SATURDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 5, @Eastern Kentucky 1
SIUE 8, @Eastern Kentucky 0
@Jacksonville State 3, UT Martin 2
@Jacksonville State 9, UT Martin 1 (5)
Murray State 9, @Belmont 0
@Belmont 7, Murray State 3
@Tennessee Tech 3, Southeast Missouri 0
Southeast Missouri 6, @Tennessee Tech 4
Austin Peay 14, @Tennesse State 13
@Tennessee State 8, Austin Peay 7
SIUE 5, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1; SIUE 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
RICHMOND, Ky. - SIUE softball swept its first Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader of the season Saturday with a pair of wins at Eastern Kentucky.
The Cougars, 21-6 overall and 4-1 in the OVC, defeated the Colonels 5-1 and 8-0 in six innings.
SIUE scored five unanswered runs in game one. Brittany Toney's two-run home run in the fifth inning extended SIUE's lead to 4-1. Tess Eby added a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning, the first of her collegiate career.
Haley Chambers collected her OVC-leading 12th victory in game one. She scattered four hits and struck out 13 batters.
In game two, Baylee Douglass earned her eighth win of the season in the circle with a four-hit shutout. The Cougar freshman fanned eight batters and outdueled five Eastern Kentucky pitchers.
The Cougars scored the eventual winning run of game two in the third inning, but it was a seven-run rally in the sixth inning that put the eight-run rule into effect.
After Toney doubled to start the inning, Eby drew a walk. One out later, Jordan LaFave doubled both runners home, including Samantha Jones who was pinch-running for Toney. Chambers and Rebecca Gray added singles with Gray picking up an RBI.
EKU's pitching would then yield three walks and two hit batters in the inning. SIUE sent 13 batters to the plate in the sixth inning.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, UT MARTIN 2; JACKSONVILLE STATE 9, UT MARTIN 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Jacksonville State softball team opened Ohio Valley Conference play in style on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader from UT Martin at Univesity Field.
A late Sara Borders home run gave the Gamecocks (18-7, 2-0 OVC) a 3-2 lead in the opening game before a five-run sixth capped a 9-1 mercy-rule win over the Skyhawks (12-12, 1-3 OVC) in the finale.
Senior Savannah Sloan went 4-for-6 on the day with four RBI, while junior Ella Denes had two RBI in her 4-for-6 afternoon. Senior Sara Borders homered in each game to run her career total to 38 and into a tie for third on the school's career homer list with Nikki Prier.
Sophomore Logan Green tied her career high in strike outs with eight in a game two gem that also saw JSU rattle off 13 hits in the mercy-rule shortened game.
The Gamecocks cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to a leadoff walk to Denes and a double from Cadi Oliver that set up a two-out Sloan double to left center that gave JSU a 2-0 lead.
The Skyhawks answered immediately, getting an RBI double from Carly Gonzalez and an RBI single back up the middle from Kelsey Dixon to tie the game in the top of the fifth.
Borders put JSU up for good in the home half of the fifth, driving the first pitch she saw from Elizabeth Wiegand over the wall in left center to make it a 3-2 Gamecock lead. The homer was Borders' 37th in her career, passing Rachel Countryman for fourth on the school's all-time list.
Whitney Gillespie (6-2) earned the win in relief, tossing 2.2 scoreless frames and allowing just two hits in the process. Taylor West pitched the first 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits before making way for Gillespie in the fifth.
Wiegand (5-5) took the loss for UTM after allowing three runs on eight Gamecock hits in six innings of work.
Denes and Sloan each went 2-for-2 at the plate in the opening game, while Sloan's two RBI led the way.
In the second game, the Skyhawks kept threatening early but came up empty after getting a runner to third with less then two outs in each of the first two innings.
JSU got on the board first on a Denes homer in the second. The Pisgah native drove Casey Vincent's 1-0 pitch over the wall in center and gave the Gamecocks an early 1-0 lead. Oliver followed with a double and scored after Kenzi Tate's throwing error behind a Savannah Sloan bunt single to make it 2-0.
Kelsey Dixon cut the lead in half to lead off the top of the fourth by homering to deep right on Logan Green's 1-2 pitch.
Borders struck again in the fifth, this time depositing a two-run homer just over the wall in left center to give JSU a 4-1 lead. Her second round tripper of the day tied her with Nikki Prier for third on the school's career list with 38.
JSU opened it up in the sixth, plating five runs on six hits to walk off with the mercy rule win. Jamie McGuire's two-run single started the big inning and was followed by an RBI single from Denes. Savannah Sloan ended it with her single to right, a two-run base hit that sealed the sweep.
Green (7-2) went the distance to grab the win and allowed a run on five hits in six innings in the circle. She walked two to go along with her eight strikeouts.
Vincent (2-4) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs, four earned, on nine hits in 5.1 innings of work. Brooke Kennedy retired just one batter in relief before allowing three runs on four hits and a walk.
McGuire, Sloan and Oliver each had two hits in the win, while Borders, McGuire, Denes and Sloan each drove in two runs in the game.
