SUNDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Michigan 4,
Belmont 3
Belmont 13, @Mercer 12 (10)
Morehead State 3, Oakland 0
Morehead State 3, Oakland 2
Weber State 7,
Murray State 0
Quinnipiac 2,
Murray State 0
@Kansas 6,
Southeast Missouri 5
@UT Martin 3, Samford 2
@UT Martin 4, Western Illinois 3 (8)
@Lipscomb 7
Austin Peay 6
@SIUE 8, Northern Kentucky 0
MOREHEAD STATE 3, OAKLAND 0; MOREHEAD STATE 3,OAKLAND 2
MROEHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State softball swept Oakland on Sunday afternoon for their sixth and seventh straight wins.
Win the wins, their record improves to 14-7 and their seven-game winning streak marks their longest since they won 11 straight in 2009.
In the first game, junior Chelsea McManaway threw seven scoreless innings and sophomore Allison Rager and sophomore Ellen Barrett hit home runs as the Eagles won 3-0.
Rager's two-run shot followed a single by junior Lindsay Ward and put the Eagles up 2-0 in the bottom of the third. Barrett then tacked on to the lead with a solo shot in the fourth inning.
McManaway allowed just five hits and a walk, while striking out five, in her seventh shutout of the season.
Senior Kayla McGuffey went 2-for-3 with two singles, while senior Karly Thompson went 1-for-2 with a double.
Rager got the Eagles on the board in game two with another two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
After Oakland scored single runs in the fourth and the sixth innings, Morehead State went to the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 2-2.
Barrett then took the first pitch she saw over the left field wall for the game winning home run.
Rager picked up the win after pitching a scoreless seventh inning. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a home run.
Senior Megan Tymorek recorded a no-decision after allowing five hits and two earned runs in six innings of work.
On the day, the Eagles allowed just two runs in 14 innings.
With two home runs each on the day, Rager now has five home runs on the season, which ranks second on the team, while Barrett has four on the year.
The Eagles open conference play next weekend with doubleheaders at Austin Peay on Saturday and Murray State on Sunday.
KANSAS 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Madison Sykes hit a three-run walk-off home run to send Kansas (17-11) to a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Southeast Missouri (15-10) Sunday at the Rock Chalk Challenge.
Kansas trailed, 5-3, entering the bottom of the seventh inning when Harli Ridling singled down the left field line and Taylor Dodson reached on an infield single. Sykes then stepped in and smacked her game-winning home run over the center field wall to end the contest.
Sunday marked the third-straight game where SEMO let a lead slip away in the final two innings.
The Redhawks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning thanks to back-to-back RBI-doubles from Sarah Messex and Mykaela Arellanes.
SEMO extended its lead to 4-0 after Claire Wernig and Claudia Gallo delivered run-scoring singles with one out.
Madison Harris belted a solo home run, the first of her career, to push the Redhawks lead to 5-3 in the top of the seventh.
Sophia Templin (1-0) secured her first win of the season in relief. Templin gave up one run on two hits and struck out one in 2.2 innings.
Alexis Estes (5-2) took the loss. Estes scattered four hits and gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Estes faced five hitters.
Sykes went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs on the decisive home run. Ridling, Jessie Roane and Lily Behrmann also had two hits each.
Messex, Parker Bandy and Harris all had two hits and scored for the Redhawks, who were outhit, 13-9.
SEMO left eight runners on base for the day.
The Redhawks open Ohio Valley Conference play with doubleheaders at Tennessee Tech (Mar. 25) and preseason-favorite Jacksonville State (Mar. 26).
SIUE 8, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Emily Ingles provided a masterful pitching performance Sunday for the SIUE softball team.
The freshman right-hander spun a one-hitter and struck out 14 as the Cougars defeated Northern Kentucky, 8-0, in a six-inning game of the SIUE Tournament. The Cougars improved to 21-5 and won for the 10th time in their last 11 games. Northern Kentucky fell to 5-14.
Ingles, improving to 7-1 and lowering her ERA to 1.59 in pitching her third shutout of the season, struck out the first nine Northern Kentucky hitters. The Norse didn't hit a fair ball until the fourth, and the first one was a ground ball back to Ingles. Their next fair ball came on a bunt in the fifth that Ingles turned into an inning-ending play.
Taylor Brummell's leadoff double to left field in the sixth was Northern Kentucky's only hit. Ingles threw 95 pitches in her complete game.
