SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Kentucky 4, Tennessee Tech 1
@Eastern Kentucky 8, Tennessee Tech 6
Jacksonville State 5, @Belmont 3
@Belmont 4, Jacksonville State 3
@Murray State 5, Austin Peay 1
@Murray State 5, Austin Peay 3 (8)
@SIUE 5, UT Martin 3 (5)
@Southeast Missouri 5, Eastern Illinois 0
@Southeast Missouri 9, Eastern Illinois 4
Morehead State 4, @Tennessee State 3
Morehead State 12, @Tennessee State 1
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, BELMONT 3; BELMONT 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Jacksonville State softball team earned a 5-3 win and then dropped a 4-3 decision on Saturday at Belmont, splitting a doubleheader with the Bruins in the Music City.
The Gamecocks (31-15, 14-6 Ohio Valley Conference) got a solo home run from Sara Borders and a grand slam from Cadi Oliver to boost them to the win in game one but left 10 runners on in game two before falling to the Bruins (11-30, 6-14 OVC).
Junior Ella Denes went 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles in the twinbill, while freshman Emily Woodruff and sophomore Taylor Sloan each went 3-for-6. Oliver led the team with four RBI, all coming on her big swing in the first game.
In that opening game, Belmont scored first with an RBI single from Heather Turner that gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the second inning. That stood until the top of the fourth, when Borders led off with a solo blast to center, her 15th of the year and the 46th of her career. It was her sixth home run in her last six games.
The Gamecocks grabbed control of the game on the fifth, an inning that started with a Denes double, which was followed by walks to Borders and Stephanie Lewis. Oliver cleared the bases with her grand slam, a shot to left center that gave JSU a 5-1 advantage.
The Bruins got two back in the home half of the fifth but couldn't get any closer.
Sophomore Taylor West (10-4) earned the win by holding the Bruins to three runs on six hits in four innings of work. She walked two and struck out two before giving way to freshman Whitney Gillespie, who earned her fourth save of the year. Gillespie held the Bruins to just one hit in three scoreless innings of relief.
Carolyn Snodgress (5-8) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits and four walks in seven frames.
In the nightcap, the Bruins struck first again, getting a run on a first-inning RBI triple by Kay Hollingsworth, but an RBI double from Taylor Sloan in the JSU second tied the game.
Belmont got an unearned run in the third to regain the lead and then used a two-run homer from Jordan Daly in the fourth to build a 4-1 lead.
The Gamecocks got one back in the fifth on a Lewis sac fly and another in the sixth on Woodruff's RBI single, but left two one in the seventh still trailing by one.
Taylor Moon (4-15) was credited with the win for Belmont after limiting the Gamecocks to two runs on five hits and three walks in five innings. Katie Clancy allowed an unearned run on three hits in two innings of relief to grab her first save of the year.
Sophomore Logan Green (12-5) took the loss after surrendering four runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings of work. Gillespie tossed the final 1 2/3 innings, retiring all five batters she faced.
SIUE 5, UT MARTIN 3 (5)
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Haley Chambers hit a three-run homer and collected her 21st victory of the season as SIUE softball defeated UT Martin 5-3 in a rain-shortened game at Cougar Field.
Steady rain pelted the two Ohio Valley Conference teams, causing a pair of stoppages to improve the footing in the pitcher's circle. With the Cougars leading going into the bottom of the sixth and rain continuing to come down, the umpires called it a completed game.
The two teams postponed game two of the doubleheader Saturday and will play a noon doubleheader at Cougar Field Sunday.
SIUE improved to 17-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 36-11 overall. UT Martin dropped to 24-21 overall and 9-10 in the OVC.
Chambers is now 21-5 as a pitcher with a six-strikeout effort. Elizabeth Wiegand fell to 12-7 for the Skyhawks.
UT Martin grabbed the early lead when catcher Renate Meckl singled home Kelsey Dixon in the top of the second inning.
The Cougars tied it up in the bottom half of the inning. Tess Eby singled home Alex McDavid.
The Skyhawks avoided what could have been a big third inning for the Cougars. SIUE loaded the bases beginning with a Haley Adrian walk and back-to-back bunt singles by Chambers and Rebecca Gray. The Cougars would score one run in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Rachel Keller.
SIUE took advantage of a pair of infield errors in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Adrian reached first on a fielding error and Alex McDavid advanced to third on a throwing error. Chambers then turned on a pitch that hit the berm in right field, a few feet inside the right field foul pole. It was Chambers' team-leading eighth home run of the season.
UT Martin clawed for two more runs, a Renate home run in the fifth and an RBi single by Alicia Hansen in the sixth.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - - Southeast Missouri (15-23, 9-11) hit eight home runs in a 6-0, 9-4, doubleheader sweep of Eastern Illinois (16-24, 11-10) Saturday afternoon at the Southeast Softball Complex.
