SATURDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 15, @Kennesaw State 5
@Kennesaw State 4,
Jacksonville State 3
@East Tennessee State 7,
Tennessee Tech 3
@East Tennessee State 3,
Tennessee Tech 2
Ball State 3,
@SIUE 1
Eastern Illinois 6, Savannah State 1
@Mercer 7,
Eastern Illinois 4
LSU 7,
Southeast Missouri 3
Omaha 6,
Southeast Missouri 5
Samford 2,
@UT Martin 1
@UT Martin 4, Western Illinois 1
@Lipscomb 3,
Austin Peay 1
@Lipscomb 9,
Austin Peay 0 (5)
@Morehead State 1, Akron 0
Eastern Kentucky 4, Saint Louis 2
@Memphis 4,
Eastern Kentucky 2
Murray State 9, Bryant 2
Belmont 13, Savannah State 3
EASTERN ILLINOIS 6, SAVANNAH STATE 1; MERCER 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
MACON, Ga. - The Eastern Illinois softball team closed out the Mercer Bears Classic Saturday defeating Savannah State 6-1 before falling to the host Bears 7-4 in their final game.
Following the split, EIU heads into conference play with a 14-14 record.
Savannah State scored the first run of the day Saturday morning thanks to an RBI single through the right side from Brianna Harris. The single scored SSU's runner from third base to put the Lady Tigers up 1-0 at the end of the first inning.
The Panthers finally got on the board in the third inning loading the bases off the first three batters. Mady Poulter was able to reach base off a walk bringing around a runner to tie the game 1-1. Kiley Pelker put EIU in front on the next at-bat with a double to left center field scoring two runners and giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
Poulter added to EIU's lead in the fourth inning smashing a three-run home run over the left field wall to earn the final score of 6-1. Poulter finished the game 2-for-2 with four RBIs and one run scored.
Maria DeVito was the only other Panther to earn multiple hits in the game finishing 2-for-3. Jessica Wireman recorded the win on the mound throwing eight strikeouts in her five innings of work.
McKenna Coffman made her second appearance on the mound this season closing out the game allowing only one hit in the final two innings.
The Panthers took on hosts Mercer for a second time to close out the tournament taking an early lead in the top of the first inning. After a lead-off single, Kayla Bear stole second and third base before finally coming around to score off a single from Amber Toenyes to give EIU a 1-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Mercer's Taylor Miller reached base on an infield single eventually stealing second base. Miller would steal third base as well scoring on the play due to a fielding error tying the game 1-1 at the end of the first inning.
The Bears took the lead the following inning thanks to a solo home run from Caroline Taylor to make it 2-1. Another home run, this time from the Bears' Quirisa Mauga, extended Mercer's lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning.
Mercer added one more run in the fifth inning off a sacrifice bunt from Meghan Rud, but Bear pulled one back for EIU with a lead-off solo home run in the sixth inning to make it 5-2 in favor of Mercer.
EIU continued to cut into Mercer's lead in the top of the sixth loading the bases with one out. Ashlynne Paul was able to bring one run around while grounding out to Mercer's second baseman. The Panthers got one more run in the inning thanks to a Mercer error to make it 5-4 heading into the bottom of the inning.
The Bears gained some breathing room in the bottom of the sixth bringing two runners around to score to earn the final score of 7-4.
EIU was held to only four hits against Mercer with Bear finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Michelle Rogers fell to 8-6 recording the loss pitching all six innings for EIU and fanning two batters.
With their last tournament of the season now in the books, the Panthers head into OVC play with their home opener this weekend against Belmont Saturday (Mar. 26).
MOREHEAD STATE 1, AKRON 0
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Senior Karly Thompson's sacrifice fly scored sophomore Allison Rager in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Morehead State softball a 1-0 win over Akron on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Eagles extend their winning streak to five games and move their record to 12-7.
After going down in the order in the first inning, the Eagles had runners in scoring position in every inning the rest of the way, but were unable to scratch a run across until the game winner in the seventh.
With one out in the seventh, Rager tripled on a fly ball to deep right field that hit the base of the wall. After Akron walked junior Robyn Leighton, Thompson then delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly to center field.