SIUE's attack was equally progressive. The Cougars used a five-run fifth to build a 6-0 lead and added two runs in the sixth to close out the win. Overall, Haley Chambers-Book, Tess Eby, Allison Smiley and Sarah Lopesilvero collected two hits apiece to pace the 11-hit offense. Eby was elevated to the No. 4 spot in the batting order after getting two hits Saturday against Ball State.
Eby, Smiley, Kalei Kaneshiro and Reagan Curtis all supplied RBI singles in that fifth when the Cougars strung together six hits. Zoe Schafer contributed a double following Chambers-Book's leadoff single.
Lopesilvero's double and a Northern Kentucky error enabled the Cougars to grab a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Following SIUE's big fifth, the Cougars made it 7-0 on Northern Kentucky's fourth error, and Smiley added a run-scoring single to put the finishing touch on the victory.
The Cougars are idle until Wednesday when Kansas comes calling at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
EASTERN MICHIGAN 4, BELMONT 3; BELMONT 13, MERCER 12
MACON, Ga. - A stunning comeback rally in the top of the seventh inning fell just shy for Belmont Softball (21-6) on the final day of the Mercer Bears Classic. The Bruins were narrowly held off by Eastern Michigan (11-11), 4-3, in their first game of the day.
After posting a run in the bottom of the first frame, the Eagles added two more in the bottom of the second inning. The Bruins made a pitching change and were able to get out of the inning. BU trailed 3- for the next one and half innings before making its move. Senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) smashed a solo home run over the right fence to get BU on the board in the top of the fourth to begin the erosion of the Eastern Michigan lead.
EMU went on to add one more run in the bottom of the fourth frame to take a 4-1 lead. Belmont made one final comeback effort in the top of the seventh inning. Freshman Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) knocked a double to left field and was followed by a single deep to left by sophomore Hayley Baker to send her all the way around the bases. Sophomore Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Texas), who came in to pinch hit, and classmate Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) were both walked, loading the bases for the Bruins. Senior Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) came to the plate and hit a blooper over the third baseman to score a third run for Belmont. However, Eastern Michigan went on to turn an improbable double play with the next batter to thwart the BU comeback effort and hold out for the 4-3 win.
At the plate, Wells led, going 2-for-4.
Freshman Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) and junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) split time in the circle, combining for three strikeouts.
For only the 10th time in program history, Belmont Softball had to delve into 10-plus innings for a decision. Fueled by a pair of grand slams by junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.), the Bruins outlasted Mercer (14-19), 13-12.
Andree becomes the 12th player in NCAA history to record a pair of grand slams in a single game.
Mercer got on the board in the bottom of the first inning using a home run to center to take a 2-0 lead. Belmont had an excellent chance to grab the lead in the top of the third inning. A walk for sophomore Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Tenn.) was followed by back-to-back singles by classmate Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) and senior Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) to load the bases. However, the Bears were able to put the squeeze on BU and keep it off the board for another half inning.
A stringent defensive effort continued to keep MU from scoring additional runs. The Bruins had another bases loaded situation in the top of the fourth but this time was able to produce a run out of the opportunity.
Belmont made its move in the top of the fifth inning. After a single by Wells and a double to right by junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) before classmate Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Just two pitches in, junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) unleashed a grand slam, Belmont's second of the tournament, to put Belmont on top, 5-2. Mercer fired back in the bottom of the sixth frame, using a three-run home run to knot the score, 5-5. The Bruin defense then beat back the threatening Bears with two strong plays, including a run down by Andree and Deloney of a Mercer player making an attempt to steal home.
The teams headed into the seventh frame locked in a 5-5 stalemate but neither was able to plate a run in their respective half innings. In the eighth inning, Belmont was able to push runners over the plate first with the help of the international tiebreaker rule. Cook was placed on second and was quickly moved to third with a bunt by Wells. Sophomore Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas) used a sac bunt to put two runners in scoring position before a Rouse ground out scored the first run. Deloney knocked a double to left to add the second run that put Belmont on top, 7-5.
However, Mercer matched the effort and knotted the score once again, sending the game to a ninth inning. Belmont used back-to-back bunts and a sacrifice fly to post a run in its half of the frame but the Bears continued to keep pace, knotting the score again, this time, 8-8, at the conclusion of the ninth inning.
In the top of the 10th, BU was able to move quickly to score a run. With Cook on second from the tiebreaker, a Wells sacrifice bunt moved her to third before a single up the middle by Baker sent her over the plate. The Bruins were able to load the bases with a Rouse single and with Deloney being hit by a pitch. On the first pitch tossed her way, Andree smashed her second grand slam of the contest to put Belmont on top, 13-8.
