SUNDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 11, Iowa State 4
Eastern Kentucky 9, Youngstown State 1
UT Martin 9, Northwestern State 8
Morehead State 1, Penn State 0
@Baylor 3,
SIUE 2
Indiana 6,
Murray State 4
Eastern Illinois 4, North Florida 3 (9)
Stephen F. Austin 10,
Tennessee Tech 1
Southern Miss 6,
@Jacksonville State 4
IUPUI 6,
Austin Peay 1
Austin Peay 10, @Western Kentucky 6
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Behind solid offensive and defensive efforts, the Eastern Kentucky University softball team won its third game of its last four contests with Sunday’s 5-1 win over Youngstown State University on the final day of the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational.
Sophomore Rachel Minogue led the Colonels’ offense, going 2-for-2 on the day with two RBIs.
Senior hurler Alex Sallberg and freshman Mollie Paulick combined for 11 strikeouts in seven innings, while confining the Penguin offense to three hits on the day.
The Colonels (3-7) struck first in the top of the first after consecutive hits from Minogue and Krislyn Campos. Campos’ double to right started the inning for EKU, before Minogue followed with a single to third putting two on for junior Johnkyria Alston.
Alston sent a fly ball to right field to score Campos, as the Colonels took a 1-0 lead.
Eastern added three in the third. Campos drew a leadoff walk before Minogue stepped to the plate and belted her second homer of the season, extending the EKU lead to 3-0. Later in the inning, senior Amber Murray delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Hannah Clark, putting the Colonels up 4-0.
The Penguins got on the board in the home half of fourth on an RBI single to left center from Alexandria Gibson.
Senior Paige Murphy knocked an RBI single to third in the top of the sixth, scoring Minogue as the Colonels won their third of their last four.
EKU will travel to Statesboro, Georgia next weekend for the Eagle Classic hosted by Georgia Southern University. The Colonels will take on Delaware State University and Georgia Southern Friday.
UT MARTIN 9, NORTHWESTERN STATE 8
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.- The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dug itself out of an early hole by scoring nine unanswered runs before tallying a 9-8 walk off victory over Northwestern State on the final day of the Chattanooga Frost Classic.
The Skyhawks improved to 11-2 on the season after Rachel Williams capped off an explosive comeback attempt with a game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. As a whole the Skyhawks tallied six hits and seven RBIs, led by a 2-for-4 afternoon from Alli Fulcher which included four RBIs. Aeron Smith also posted a multi-hit contest while Carly Gonzales notched a pair of RBIs as well.
Three different Skyhawk pitchers saw action on the day with Sara Hooten earning the start before allowing seven earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Brooke Kennedy briefly made an appearance, striking out two while allowing one earned run in 0.2 innings. Freshman Seeley Layne (1-0, 0.00 ERA) would earn the team’s victory by tossing three perfect innings while striking out four.
Northwestern State (7-8-1) would jump out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. With a pair of batters reaching base via a hit by pitch and a single, the Lady Demons would set up an ideal scoring scenario. The squad would convert on the scoring chance just one batter later as a three-run homer to right center by Brittney Jones gave NSU an early 3-0 lead.
The Lady Demons would add to their margin in the fourth inning. Three consecutive singles would score a run off a single to short by Elise Vincent. Later in the inning the visitors on the scoreboard would load the bases, setting up Micayla Sorosiak who mashed a grand slam to left field, taking an 8-0 lead in the contest.
Already down by eight runs, UT Martin looked to extend the game and keep the mercy rule from becoming enabled in the bottom of the fourth. The Skyhawks would benefit from three errors in the inning by directly scoring a run. The squad would then continue to chip away from the deficit in the fifth inning by scoring a pair of runs on a two-run single to left center by Fulcher to cut the team’s previous deficit down to 8-3.
UT Martin would eventually tie the contest in the sixth inning to compete the team’s comeback attempt. The first two Skyhawks would reach base before the pinch run duo of Gabby Zizzi and Alexa Combs notched a successful double-steal to move into scoring position. With a pair of runners on the bags, Gonzales drove a two-run double into right center after Zizzi scored on a fielding error. Faced with two outs, Fulcher would drive a two-run double to center to tie the game at 8-8.