Junior Chelsea McManaway (7-3, 0.68) picked up the shutout win for the Eagles after allowing three hits, no walks, and striking out eight in seven innings. With eight strikeouts, she now has 102 on the season.
Rager went 3-for-4 with two singles, a triple, and the game-winning run. She is now hitting .419 on the year.
The Eagles return to action tomorrow to host Oakland in a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. ET.
BALL STATE 6, SIUE 1
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Ball State put an end to SIUE's nine-game softball winning streak Saturday.
The Cardinals defeated the Cougars 6-1 during the second day of the SIUE Tournament that ends Sunday. A five-run fifth inning enabled Ball State to build a 6-0 lead, take control of things and improve to 12-16. SIUE dropped to 20-5 in falling for the first time since Feb. 26.
SIUE trailed Ball State 1-0 going into the fifth before the Cardinals used five hits and two walks to score five times.
SIUE pitchr Haley Chambers-Book allowed eight hits and six earned runs while striking out five in five innings. She absorbed the defeat and had her four-game winning string snapped. Chambers-Bock, honored before the game as SIUE's career strikeout leader, saw her record drop to 10-4.
Reliever Emily Ingles pitched two scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out three.
However, SIUE's attack mostly stalled. The Cougars managed only five hits.
Tess Eby supplied SIUE with a couple of high-performance at-bats. She blasted a home run to left field in the fifth and singled in the second for a 2-for-3 outing. It was Eby's first home run of the season.
Winning pitcher Alyssa Rothwell, now 2-1, yielded five hits and fanned three in six innings. Ball State reliever Carolyn Wilmes pitched a hitless seventh.
Janae Hogg, Maddy Labrador and Helen Dominique all collected three hits for the Cardinals.
Three games are scheduled Sunday, including Toledo against Butler at 10 a.m. and Northern Kentucky versus Ball State at 2.
SAMFORD 2, UT MARTIN 1; UT MARTIN 4, WESTERN ILLINOIS 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team split the opening day of Skyhawk Hampton Inn Classic with a tournament-opening loss to Samford 2-1 before defeating Western Illinois 4-1 in the afternoon affair.
The Skyhawks moved to 18-7 on the season after hosting the team’s first regular season tournament since 2008. The squad struggled to hit on the day after being held to just a .136 batting average despite outscoring their opponents 5-3. While the hits were few, the Skyhawks would score four of their five runs on the day off home runs.
Sophomore Gracyn McBride would paced the Skyhawks with a pair of base hits, including a two-run home run which proved as insurance in the win over Western Illinois. Both Alli Fulcher and Renate Meckl also tallied solo home runs on the day.
While the offense struggled to string hits together, the pitching was strong for UT Martin. Sophomore Sara Hooten (5-2, 2.98 ERA) impressed against Western Illinois, allowing just one hits while striking out seven in a complete game victory. Hooten allowed the Fighting Leathernecks to hit just .045 as a team while allowing no earned runs. Senior Brooke Kennedy (7-2, 3.40 ERA) also posted a strong performance in a hard-fought loss, striking out six while allowing two runs in seven innings.
Game One: Samford 2, UT Martin 1
Fresh off a victory in the early game of the tournament, Samford (9-18) looked to its hot bats to stay alive early in its second game. The Bulldogs got on the board early with a leadoff home run to left field by Madison Couch to take a 1-0 lead.
UT Martin would struggle to get much going offensively until a big blast tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. While the wind was strongly blowing out to left field, Meckl would not need the wind’s assistance as she belted a solo home run down the left field line to tie the game.
With the game still tied at one run apiece, Samford would retake a lead in the top of the sixth inning. After an innocent flyout to start the inning, the Bulldogs would break the tie with a solo home run to left center by Abby Sweeney which proved to be the game-winner.
The Skyhawks would look to strike back in the final two innings but would only place one batter on base down the stretch, ultimately dropping the decision 2-1.
Game Two: UT Martin 4, Western Illinois 1
Unlike in the team’s first game of the day, UT Martin would open the game’s scoring in the bottom of the second inning. With the game at zero, Fulcher would open the second with a solo blast which cleared the scoreboard in left field to give the Skyhawks their first lead of the day.
