by Rachel Keller. Keller, Haley Adrian, and Alex McDaniel each had two hits for the Cougars.
After Chambers' home run, the Cougars pounded Arkansas-Pine Bluff starter-loser Makey Hunter for five runs in the first inning.
Adrian doubled to right center, moved to third base on a wild pitched, and scored on an infield out by Allison Smiley. Keller and McDavid each singled, and Keller scored on a dropped fly ball off the bat of Brittany Toney. Jordan LaFave would make it 5-0 with a two-RBI single that scored McDavid and Toney.
After batting around in the first inning, Chambers got the offense going again in the second with a single through the right side. After a sacrifice bunt by Adrian, Smiley recorded her team-leading ninth RBI of the weekend with a single to score Chambers.
Keller then hit her first home run of the season, a shot to center field to put the Cougars up 8-0.
The Cougars added a single tally in the fourth when McDavid singled home Adrian. Samantha Jones was on base for catcher Tess Eby and scored on Chambers' second homer of the game in the fifth inning.
In the circle, Chambers struck out seven and allowed five hits. In three games this weekend, teams hit .164 off the left-hander.
SIUE next heads to Athens, Georgia, for the 12th Annual Georgia Softball Classic. The Cougars will take on No. 10-ranked Georgia twice during the weekend as well as Troy twice and Elon once. SIUE's first game in the tournament is Friday against Troy beginning at 11:30 a.m. CT.
NICHOLLS STATE 3, UT MARTIN 2
HAMMOND, La. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team saw its stay at the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic end in disappointing fashion as the Skyhawks posted a late inning comeback before falling just short to Nicholls State 3-2.
The Skyhawks (3-2) wrapped up a promising start to the 2015 season, tallying seven home runs, seven doubles and 24 runs during the five game tournament. Pitching was equally as impressive, posting a 2.57 earned run average in 30 innings of work while tallying 23 strikeouts and allowing just 11 earned runs.
Today’s game saw the Skyhawks tally just three hits, including two in the final inning. The Skyhawks saw base hits from Kelsey Dixon, Kenzi Tate and Alicia Hansen on the day while Casey Vincent and Hansen tallied the team’s two RBIs.
Vincent (1-1) threw six innings of work while allowing three runs. She allowed eight hits on the day while striking out three.
Nicholls State (4-1) would jump out to an early 3-0 lead en route to a victory behind multi-hit games from Alexis Huss and Haley Stevenson. Huss would tally an RBI single to end the inning following a two-run double by Kayla Prater to break the game open.
The Skyhawks would be held to just one hit in the first six innings before finding their stride in the top of the seventh. Dixon would lead off the inning with a walk before Tate would single, placing two runners on base with no outs. Following an innocent groundout, the Skyhawks would get on the board as Vincent tallied an RBI to score Dixon from third. Pinch runner Bella Zizzi would come around to score off a double by Hansen for the game’s final run.
UT Martin will return to action on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Mississippi State February Freezer where the Skyhawks will take on Lamar, Illinois, Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State.
MURRAY STATE 8, WINTROP 4
ATHENS, Ga. - The Murray State softball team finished the Eighth Annual Red & Black Showcase with a 3-2 record by topping Winthrop, 8-4, Sunday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia.
Murray State began its scoring in the third inning with a single and a double from Mo Ramsey and Alexa Becker, respectively. Ramsey scored in the next at bat on a sacrifice fly from Jessica Twaddle and was joined later by Becker after a Maggie Glass double. Jocelynn Rodgers ended the outburst with a single to score Glass from second and give Murray State a 3-0 advantage.
The lead did not last long; however, as the Eagles tied the game in the top of the fourth with back-to-back doubles from Sutton Watson and Leah Young. Despite the three runs by Winthrop in the top of the inning, the Racers went back to work in the bottom of the frame and scored five of their own. The Eagles went on to add a run in the top of the sixth, but it was not enough as MSU held on for the 8-4 win.
Alexa Becker led the Racers in the game by going 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI, while Jocelyn Rodgers was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Cayla Levins and Mo Ramsey also had good days at the plate as each finished with two hits and a run.
Mason Robinson moved to 2-0 on the season after turning in her second complete game performance of the weekend. She allowed just three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
MSU will return to action next weekend in Birmingham, Alabama in the Samford Classic. While in the Magic City, the Racers will take on Nicholls State, Gardner-Webb and the host Bulldogs.
TENNESSEE STATE 4, MEMPHIS 1
BATON ROUGE, La. – Tennessee State Softball scored in each of the first three innings to earn its first win of the season on Sunday morning. The Tigers revenged a loss from a day ago, as they claimed a 4-1 win over Memphis. TSU improved to 1-4, while Memphis dropped to 1-3.