After holding the Lady Demons scoreless again in the top of the seventh, the Skyhawks looked to win the game in the bottom half of the inning. Smith would get the inning started with a leadoff single before a Gonzales reach via a hit by pitch and Myers drew a walk to load the bases. Needing just one run, Williams would place a ball in the gap to bring home the game-winning run.
UT Martin will look to open the home portion of the season against Christian Brothers on Wednesday, March 1. Weather permitting, first pitch from Bettye Giles Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
BAYLOR 3, SIUE 2
WACO, Texas - SIUE softball's Zoe Schafer and Alyssa Heren were named to the All-Tournament team Sunday at the Baylor Invitational after No. 24 Baylor topped SIUE 3-2 in the tourney's championship game.
SIUE stands at 11-4 after completing its February schedule. The team's four losses have come against top-25-ranked teams.
The Cougars are idle until March 7 when they travel to Clearwater, Florida, for an eight-game swing (March 7-12) that includes the USF Tournament at the University of South Florida.
On Sunday, the Cougars grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on four straight hits. Haley Chambers-Book led the rally with a bunt single followed by singles from Schafer, Reagan Curtis and Allison Smiley.
Smiley's hit was a two-run single, boosting her team-leading RBI total to 17 through 15 games this season.
Baylor kept missing opportunity after opportunity against SIUE pitchers Emily Ingles and Chambers-Book, stranding 10 runners on base.
The Bears scored single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game only to win it in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back hits by Ari Hawkins and Shelby Friudenberg.
MOREHEAD STATE 1, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 0
CONWAY, S.C. - Junior Chelsea McManaway threw her third consecutive shutout as Morehead State softball downed Penn State 1-0 on Sunday morning.
With the win, the Eagles finish the weekend at 3-2 and improve their overall record to 7-6.
The Eagles managed six hits and hit the ball hard throughout the contest, but it was sophomore Cheyenne Meyer's solo home run in the top of the fourth inning that gave McManaway all of the run support she needed.
McManaway allowed just four hits and walked three, while striking out 11 in seven scoreless innings. She finishes the weekend in South Carolina with a 3-0 record, three shutouts, and 32 strikeouts in 21.0 innings of work.
Senior Kayla McGuffey was the lone Eagle to finish with a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-4.
Next weekend, Morehead State will play three games in Johnson City, Tenn. They will play St. John's twice and East Tennessee State.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, NORTH FLORIDA 3
STARKVILLE, Miss. - It took extra innings for the Eastern Illinois softball team to earn a 4-3 victory over North Florida in their final game of the February Freezer Sunday afternoon. Haley Mitchell proved to be the hero for EIU with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to record the win.
With the win EIU improves to 8-6 on the year while the Ospreys fall to 8-9.
Three Panthers finished the game recording a double including a two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh from Mady Poulter to send the game into extra innings.
Mia Davis led the Panthers in hitting going 3-for-5 from the plate, finishing tournament play with a .625 batting average going 10-for-16 over the five-game span.
Sunday's game marked the second time in the last four games against North Florida that both teams needed extra innings to decide a winner.
The Ospreys took the lead in the third inning, putting runners on the corners with one out. UNF's Kayla McGory hit an RBI single to left field to give North Florida the 1-0 lead. The Ospreys tacked on two more runs before the end of the third inning thanks to a double from Jen Valle clearing the bases and putting UNF up 3-0.
The Panthers answered in the bottom of the fourth inning following a double from Kayla Bear to center field scoring Amber Matchett from third base to put EIU on the board 3-1.
EIU clawed their way back into the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with Monahan and Mitchell both hitting singles to put runners on first and second base with two outs.
With only one strike left before EIU recorded the loss, Poulter kept the Panthers alive ripping a double to right field to score Monahan and a pinch-running Kiley Pelker to even the game 3-3.
Poulter was thrown out at third on the play, but not before the tying run scored to send the game into extra innings.
After a hitless eighth inning, Bear opened the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off single off a bunt. Bear advanced to second after Monahan laid down a sacrifice bunt on the next at-bat. Monahan and Bear each finished the game with two hits and a double.
Following a single from Davis, Mitchell would put the game away with a walk-off single to right center field scoring Bear from second and giving EIU the 4-3 win.
Michelle Rogers recorded the win on the mound replacing Allison Golic in the fourth inning and going 5.2 innings with one strikeout allowing zero runs scored to improve to 6-2 this season.