UT Martin would add to its advantage in the third inning as Savannah Dodson started the frame with a single down the left field line. Dodson would later move into scoring position by swiping second base before advancing to third on a groundout. A walk to Rachel Williams would put runners on the corners, setting up a double-steal opportunity which the Skyhawks enacted to take a 2-1 lead as Dodson scampered home on a delayed steal.
Western Illinois (9-17) looked to rally in the top of the sixth inning. The Fighting Leathernecks would place a pair of runners on base before a flyout to Carly Gonzales resulted in a double play as she rifled a throw back to second to double-up a retreating player. The squad would stay aggressive however as a single up the middle by Kelsey Marlow would break up the no-hitter and shutout in one swing to put the team on the board and cut the margin 2-1.
With the lead back down to just one run the Skyhawks used the bottom of the sixth to find some insurance. Jodie Duncan would sail a shot into the gap which the wind would keep in play resulting in a double. With a runner in scoring position, McBride would just need one pitch before smashing a two-run home run to left to give the Skyhawks an ultimate 4-1 victory.
UT Martin will return to action on Day Two of the Skyhawk Hampton Inn Classic on Sunday, March 19. The Skyhawks will once again take on Samford at 12:30 p.m. before wrapping up the tournament against Western Illinois at 3 p.m.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 4, SAINT LOUIS 2; MEMPHIS 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Just as it did on Friday, the Eastern Kentucky University softball team beat Saint Louis and dropped a close contest to Memphis at the Tiger Classic. EKU knocked off Saint Louis, 4-2, and fell to host Memphis by the same score on Saturday.
The Colonels will play their first game of the season at the new Gertrude Hood Field on Wednesday against the University of Kentucky. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
In game one against Saint Louis, the Colonels turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Hannah Clark drove in Rachel Minogue with an infield single. Johnkyria Alston later scored on an error.
After the Billikens tied it in the bottom of the fifth, Eastern Kentucky grabbed the lead back in the top of the seventh. Mia Sanchez scored on a wild pitch and then Brittany Oldaker platted a run with a double to left center.
Four different Colonels scored a run. Sanchez finished 2-for-4 with a run. Oldaker went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Alex Sallberg (5-6) picked up the win after pitching the final two and two thirds innings without allowing a run. She gave up one hit and struck out three.
Eastern Kentucky grabbed the lead early in game two against Memphis. Alston had an RBI double in the first and Kelly Wood drove in a run with a double in the second.
The Tigers tied it with two runs in the bottom of the third and took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Seven different Colonels had one hit each. Alston was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Sanchez finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Sallberg (5-7) pitched all six innings, allowing just two earned runs on five hits, walking one and striking out seven.
LIPSCOMB 3, AUSTIN PEAY 1; LIPSCOMB 9, AUSTIN PEAY 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team had its offense more than held in check, Saturday afternoon at Draper Diamond, as the Govs were limited to just one run and six hits in a doubleheader loss to Lipscomb by 3-1 and 8-0 finals.
The Govs (8-13) entered the doubleheader averaging an even five runs a contest through their first 19 games, but had their first eight hitters of the game go down on strikes, with their first hit -- and base runner -- of the game coming with one out in the top of the fourth inning on a long home run over the scoreboard in right-center field by Kacy Acree, to cut the then Lipscomb lead to 2-1.
Overall, Austin Peay would strikeout a season-high 14 times in Game 1.
The Govs would get no closer than the 2-1 defesit the rest of the way, picking up only two more hits over their final three at bats, coming on a single by Carly Mattson and a double by Emily Moore -- both in the fifth inning -- while their only other baserunner came on a walk to Acree in the sixth.
Lipscomb (20-7) would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-1 final margin.
Danielle Liermann also had her 13-game hit streak – and 17-game streak of reaching base – come to an end in Game 1 with an 0-for-3 day at the plate.
Game 2 would open with Acree drawing a walk and get into scoring position by stealing second base, but the Govs wouldn’t get another hit or base runner until the third inning – that coming on an infield hit by Acree.
Acree would finish the nightcap 1-for-1, with two walks.
Other than the first-inning opportunity, the only other real chance the Govs had of pushing a run across came in the top of the fourth inning on back-to-back, one-out singles by Christiana Gable and Kendall Vedder, but a fielder’s choice and a fly ball ended the scoring threat.