Mercer would not go down without a fight, though. In its half of the frame, the Bears used a two run homer to cut the BU lead to three runs, 13-10. Aided by a pitching change, Belmont's defense went to work. Even with two more runs scored thanks to a double deep to right center, Mercer could not muster up enough runs to topple the Bruins. A ground out and a pop up sealed their fate as BU went on to win, 13-12.
On her record breaking day, Andree went 3-for-6 at the plate with a whopping six RBI. Freshman Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) went 3-for-5 while Wells finished at 3-for-4.
Inside the circle, sophomore Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas), Rouse and Lee all split time. The trio combined for five strikeouts.
Belmont returns to action on Tuesday, March 21 at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins host in-state rival Memphis for a single game beginning at 4 p.m.
WEBER STATE 7, MURRAY STATE 0; QUINNIPIAC 2, MURRAY STATE 0
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Murray State softball team was shutout twice Sunday at the 2017 Matador Invitational at the Matador Diamond in Northridge, California. The Racers dropped their first game 7-0 to Weber State, followed by a 2-0 loss to Quinnipiac.
Game 1 – Weber State 7, Murray State 0
The Wildcats shut out the Racers in game one, marking just the second time this season that MSU has been shutout in a game. Weber State also outhit Murray State in the game, 14-6, the 14 hits being a season-high for a MSU opponent. The Racers did have their chances in the game, but could not plate any runs and stranded six runners.
The game began with a single by Takesha Saltern, who then scored on an error later in the inning by pitcher Mason Robinson. After the Racers held Weber State at bay for the next three innings, the Wildcats tacked on two runs in each of the final three innings to pick up the 7-0 win.
The loss put an end to a 12-game win streak by Murray State and was the first for MSU in the month of March. Kristen Bialek led Murray State offensively in the game by going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Mason Robinson lost just her third game of the season in the circle, by giving up four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk over 5.2 innings. Amber Van Duyse pitched the last 1.1 innings for the Racers and allowed two runs on five hits.
Game 2 – Quinnipiac 2¸ Murray State 0
In game two, the Racers were shutout again, marking the first time they have suffered back-to-back losses this season. The Bobcats did their damage on a pair of RBI-singles from Rebecca Drake and Sarah Heimbach in the third and fourth innings, respectively.
The Racers were only able to scratch out three hits in the game and were led by Maggie Glass’ double. Pitcher Haven Campbell fell to 8-3 year with the loss after giving up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
The Racers will close out play in the 2017 Matador Classic Monday with a doubleheader against Cal State Northridge beginning at 11 a.m. PT, 1 p.m. CT.
LIPSCOMB 7, AUSTIN PEAY 6
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University's softball team saw Lipscomb rally to force extra innings, Sunday at Draper Diamond, with the Govs dropping an eight-inning final, 7-6.
Early-on it looked like it might be the Govs (8-14) day, with Austin Peay jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run homer by Carly Mattson, her fifth of the year – tying her for the team lead.
Lipscomb (21-7) would respond with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, to cut the lead back to one run, but APSU answered right back by putting another three spot on the board in the top of the second, with Kendall Vedder doubling in two runs and Danielle Liermann bring in the third with a sacrifice fly, making it 6-2.
But that would be all the runs that the Govs would push across in the contest, despite having runners in scoring position at second and third base in both the third and sixth innings, but failing to add to their lead.
While the Govs bats went quiet, Lipscomb continued to chipping away at the APSU lead with a single run in the second, two more in the fifth and a game-tying sixth run in the bottom of sixth.
After both teams failed to score in the seventh inning, Lipscomb was able to pick-up the game-winning run with a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth.
For the Govs, the lost marks the ninth straight extra-inning loss suffered by the team dating back to March 23, 2014, when they dropped a 12-11, nine-inning decision to Tennessee State.
The last extra-inning win by Austin Peay came on February 22, 2014 in an 8-7, eight-inning victory over Campbell at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Sidney Hooper (0-1) took the loss in relief, but did record a strikeout to become the 15th pitcher in school history to log at least 100 strikeouts in a career.
Kacy Acree and Emily Moore would record two hits each to lead the Govs, while Drew Dudley picked up her first collegiate hit of her career.
Austin Peay returns to action, 2 p.m., Wednesday, when they host the Samford Bulldogs for a doubleheader at Cheryl Holt Field.