MURRAY STATE 9, BELMONT 0; BELMONT 7, MURRAY STATE 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont softball recovered from a shaky start Saturday afternoon as the Bruins earned their first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the year as sophomore Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) helped power BU to a 7-3 triumph over Murray State (14-10, 2-3 OVC) in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Bruins fell to the Racers, 9-0, in five innings in the opening contest of the afternoon at Rose Park.
GAME 1: Murray State 9, Belmont 0 (5 innings)
Murray State's bats were hot from the star as the Racers tallied six of their nine runs in the first two innings of the opening contest at Rose Park.
The visitors used eight hits to record the six runs as a two-run shot to left field in the second inning by MSU's Maggie Glass highlighted the Racers' display of offensive fireworks.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Murray State knocked in a run in the top of the fourth and used a pair of Belmont errors in the fifth to end the game early as the Racers went on for the shutout victory in five innings of play.
The Bruins' bats were stymied throughout the game as starting MSU pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey (7-5) threw a complete game, allowing just five hits with three strikeouts.
Five different Bruins recorded a hit for Belmont while senior Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) reached base twice on walks.
GAME 2: Belmont 7, Murray State 3
Belmont's offense woke up in the second contest of the afternoon doubleheader as the Bruins mirrored Murray State's offensive production to start the game as BU tallied six of their seven runs in the first two innings of play.
Hollingsworth started the scoring with her team-leading fourth triple as her shot into right field in the bottom of the first allowed fellow senior Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.), who reached base on a leadoff walk, to cross home plate.
Junior Jessica Wilson followed Hollingsworth's big hit with one of her own as the upperclassmen's single to shortstop drove in Hollingsworth at third base.
Wilson was able to cross home plate herself off an RBI single from sophomore Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala) as the Bruins took a 3-1 advantage after one complete inning of play.
The Bruins used a pair of hits to add three more runs to their total in the home half of the second inning. Sophomore Kayla Wells started the action with a two-RBI single to shortstop.
With the bases loaded with Bruins and just one out, infielder Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) delivered a daily special of her own as the junior drove in Wells with a single to centerfield as BU extended its advantage, 6-1.
A solo shot to center field by Deloney in the fourth inning capped the Bruins scoring assault as BU took a 7-1 advantage. The home run proved to be the catcher's second of the year.
Murray State tallied a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning off a BU catching error but the Bruins held off the Racers to earn the split on the day and their first OVC victory with a 7-3 triumph.
Belmont's Carolyn Snodgress (2-3) earned her second victory on the year as the junior had a great outing in the circle, throwing a complete game and allowing just one earned run and four hits while delivering one strikeout.
Offensively, the Bruins tallied eight hits on the contest with Wells and Deloney leading the attack. Wells finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI while Deloney went 2-for-4 while also knocking in two RBI.
On the day, Wells led the Bruins with three hits on seven at-bats.
Belmont (6-17, 1-3 OVC) returns to action Sunday as the Bruins are set to who another conference doubleheader as BU welcomes Austin Peay to Rose Park. The first pitch of the day is set for 1 p.m. CT.
TENNESSEE TECH 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, TENNESSEE TECH 4
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Outfielder Kayla Fortner went 5-for-7 with a run scored, double and four RBI, as Southeast Missouri (5-12, 2-2) split a doubleheader with Tennessee Tech (16-12, 3-2) Saturday afternoon at Tech Softball Field.
Southeast dropped game one, 3-0, and salvaged the split with a 6-4 win in the nightcap. The Redhawks snapped a four-game losing streak and ended a streak of seven-consecutive losses in their series against TTU.
Fortner, the Ohio Valley Conference's leading hitter, is now hitting .750 (9-for-12) with three runs, three doubles, a home run and nine RBI in four league starts this season.
Tennessee Tech 3, Southeast Missouri 0
Danielle Liberatore pitched a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts to lead Tennessee Tech in game one.
Liberatore allowed just five hits and walked two, facing 27 hitters en route to her team-high fourth shutout of the season.
TTU's offense gave Liberatore all the run support she needed with home runs in the third and sixth innings.
Angi Sakamoto hit a solo home run in the third and Olivia Bennett belted a two-run homer in the sixth, accounting for the Golden Eagle tallies.
Liberatore improved to 9-5 this season, while Keaira Schilling (2-6) took the loss for Southeast.
Schilling gave up three runs on four hits, while striking out one in six innings. It was the second-straight complete game by a Redhawk pitcher.
Taylor McDannold went 2-for-3 to lead Southeast at the plate. Alexis Anderson, Fortner and pinch-hitter Jamie Woodworth had the other hits.
Three of TTU's hits went for extra bases. The Golden Eagles and Redhawks did not commit an error in a well pitched game by both teams.
Southeast Missouri 6, Tennessee Tech 4
Fortner continued her hot hitting by going a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, run scored and four RBI in game two.
Southeast scored two runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings to nail down the victory.