It was a record day for Southeast's softball club, as Kayla Fortner broke the school's all-time single-season home run record. The Redhawks then made even a bigger statement in the nightcap, slugging six home runs to tie the Ohio Valley Conference single-game record. Interestingly enough, the six home runs tied EIU for the league's single-game record, a feat the Panthers initially accomplished during a 10-2 win over Southeast in Cape Girardeau on Mar. 31, 2010.
In all, five different players hit long balls for Southeast today. Kayla Fortner, Savannah Carpenter and Riley Hayes each homered twice, while Lindsey Patterson and Darby Pruett added one apiece.
The six home runs in game two were not only a single-game team record for Southeast, but they tied for fifth-most in a game in NCAA Division I softball. Southeast homered three times in two different innings, and as a result, tied the third-most total of round-trippers in an inning for NCAA Division I.
Southeast Missouri 6, Eastern Illinois 0
Fortner went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two RBI, two walks and broke Southeast Missouri's single-season home run record in the Redhawks game one victory.
In her first at-bat of the game, Fortner drove Jessica Wireman's 2-1 pitch deep over the left field wall to give Southeast an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Fortner, who has 16 home runs through 38 starts this year, surpassed the previous mark of 14 set by Michelle Summers in 2007.
Southeast loaded the bases and blew the game open with four runs in the fifth.
Nicole Deering singled to left field and went to second on a bunt single by Alexis Anderson. Fortner walked to put Redhawks at every base before Carpenter hit into a fielder's choice. Patterson followed with a two-RBI single up the middle before Hayes belted a two-run home run to center, extending Southeast's lead to 5-0.
Fortner scored Deering on a two-out single up the middle to polish off the 6-0 win in the sixth.
Madeline Krumrey (10-9) tossed her second complete game shutout of the season, allowing just four hits in seven innings. Krumrey struck out five and walked one, facing 25 hitters.
Wireman (9-11) suffered the loss. She scattered nine hits and gave up six runs, while walking four and striking out two in six innings.
Seven of Southeast's nine starters had a hit, with Fortner leading the way.
Southeast Missouri 9, Eastern Illinois 4
Southeast Missouri homered three times in the first and third innings to set the tone in its 9-4 game two win.
For the first time this season, the Redhawks hit back-to-back-to-back home runs when Fortner, Carpenter and Patterson each delivered solo shots in the bottom of the third.
Two innings later, Carpenter led things off with her second home run of the game. Hayes and Pruett then joined in with homers of their own to push Southeast's lead to 6-0 in the third.
A two-RBI single by Patterson and a sacrifice fly by Jamie Woodworth plated three more runs for Southeast in the fourth.
EIU, which went scoreless for 11 innings, ended its drought with three runs in the top of the fifth. The Panthers tacked on one more run in the seventh.
Keaira Schilling (4-9) picked up the complete game victory, allowing four runs on six hits. Schilling struck out three and walked two, as well.
Michelle Rogers (6-12) took the loss for EIU. Rogers lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up three runs on four hits.
Patterson went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI and Carpenter finished at 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two homers and two RBI to pace the Redhawks.
On the day, Fortner went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, four runs scored, three RBI and four walks.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 4, TENNESSEE TECH 1; EASTERN KENTUCKY 8, TENNESSEE TECH 6
RICHMOND, Ky. - – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team continued its recent hot streak by taking a pair of OVC games from Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon by scores of 4-1 and 8-6.
The Colonels (23-23, 13-7 OVC) have now won eight of their last nine contests.
Eastern Kentucky notched five home runs in the doubleheader sweep. Senior Katie Tackett crushed two home runs in the second game and is now one long ball away from tying the program career record of 42 home runs held by Raquel Howes (2010-13).
EKU didn’t waste any time hitting the ball out of the park. On the third pitch of the opener, sophomore Krislyn Campos homered to center field to put the Colonels ahead, 1-0. Later in the inning, freshman Sarah Jackson hit her eighth home run, a two-run shot to center, to extend the lead to 3-0.
The three runs was more than enough for senior pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger (10-10). After walking the opening batter, the righty retired the next 12 Tennessee Tech (26-25, 13-10) batters. TTU’s only hit of the game came in the top of the fifth when Kelly Kennedy hit a solo home run. Pittsenbarger tossed her eighth complete game of the season and piled up eight strikeouts in the victory.
Game two was a slugfest that saw the Colonels notch four runs in both the first and fourth innings. Tackett’s first long ball, a two-run blast over the scoreboard in center field, capped the opening inning to give Eastern a 4-3 lead.
Junior Kayla Joyce led off the fourth inning with her first homer of the season to make the score, 5-3. Four batters later, Tackett hit a moon shot over the left field wall to plate three runs and stretch Eastern’s advantage to 8-3.
Tennessee Tech fought back and scored a solo run in the fifth, six and seventh innings. The Golden Eagles put the tying run on base in the final frame, but Pittsenbarger came on in relief to get the final two outs on a pop out and strike out.
Jackson led Eastern Kentucky with three RBIs in game one while Tackett equaled a personal-high with five RBIs in the second contest.