UT MARTIN 3, SAMFORD 2; UT MARTIN 4, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team kept its fans on its toes with a pair of thrilling walk-off victories on Sunday, sweeping the final day of the Skyhawk Hampton Inn Classic. The Skyhawks defeat Samford 3-2 before knocking off Western Illinois 4-3 in extra innings.
The Skyhawks (20-8) picked up their 20th win of the season in dramatic fashion Sunday afternoon. A walk-off single by Lauren Myers would give the Skyhawks a win over Samford before pesky baserunning by Myers in the second game led to an error which scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning over Western Illinois.
After struggling to hit the ball on Saturday, the Skyhawks improved upon their numbers on Sunday with 13 combined base hits – including a home run while driving in five RBIs. Senior Renate Meckl notched her second home run in as many days while pacing the squad with two RBIs on the day while Carly Gonzales, Gracyn McBride and Myers drove in runs on the day.
UT Martin also posted another strong day of pitching performances, notching a 1.87 ERA in the two victories while three pitchers saw action. Sophomore Sara Hooten (6-2, 2.86 ERA) notched her sixth win of the season and second of the weekend with a strong performance against Samford, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five seven innings of work. Freshman Samantha Scott earned the start against Western Illinois before allowing two earned runs in four innings. Senior Brooke Kennedy (8-2, 3.17 ERA) tallied four innings of scoreless relief to pick up a victory against the Leathernecks.
Game 1: UT Martin 3, Samford 2
Much like yesterday’s contest, Samford would come out of the gates looking to make a statement in the first inning of play. A bunt single would get the Bulldogs in action before two more singles later in the inning – capped off by Hannah Trombley – gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs remained hungry in the top of the second inning despite starting the frame with two quick outs. Whitney Hinton would lace a double into left field before coming home on the following RBI single by Madison Couch – pushing the team’s margin out to two runs.
UT Martin came charging back in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Reid Ballard would battle a six-pitch sequence before driving a single into left field. After being relieved for a pinch runner in Alicia Hansen, the Skyhawks would move the runner into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. With a speedy runner on the bags, Gonzales would line a double into right center to put the Skyhawks on the board before eventually coming home herself on a sacrifice fly off the bat of McBride to tie the contest.
The game would remain tight down the stretch with neither team finding much room for an offensive opportunity. With the game still tied heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Skyhawks looked to capitalize on a prime scoring chance. The Skyhawks would load the bases with just one out setting up Myers for the heroics who cashed in on the opportunity with a bloop single into right field to drive in the winning run and give UT Martin a 3-2 victory.
Game 2: UT Martin 4, Western Illinois 3 – Eight Innings
After a slow start in the team’s first game of the day, UT Martin looked to strike in the bottom of the first inning. Gonzales would lead off the frame with a single through the left side before moving herself into scoring position by swiping her 26th base of the season. With a runner at second, Meckl would single up the middle to drive in the early run.
Western Illinois would fight back in the top of the fourth inning to take its first lead of the contest. After a pair of quick outs to start the inning, the Fighting Leathernecks would start a rally behind a fielding error to awaken the bats. Back-to-back singles by Aly Compton and Rachel Beatty would drive in a pair of runs and give the road squad a 2-1 lead.
Trailing for the first time in the contest, the Skyhawks led off the bottom of the fourth with a double down the right field line by McBride to spur a comeback attempt. McBride would then be relieved for pinch runner Gabby Zizzi who would only have to trot home on the following at bat as Meckl drove a deep two-run home run over the left field party porch to give UT Martin an one-run advantage again.
The Leathernecks would look to make the lead short-lived in the top of the fifth as Meghan Henson led off the frame with a solo shot to left center to tie the game at three runs each.
Drama would reenter Bettye Giles Field in the eighth inning as extra innings enacted the international tie-breaker rules with a runner being placed on second with no outs. UT Martin would complete its first task of stranding Western Illinois’ potential go-ahead run at third base in the top of the eighth inning before shifting focus to the bottom half of the frame. As the Skyhawks placed Myers on second base to start the inning, Aeron Smith would quickly move the runner over to third with a sacrifice bunt. With the game-winning run just 60 feet from the plate, Myers would fake towards home plate to draw a return throw which went wild, bringing the winning run home on a throwing error to give the Skyhawks a 4-3 win.
UT Martin will return to action with a matchup at regional rival Southern Illinois on Tuesday, March 21. First pitch from Charlotte West Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m.