Taylor Green (1-0), in her first outing as a Tiger, earned the win allowing one unearned run on seven hits and a walk. Memphis left runners on base each inning until the seventh, when Green and the Tigers clinched the game by sitting UM down in order.
The offensive support came early as Courtney Gearlds led off the game with a walk and proceeded to steal second. The sophomore would score two batters later as Kailey Richard drove a ball through the right side of the infield.
In the second, the Tigers added to its 1-0 lead by taking advantage of a Memphis error. With Lindsey Burgess on second, Tayler Shimizu ripped a single up the middle to chase home Burgess. Shimizu would take second on the throw, setting up a run-producing single by Savannah Womack, giving TSU a 3-0 lead after two.
Shimizu would strike again in the third with an RBI single, plating Joselynn Yates, who led off the inning with a single to center. The 4-0 lead would hold up until Memphis scratched a run in the bottom of the fifth, creating the final score.
The Tigers will travel to Huntsville for a double header at Alabama A&M on Friday, Feb. 13. Follow tsutigers.com for full coverage.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, INCARNATE WORD 4; LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE 0
LAFAYETTE, La. - Eastern Illinois softball completed Louisiana-Lafayette Classic with a two-game split on Sunday (Feb. 8) as the Panthers downed Incarnate Word, 7-4, before dropping another five-inning contest to the tourney host and #9-ranked Ragin Cajuns, 9-0.
Panthers finish with a 2-3 season-opening weekend mark as the squad will next partake in the Auburn Tiger Invitational next weekend (Feb. 13-15).
Versus the Cardinals of UIW, Eastern used a four-run second frame to open up a two-all tie in the first, before adding a security run in the sixth.
Sophomore Amber Toenyes went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, senior Bailey O'Dell followed with a 2-for-3 performance off a two-run home run. Classmate Hannah Cole added her own solo bomb as EIU and UIW both delivered 10 hits each.
Junior Haylee Beck nabbed a sac fly RBI, while senior Jennette Isaac and freshman Andrea Roberts each placed sac bunts. Junior transfer Katie Watson tallied a stolen base.
Freshman Michelle Rogers earned her first win of the season in the circle, walking just one Cardinal batter and fanning a pair, while Jessica Wireman secured the save with near two innings of relief.
In the weekend finale loss to Louisiana (4-0), the Panthers were led in hitting by O'Dell and junior April Markowski as each delivered a respective single and double.
Like yesterday's loss, the Ragin Cajuns led Eastern in total hits, 13-to-two as three pitchers combined for 11 Panther strikeouts. Wireman took the loss for EIU as she allowed nine earned runs, struck out one and walked three.
LAMAR 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4
GULF SHORES, Ala. – In the finale of the season-opening Sand Dollar Classic, the Eastern Kentucky University softball team fell to Lamar by a score of 7-4.
EKU (3-3) scored twice in the top of the first inning thanks to a pair of Lamar (3-2) errors. Sophomore Krislyn Campos and freshman Paige Murphy each touched home plate in the frame.
However, the lead was short lived as the Lady Cardinals responded with two runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second inning. Lamar’s Casey Cromwell came away with the pivotal hit as she tallied a three-run home run in the second inning.
The Lady Cardinals extended the cushion to 7-2 in the fifth before senior Darcy Schueler notched a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning.
Eastern committed five errors in the contest, including three in the first inning.
Murphy finished 2-for-4 at the plate for the Colonels and led the team with a .412 batting average during the four-day tournament. The freshman from Louisville scored four runs and stole two bases in six games.
Eastern Kentucky has next weekend open before hosting the 2015 EKU Invitational on Feb. 21-22. Scheduled to compete in the two-day event are Louisville, Western Michigan and Kent State.
INDIANA STATE 6, BELMONT 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont softball ended its weekend on a sour note Sunday afternoon as the Bruins fell to Indiana State, 6-3, on the final day of the 2015 Music City Classic at Rose Park.
Indiana State (2-1) dented the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning off an RBI single from senior Megan Stone.
BU responded in the bottom of the fourth as the Bruins found themselves in a bases loaded situation with no outs after singles from Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) and Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) and Jessica Wilson (Alvin, Tex.) reached on a fielder's choice play.
The Bruins took advantage of the golden situation as BU punched in a pair of runs when both Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) Taylor Hodge (Maryville, Tenn.) drew walks from ISU pitcher Taylor Lockwood.
Belmont failed to further extend its lead, however, as the Sycamores escaped the inning after turning a double play on a ground ball from Katie Clancy (Pasadena, Calif.) followed by a lineout from rookie shortstop Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.).