The Lady Bisons on the other hand scored in all five innings in coming away with the 8-0 five-inning run-rule victory.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE 7, TENNESSEE TECH 3; EAST TENNESSEE STATE 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State used a big inning to gain a victory over the Tennessee Tech softball team in the first game on Saturday, then the Golden Eagles fell on the short end of duel in the second contest as the Lady Bucs swept Tech in the twinbill.
ETSU won game one 7-3, then took the second 3-2.
The Golden Eagles (7-17) will return to action on Saturday as they host Southeast Missouri for both their home opener as well as their Ohio Valley Conference opener.
In game one, Gabby LaSala tried her best to keep the Golden Eagles afloat, driving in two runs as she went 3-for-3 at the plate. LaSala and Raegan Sparks each hit home runs for Tech.
But the Lady Bucs scored five runs in the third inning and was able to stay ahead of Tech starter Leigh Ellen Thomas, who worked the complete game, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on 12 hits. She walked two and struck out four.
In game two, ETSU went up 3-0 and held that advantage until the fifth inning as Tech drove in two to make it a close contest. Bayli Cruse led off with a double to right center, then pinch runner Amity Brown reached third on a wild pitch. Sparks drove in Brown with a single through the left side, then Kelly Kennedy reached on a throwing error, then Sparks was able to score on a passed ball.
Kayla Hughes took the loss, working six innings as she allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits. She walked one and struck out two.
BELMONT 13, SAVANNAH STATE 3
MACON, Ga. - A grand slam and a walk-off home run helped propel the Belmont University Softball team to victory on rain shortened outing at the Mercer Bears Classic. The Bruins (21-5) routed first-time opponent Savannah State (0-18), 13-3, on Saturday night.
BU wasted little time making a mark on the scoreboard, posting three runs in the bottom of the opening frame. Seniors Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) and Shersty Stanton (Pinckneyville, Ill.) were walked before a bumbled ball on a hit by junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) allowed a run to score. Senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) smashed the first pitch over the right field fence to add two more runs to the BU tally, putting Belmont ahead, 3-0.
The Tigers stayed competitive for the first two innings, matching the BU run output to knot the score, 3-3. However, the Bruin bats kicked into high gear as the contest wore on. Belmont broke the stalemate in the bottom of the third frame, adding two runs behind a double by freshman Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.).
Stanton smashed a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning to put Belmont ahead, 9-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bruins succeeded in loading the bases again with two walks and a hit by pitch with no outs. An infield fly opened the door for senior Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) to steal home before Rouse, on her first pitch, drilled a walk-off home run to win the game, plating four more runs. After the batting bonanza, the Bruins had won the game, 13-3 in five innings.
Belmont returns to action on Sunday, March 19 for the final day of the Mercer Bears Classic. The Bruins take on Eastern Michigan at 10:45 a.m. and wrap with a contest against host-Mercer at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available for both contests.
LSU 7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3; OMAHA 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Southeast Missouri (15-9) dropped two games at the Rock Chalk Challenge Saturday. The Redhawks fell to #12 LSU (23-7), 7-3, and Omaha (9-15), 6-5.
SEMO hung with nationally-ranked LSU early, but the Tigers scored five runs in the final two innings to pull out the win.
Mykaela Arellanes hit a solo home run and Abby Tillotson hit an RBI-double right center to give the Redhawks a 3-2 edge in the top of the third.
LSU, however, homered in back-to-back innings late in the game to get by SEMO.
Allie Walljasper launched a two-run home run to grab the Tigers a 4-3 cushion in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Then, in the sixth, Taylor Satchell led things off with a home run to ignite a three-run rally as LSU pulled away for good.
Walljasper (9-1) gave up just one hit and struck out three in 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to get the win. She faced 14 hitters and did not give up a walk.
Alexis Estes (5-1) suffered her first loss of the season, giving up five runs on six hits in three innings of relief. She struck out three and walked one, as well.
Rachel Anderson and Tillotson each went 2-for-3 to lead SEMO, which finished with six hits.
The Redhawks held a 5-1 lead through five innings before falling again in the late innings.