Fortner delivered a leadoff single down the right field line and went to second on a base hit by Savannah Carpenter in the second. Meaghan Touchette's infield single scored both runners to give the Redhawks an early 2-0 lead.
Southeast pushed its lead to 4-0 thanks to a two-RBI double by Fortner in the fourth. Fortner's double scored Nicole Deering and Claire Wernig with two outs.
TTU cut the Redhawks lead in half with a two-run home run by Bennett in the bottom of the fourth.
The Golden Eagles then pulled to within a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Madison Taylor launched a solo home run to right.
Southeast, however, answered by getting two more runs in the sixth.
Lindsey Patterson led things off with a single and Anderson reached on an error. Both Patterson and Anderson later scored on a one-out single by Fortner, extending the Redhawks lead to 6-3.
Bennett homered again in the bottom of the sixth, but that was as close as TTU would get.
Madeline Krumrey (3-3) secured the win after working five inning. Krumrey gave up eight hits and struck out four. She is now 2-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play.
Schiling allowed just one hit in two scoreless innings to get her first save of the season.
Hannah Weaver (6-5) suffered the loss. Weaver scattered seven hits and gave up four runs in 4.2 innings. She struck out three and walked four, as well.
Southeast outhit TTU, 11-9, and left 12 runners on base.
Patterson and Carpenter joined Fortner with multiple hits. Patterson was 3-for-5 with a run scored and Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a run.
Bennett was 3-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Golden Eagles.
All of TTU's runs in the doubleheader came on a combined five homers.
AUSTIN PEAY 14, TENNESSEE STATE 13; TENNESSEE STATE 8, AUSTIN PEAY 7
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tayler Shimizu ripped a single down the left field line to plate Lindsey Burgess giving Tennessee State a split in an Ohio Valley Conference double header on Saturday afternoon. The shot by the senior in the bottom of the seventh inning broke a tie and sent TSU to an 8-7 win over Austin Peay. Christiana Gable powered a three-run home run in the seventh to help the Governors charge back from a five run deficit in the opener to claim a 14-13 win.
The split allowed both teams to move to 2-3 in conference play. TSU improved to 9-16; APSU is now 3-15.
Burgess recorded a single to second with one out in the final stanza of the day. APSU second baseman Laurel Burroughs was able to get to the Burgess single up the middle on a great athletic play, but was not able to get the ball to first to retire the Tiger catcher. Carionna Hassell singled to right to move Burgess into scoring position setting up the game winning hit. Shimizu sent a 0-1 pitch down the line, hoping over the bag allowing Burgess to scamper home for the crucial OVC win.
Amber Galyon (2-5) worked all seven innings in game two to earn her second win of the season. The freshman hurler surrendered six earned runs on 11 hits, while fanning three.
Trailing 2-0 in the third, the Tigers would take advantage of back-to-back lead off singles from Shimizu and Danica Gleason. Freshman Kailey Richard hit a single up the middle to push both runners across home plate to even the score at 2-2.
APSU wasted no time regaining the lead as Burroughs cleared the base paths with a two out bases loaded double. Christiana Gable followed with a double of her own to score Burroughs to give the Govs a 6-2 lead.
Lauren Dreitlein would jump start the Tigers in the fifth with her third home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center. TSU would add another run in the frame as Burgess drove Kate Morris home to cut the disadvantage to one, 6-5.
The Governors added a run in the sixth, but the Tigers earned a tie in the bottom of the inning. Courtney Gearlds would sneak a ball just inside the right field line for a triple, scoring Gleason who reached on a leadoff single. A batter later, Gearlds sprinted home on a ground out by Richard to even the game at 6-6, setting up the Shimizu heroics.
In game one, the Tigers out hit the Governors, 14-13, but were edged out on the scoreboard. TSU exploded for five runs in the first inning as they sent 10 batters to the plate. Hassell recorded the big blow with a two run single, allowing Morris and Joselynn Yates to score. Shimizu closed out the inning with an RBI single.
Burgess earned another RBI on a ground out in the second, while Gearlds picked up a run scoring double in the third to give the Tigers a 7-3 lead.
APSU continued its charge back with five runs in the top of the fourth, only to see the Tigers respond with a crooked number of its own.
TSU brought 11 batters to the plate and used four hits, three walks and an error to score six runs to regain a 13-8 lead. Natalie Ayala entered to get the Govs out of the inning. Ayala continued for the final three innings scattering one hit, two hits, and a hit by pitch, while keeping the Tigers off the board.
Ayala’s work gave APSU the opportunity to chip away at the TSU lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth. Gable capped off the comeback with a three-run home run in the seventh off reliever Taylor Green.
The junior college transfer fell to 5-7 as she faced five Governors, fanning one in her inning of work.
Yates led the way on the day with five hits in seven at bats and added two walks. Gearlds and Shimizu each finished the afternoon 4-for-7. Gearlds scored four runs, walked twice, stole a base and drove in three runs, while collecting a double and a triple. Shimizu scored twice, walked twice, stole a base and plated two.
All nine Tiger batters reached base at least three times throughout the day and collected at least two hits.