MOREHEAD STATE 4, TENNESSEE STATE 3, MOREHEAD STATE 12, TENNESSEE STATE 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Morehead State softball team collected 21 hits and took advantage of 10 errors to register a doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field. The Eagles posted a 4-3 win in the opener and 12-1 victory in a six-inning nightcap.
The Eagles, who have rolled to eight wins in their last nine contests, improve to 21-19 overall, 10-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 7-9 on the road. The Tigers, who have dropped 18 straight affairs, fall to 9-34 on the campaign, 2-20 in league action and 4-12 at home.
MSU has matched its best stretch in four seasons under Head Coach David Williams. The Eagles started the day eighth in the OVC, but could easily elevate their position as six teams were separated by just 3 1/2 games. The league tournament, which begins May 6, will be hosted by the No. 1 seed.
Six Eagles notched multiple hits in Saturday's twinbill. Junior first baseman Dana Hutchins finished 4-for-5 with one run, while sophomore center fielder Kayla McGuffey went 4-for-9 with four runs and one RBI and senior third baseman Katie Raile managed a 3-for-5 effort with one run and two RBI.
Freshman right-hander Mackenzie Grossmann improved to 12-7 with the game-one victory, while senior righty Tanna Seuferer improved to 9-5 with the game-two win. Grossmann allowed just two earned runs and two hits, while Seuferer yielded only one unearned score and six base knocks.
Grossmann, who fired 102 pitches in her 14th complete game at the collegiate level, walked four and struck out five while inducing 13 groundouts. Seuferer, who only needed 86 tosses to go the distance for the fifth time this season, issued two walks and fanned four while getting nine flyouts.
Morehead State picked up a come-from-behind win in the opener with two runs in the sixth. The Eagles controlled game two with three scores in the first, three in the fourth and six more in their final at-bat. MSU pounded out a season-high 15 hits in the nightcap, while TSU committed eight miscues.
Tennessee State's pitchers allowed 16 runs, but just four earned. The Tiger hurlers combined for nine walks and just four punchouts in 13 innings. Junior right-hander Taylor Green dipped to 5-16 in the opener, while freshman righty Amber Gaylon dropped to 2-14 in the second affair.
Senior Kate Morris, who started one game for Tennessee State in right field and the other behind the plate, belted the day's only home run and finished 3-for-6 in the two contests combined.
MURRAY STATE 3, AUSTIN PEAY 1; MURRAY STATE 5, AUSTIN PEAY 3
MURRAY, Ky. - Mallory Richardson's walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth, lifted the Murray State softball team past Austin Peay, 5-3, in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Racer Field in Murray. Earlier in the day, the Racers took game one from the Lady Govs by the score of 3-1.
In game one, after Shelbey Miller led off the second with a double, Jocelynn Rodgers brought her home in the next at bat with a double of her own to put Murray State (31-16, 16-7 OVC) on the board. Taylor Odom would score Rodgers with a single later in the inning and was followed by Maggie Glass scoring on a long fly to give the Racers a 3-0 lead.
In the third, Austin Peay (9-33, 5-18 OVC) scored its only run of the game on a double from Morgan Hoeg that pushed Chandler Groves across the plate and cut the lead to 3-1. Both teams would have their chances throughout the game, but Murray State was able to hang on for the 3-1 win.
Glass led MSU by going 2-for-2 with a run in the game, while CheyAnne Gaskey (16-8) got the win in the circle by allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts.
In the second game, Shelbey Miller put the Racers on the board in the first when she singled up the middle to score Alexa Becker, who reached on a walk. The score held until the top of the sixth when Chandler Groves stole home to tie the game for Austin Peay. The Lady Govs took the lead in the later in the inning when Mel Pavel singled to right to score Ashley Eisenbraun, who reached on an error.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cayla Levins put one through the right side to score Glass and tie the game for Murray State at two.. The Lady Govs then took back the lead in the seventh after Rikki Arkansas led off the inning with a double, stole third and then scored on a RBI ground out by Courtney Brower. The lead did not last for long, as Becker proceeded to take the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh yard to tie the game at three and send the game to extra innings.
MSU gave up a single in the eighth, but did not allow the run to cross, giving itself a chance at the win. Glass began the frame with a double and then was moved to third on a sacrifice from Levins. Two batters, later Mallory Richardson, who entered the game as a sub in right field in the seventh, gave the Racers the walk-off win with the third home run of her career and her first hit of the season.
Glass was 2-for-3 in the game with a walk, while Miller as 2-for-4 with a RBI. Mason Robinson (12-5) went the distance for Murray State and allowed just two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks over eight complete innings.
The sweep gives Murray State 31 wins on the season, marking the third time in the six-season history of the program that the Racers have reached the 30-win plateau. After winning 32 games last season, it also marks the first time in program history that MSU has posted back-to-back 30-win seasons, with the other 30-win season coming in 2012.
The Racers will close out the series with the Lady Govs on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Racer Field. Prior to the game, the six seniors on this year's squad will be honored as part of Senior Day.