The Panthers will be back in action next weekend at the Lipscomb Tournament starting Friday (Mar. 3) against Lipscomb.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 10, TENNESSEE TECH 1
MOBILE, Ala. - It was a tough outing for the Tennessee Tech softball team on Sunday as Stephen F. Austin got back at the Golden Eagles for their defeat on Saturday, pounding out hit after hit as the Ladyjacks beat Tech 10-1 in the finale at the South Alabama Invitational.
SFA recorded 10 runs on 14 hits in the five-inning affair, handing Leigh Ellen Thomas her fifth loss of the season. Just five of the 10 runs recorded were earned. Thomas also walked one and struck out three. Kayla Hughes worked the final third of an inning, walking three and striking out one.
The Ladyjacks used a six-run fifth inning to force the run rule to end the game early.
Tech (4-10) picked up a run on five hits, with Aalia Bivens leading the Golden Eagles with a 2-for-2 effort with an RBI. The Golden Eagles' lone run came in the bottom of the second as Bivens drilled a double into center field, allowing Bayli Cruse to score.
For SFA (5-11), Amber Landry and Brittany Crawford each drove in two runs, as Landry went 4-for-4 and Crawford 3-4. Five other Ladyjacks players drove in runs.
Jordan Llinas earned the victory, allowing one unearned run on five hits, walking one and striking one one in four complete innings of work. Makayla Sikes pitched the fifth inning, striking out two as she kept the bases empty.
Up next for the Golden Eagles this weekend, Tech heads to Stillwater, Okla., to compete in the Mizuno Classic, hosted by Oklahoma State. Tech will face Abilene Christian, Northern Iowa and Oklahoma State in the event.
SOUTHERN MISS 6, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Jacksonville State softball team dropped the final game of its three-game series against Southern Miss on Sunday, 6-4 at University Field.
The Golden Eagles (9-6) grabbed their third-straight win over the Gamecocks (9-4) in the weekend series, snapping JSU's six-game win streak entering the weekend. It's the first time JSU has lost three in a row at home since March of 2013.
USM got two runs in the top of the first and never looked back, getting a stellar relief performance from Jade Lewis. The designated hitter in the Golden Eagles' starting lineup took over for starter Peyton Carter with one out in the third and held JSU scoreless on just two hits over the final 4.2 innings to grab her first win of the season.
JSU starter Faith Sims took the loss after allowing the first two runs on three hits before being pulled in the first.
JSU managed nine hits against the Golden Eagles on Sunday, with Emily Woodruff, Jamie McGuire and Hayley Sims each recording a pair. McGuire and Anna Chisolm homered in the loss, while McGuire also had a double.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first JSU got one back in the second on a Sims RBI single through the right side. USM Answered, though, plating three in the third to pull out to a 5-1 lead.
The Gamecocks cut the deficit to one in the home half of the third, thanks to Chisolm's solo blast and a two-run shot from McGuire that chased Carter and brought Lewis into the circle.
A USM homer in the sixth put the deciding 6-4 advantage on the scoreboard.
JSU returns to action Friday at the Tennessee Invitational in Knoxville, where they will open the event against Southeastern Louisiana at 8:30 a.m. CT.
MURRAY STATE 11, IOWA STATE 4; INDIANA 6, MURRAY STATE 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Murray State softball team split a pair of games Sunday to close out the 2017 Samford/UAB Classic at the Bulldog Softball Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The Racers began the day with an 11-4 victory over Iowa State, before seeing Indiana score four in the seventh and falling 6-4 to the Hoosiers
Game 1 – Murray St. 11, Iowa St. 4
The first game was a see-saw battle for the majority of the contest with MSU taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, only to have Iowa State tie it in the bottom of the third. In the fourth, Taylor Odom smacked a three-run home run to make it 5-2, however the Cyclones kept chipping away and pulled within one, at 5-4, in the bottom of the fifth.
In the sixth and seventh, the Racers finally put Iowa State away with a RBI-double from Odom, who also eventually scored on a wild pitch in the sixth and a pair of two-run home runs from Jessica Twaddle and Lexi Jones in the seventh to cap the scoring at 11-4. The long ball for the pinch hitting Jones was the first oh her collegiate career in just her fourth-ever at bat.