ISU carried that momentum the rest of the way as the Sycamores regained the advantage, 3-2, in the following inning as the visitors notched a pair of runs off three hits.
The visitors used a sacrifice bunt from Rylee Holland in the sixth followed by a two-run shot from Mary Turrito in the seventh inning to extend their advantage to 6-2.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Belmont drew closer when Hollingsworth drove in freshman Ally Bessette (Bryan, Tex.).
Unfortunately, the senior outfielder overran the base and the Sycamores recorded the final out of the contest on a run-down situation as ISU prevailed, 6-3.
Hollingsworth led the Bruins offensively as the senior finished the contest 3-for-4 from the plate.
BU's Katie Clancy earned her first loss of the year as the senior threw for four innings, allowing eight hits and only three earned runs.
Belmont returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 15, as the Bruins are set to host Alabama A&M for a doubleheader at Rose Park.
MERCER 13, JACKSONVILLE STATE 6
MACON, Ga. - A big fourth inning from Mercer was enough to lift the Bears to a 13-7 win over the Jacksonville State softball team on Sunday in the championship game of the Mercer Invitational.
The Gamecocks (4-1) rallied from a four-point deficit early to claim a 6-4 lead, but a seven-run inning for the Bears (4-1) gave the home team the lead for good.
JSU junior Cadi Oliver went 3-for-3 and reached base all four times to cap an impressive opening weekend. The Sumiton, Ala., native went 8-for-14 (.571) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI to garner All-Tournament honors. Senior Sara Borders and freshman Whitney Gillespie were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
After Mercer scored two runs in the first and two more in the second, the Gamecocks started cutting into the lead. An Oliver leadoff double set up an RBI single by Gillespie and an RBI double from Ella Denes that cut Mercer's lead in half.
Freshman Emily Woodruff delivered a three-run homer to cap the five-run second and give the Gamecocks their first lead of the game. The center fielder from Albertville, Ala., drove the ball over the wall in left center for her first career homer.
JSU got an unearned run in the third to stretch its lead to 6-4, but the top of the fourth did the Gamecocks in. Mercer scored seven runs on five hits, an error, a walk and three hit batters to claim control of the game. The Bears would add insurance runs in the fifth and in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Junior Casey Akenberger (0-1) suffered the loss in the circle for JSU after allowing five runs on eight hits in three innings of work. She walked one and hit two batters. Riley Carter (1-0) earned the win for Mercer after holding JSU scoreless on two hits over five innings of relief work. She struck out seven and walked three.
Meghan Rud went 3-for-4 for the Bears, while Natalie Shiver drove in three runs.
The Gamecocks will return to action on Friday in the North Florida Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. JSU will open play against Virginia Tech at 9 a.m. CT and will then take on Maine at 11:15 a.m. CT.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 8, AUSTIN PEAY 5
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team rallied twice from behind to tie Middle Tennessee, Sunday in the final day of the Mississippi State Bulldog Kickoff Classic, but its final rally in the seventh inning came up a couple of hits short in a 8-5 loss.
The Lady Govs (1-4) were down three runs heading into their final at bat, but had two of its hottest hitters coming to the plate, but Laurel Burroughs opened the inning with a pop-up to second base, followed by Christiana Gable grounding out to third.
But Niya Sparks ripped a shot up the middle for a single, followed by a walk to Chandler Groves, bring up the possible tying run to the plate in Savanna Oliver.
Oliver hit the ball down the third-base line, but Blue Raiders’ third baseman Samantha Nieves speared the ball and out-raced Sparks to third for the force out to end the game.
Middle Tennessee (2-2) had taken its first lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Carlie Jenkins, with Gable tying the game with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame – scoring Morgan Hoeg, who had led off the inning with a double down the left-field line.
The Blue Raiders would retake the lead with three runs in the top of the third inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Megan Griffith.
Austin Peay would answer right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 4-4.
Courtney Brower and Hoeg would record back-to-back hits to open the inning, followed by walks to Burroughs and Gable to force in a run.
Hoeg would lead the Lady Govs with two hits.
Two outs later, Chandler would single to drive in the other two runs to tie the game 4-4.
But Middle Tennessee would take the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI triple by Cor’Nisha Birdsong, with the Blue Raiders making it 6-4 in the fifth on a throwing error by Austin Peay.
The Lady Govs cut the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI groundout by Sparks, but that would be as close as they would get, with Middle Tennessee adding two more runs in the sixth on a Jenkins single to go up 8-5.
Natalie Ayala (1-2) took the loss for Austin Peay, despite striking out five and walking none.