Omaha loaded the bases and pulled to within a run when it scored three times in the top of the sixth.
An inning later, Lia Mancuso scored the tying run on an error and Nicole Warren scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Emily Klosterman.
Mackenzie Hoelting (0-3) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in two innings.
Abbie Clanton (4-8) picked up the win allowing a run on two hits. Clanton also walked three and struck out one.
Brooke Rheinecker, Arellanes and Anderson all had two hits at the top of the Redhawks lineup.
Warren went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Emma Dargy added three RBIs for Omaha.
SEMO rounds out the Rock Chalk Challenge against host Kansas Sunday.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 15, KENNESAW STATE 5; KENNESAW STATE 4, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Jacksonville State softball team split a non-conference doubleheader at Kennesaw State on Saturday, routing the Owls in the opener before falling a run short in the nightcap.
The Gamecocks (17-8) jumped on the Owls (22-7) in the first game and never looked back before grabbing a 15-5 win in just six innings. In the second game, a four-run KSU second inning proved too much for JSU to overcome in a 4-3 loss.
Senior Stephanie Lewis was red hot for the Gamecocks at the plate on Saturday, going 4-for-6 with a double and three RBI, while junior Emily Woodruff also had four hits in her seven at bats. Sophomore Anna Snider homered in her 2-for-3 afternoon in the batters box.
In the first game of the day, the Gamecocks put three runs on the board in the top of the first and led the entire game. The three-run inning came compliments of three JSU hits, RBI singles by Alexus Jimmerson and Taylor Sloan and an RBI double by Lewis.
The Owls got two runs in the home half off of starter Whitney Gillespie to cut the lead to one, but a six-run third broke the game open. Five JSU hits and a pair of KSU errors fueled the big inning for the Gamecocks, one that was highlighted by a two-run single by Woodruff. Lewis, Sloan and Taylor Rogers also drove in runs in the inning.
Two more crossed in the fourth on Sloan's two-run double, her third and fourth RBI of the game, and one run scored on a fifth-inning sac fly by Jimmerson. Snider's two-run blast was the biggest blow in a three-run sixth for JSU that sealed the mercy-rule win.
Gillespie (8-3) had to battle a potent KSU lineup to grab the win for JSU. She allowed five runs on seven hits in six innings of work that also saw her strike out nine and walk five.
The Owls' Logan Viers (7-3) was tagged with the loss after surrendering nine runs on eight hits in just three frames. She walked one and struck out three.
In the finale of the twinbill, The Owls belted two second-inning homers to jump on the Gamecocks early and then held off a late JSU rally attempt. Curtney Sutter and Jessie Mullen each hit balls out of the yard off of JSU starter Taylor West in the frame.
Those would be the only runs the Owls would muster after relief pitcher Faith Sims tossed four shutout innings to give the JSU offense a chance to mount a comeback.
KSU pitcher Alley Cutting (11-3) kept JSU off of the board until the sixth, when the Gamecocks got three runs on a Lewis RBI single and a two-run error that cut their deficit to just a run.
That would be all Cutting would allow in the win, holding JSU to three runs, only one earned, on four hits in seven innings. She struck out nine Gamecocks in the complete game.
West (7-3) took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits in two innings. Sims' four innings saw five KSU hits and two strikeouts.
The Gamecocks head into Spring Break, when they will prepare for conference play next weekend. The midweek will feature a single game at Alabama A&M on Wednesday at 2 p.m. before opening Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday at University Field with a 1 p.m. doubleheader vs. UT Martin. Southeast Missouri will then visit for a Sunday twinbill, also at 1 p.m.
MURRAY STATE 9, BRYANT 2
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Murray State defeated Bryant in its first game of the Matador Classic on Saturday. The Racers have now won its last 12 games.
Kaylee Ranburger led the team, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a run and a walk. Jocelyn Rodgers, Breanna Finck and Maggie Glass each had a pair of hits. Glass also drove in two runs in the victory.
Jessica Twaddle hit her team-leading sixth home run in the fourth inning.
Mason Robinson improved to 15-2 on the season as she gave up just two hits and fanned a pair of batters in 7.0 innings.
The Racers return to action tomorrow as they take on Weber State and Quinnipiac.