Odom finished the game with career-highs in hits and RBIs at four each and was just a triple shy of the cycle, as she ended the day with a single, two doubles and a home run. Twaddle and Brenna Finck were also key contributors for MSU in the game, as each went 3-for-4 with a walk with Twaddle scoring three runs and Finck scoring once.
Mason Robinson won her eighth game of the season Sunday by allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks. The game also marked the eighth time this season that Robinson has gone the distance over 10 appearances.
Game 2 – Indiana 6, Murray St. 4
The Racers struck the first blow in the second game by plating two runs on a throwing error by Indiana during Erika Downey’s at bat in the second. Madison Culver and Maggie Glass began the inning with a pair singles and it was Glass and Culver’s pinch runner, Maddy Fenney, which scored on the error.
In the third, the Hoosiers scored on an error by the Racers to cut the lead in half, before Murray State pushed the lead back out to 3-1 when Glass scored on a wild pitch in the fourth. In the top of the fifth, CaraMia Tsirigos hit an RBI-single up the middle to bring the lead back down to one, only to have Jessica Twaddle extend the lead back to two runs, at 4-2, in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run.
Needing just three outs for the win, things went awry for MSU in the top of the seventh and it began with a leadoff home run from Erin Lehman. Indiana would go on to add three more runs on six more hits in the inning to take their first lead of the game. Despite getting a leadoff single from Kaylee Ranburger in the bottom of the stanza, MSU could not do anything with it and fell to the Hoosiers, 6-4.
Glass led Murray State in the game at 2-for-3 with two runs, while Finck was 2-for-4. Haven Campbell (3-2) took the tough loss for the Racers by giving up five earned runs on 12 hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Next weekend, the Racers (11-4) will make the short trip to Carbondale, Illinois for the 2017 Coach B Classic. Murray State will open play in the event Saturday with Northern Illinois and Western Illinois, followed by Illinois-Chicago and the host Salukis Sunday.
IUPUI 6, AUSTIN PEAY 1; AUSTIN PEAY 10, WESTERN KENTUCKY 6
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team hit two two-run homers in the top of the sixth inning, Sunday afternoon at the WKU Softball Complex, to help rally the Govs past Western Kentucky, 10-6, in the final day of the Hilltopper Spring Fling Tournament after falling to IUPUI, 6-1 earlier in the day.
The Govs (5-4) has just seen the Hilltoppers (9-6) take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, 6-5, but had lead-off hitter Rikki Arkansas start the sixth inning with a single to left, followed by Kacy Acree blasting the first pitch her saw over the right field fence – her second home run of the weekend – to retake the lead for the Govs, 7-6.
But Austin Peay wasn’t through in the frame, with Danielle Liermann drawing a base on balls and bring up clean-up hitter Allie Blackwood.
Blackwood, a senior who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, cranked a 0-1 pitch out over the right field fence for the second two-run homer of the inning for the Govs to extend its lead to 9-6.
The home run was also Blackwood’s first of her college career.
Arkansas, Acree and Blackwood all recorded two hits each, as the Govs authored a season-high 13 hits in the contest.
That would be all that APSU starter Kelsey Gross (3-2) would need, as the freshman right-hander retired the final six hitters she faced to pick up the 152-pitch complete-game win – while scattering eight hits, walking three and striking out a career-high eight batters.
Austin Peay would tack on a final run in the seventh, on an RBI single by Liermann – who finished the game 4-for-4 – for the 10-6 final margin.
The Govs and Hilltopper each scored a run in the first inning, followed by APSU scoring three runs in the second inning, with Acree and Liermann picking up RBIs in the inning.
Western Kentucky would cut the APSU lead to, 4-2 in the third, with the Govs making it a three-run game again in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Liermann.
WKU responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 5-5, with the Hilltoppers taking their only lead of the game, 6-5, in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly.
In the opener versus IUPUI (4-11), the Govs got off to a quick start with Liermann doubling in Arkansas for a 1-0 lead.
But that would be the only run APSU would out up against the Jaguars, with IUPUI taking the lead for good in the second inning by scoring four runs and adding single runs in the third and fourth innings for the 6-1 final.
Carly Mattson would record two hits in the loss, while Emily Moore and Cassidy Hale had the only other APSU hits in the loss.