SATURDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 5, Wright State 2
Eastern Illinois 10, Stony Brook 1
UT Martin 5, Mississippi Valley State 1
St. John's 3,
Morehead State 0
Marshall 7,
Eastern Kentucky 2
Eastern Kentucky 14, South Carolina State 2
Northern Iowa 6,
Tennessee Tech 3
Southeast Missouri 2, Missouri STate 1
Ohio 1,
Jacksonville State 0
#15 Tennessee 3,
Jacksonville State 2
Morehead State 7, @East Tennessee State 6
@Ole Miss 6,
Austin Peay 0
Southeast Missouri 4, @UMKC 0
Murray State 7, Northern Illinois 3
Murray State 4, Western Illinois 3
Eastern Illinois12, Valparaiso 5
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10,
Tennessee State 2
@Oklahoma State 3, Tennessee Tech 2
BELMONT 5, WRIGHT STATE 2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Belmont Softball found an offensive rhythm early and did not let up on the second day of the Blues City Classic. The Bruins (13-2) held off first-time opponent Wright State (3-11), 5-2, to improve to 2-1 in the tournament.
After a quiet first inning for both teams, Belmont had an offensive explosion in the bottom of the second. Senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) walked to open the inning and junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) doubled deep to left to put them into scoring position. A base on balls opportunity for sophomore Sami Long (Springfield, Ill.) loaded the bases and the Bruins took full advantage with a pair of walked in runs. Sophomore Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas) notched a double to add two more runs to the BU tally, expanding the lead to 4-0.
Wright State finally made a dent on the scoreboard in the top of the third, plating one run. However, the Bruins fired back and produced a run of their own in the bottom of the same inning. Back-to-back singles by Deloney and Andree, aided by a base advance on a wild pitch, helped put Belmont ahead, 5-1. The Raiders were able to add one more run in the top of the fifth but Belmont leaned on strong defense to halt any further attempts to get into the duel over the final innings.
For the day, Deloney and Andree both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Inside the circle, freshman Morgan Marshall (Church Hill, Tenn.) tossed five innings to pick up her second win of the season. Sophomore Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas) notched her first save of the season with two innings of work and a pair of strikeouts, including the final out of the contest.
Belmont returns to action on Sunday for the final day of the Blues City Classic. The Bruins take on Louisiana Tech beginning at 9 a.m.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 10, STONY BROOK 1; EASTERN ILLINOIS 12, VALPARAISO 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Eastern Illinois softball bats came alive in day two of the Purple/Gold Challenge with a 10-1 five inning win over Stony Brook followed by a 12-5 come from behind win over Valparaiso in the nightcap.
EIU combined for 21 hits over the two-game span with home runs from Mady Poulter, Jennifer Ames, and Amber Toenyes.
Jessica Wireman earned both the wins on the mound pitching 7.2 innings without giving up a single earned run and throwing 12 strikeouts.
The Panthers jumped out ahead early in their morning game against Stony Brook with lead-off infield singles from Kayla Bear and Taylor Monahan. Poulter eventually stepped up to the plate smashing her first career home run at EIU over the left center field wall to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
EIU added to their lead in the second inning as the Seawolves' Alex Petrolia walked the bases full with two outs. The Panthers cleared the bases with three straight singles to bring four runners around and end the inning up 7-0.
EIU continued their scoring in the third inning with Ashley Bartlett at-bat with runners on the corners. Bartlett earned her first career hit at EIU with a single to left field scoring Andrea Roberts from third to give EIU an 8-0 lead. Bartlett eventually came around to score herself along with Kaitlyn Crossen thanks to a single up the middle from Haley Mitchell to put the Panthers in double-figures up 10-0.
Katie Grunert came in to close out the game for EIU replacing Jessica Wireman. Wireman earned the win giving up only two hits in three innings of work and throwing seven strikeouts.
Stony Brook was able to avoid the shut-out thanks to a solo home run from Melissa rah rich in the top of the fifth inning.
Poulter and Mitchell each recorded two hits in the game combining for seven of EIU's 10 RBIs.
The scoring continued in the Panthers second game of the day with Valparaiso taking the lead in the second inning with a two-run home run from Jaymee Lawton.
The Crusaders extended their lead in the third inning after loading the bases with one out at which point Wireman came in to replace Michelle Rogers. After having a run walked in, Valpo's Jenna Stauffenberg singled to left field scoring two runs and putting Valparaiso up 5-0.
EIU finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning following a two-run home run by Ames. Not to be outdone, Toenyes hit a two-run home run herself the following inning to make it 5-4 at the end of the fifth inning.
The Panthers completed the comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning loading the bases with two outs. Back-to-back singles from Poulter and Paul put EIU in front scoring four runs to make it 8-5 in favor of the Panthers. EIU managed to load the bases once more before the inning was over only to have them cleared by a double to left center field from Maria DeVito. EIU capped off the inning with one more run as DeVito scored off an error from the Crusaders to earn the final score of 12-5.
The Panthers close out the Purple/Gold Challenge against Lipscomb Sunday at 12:30 p.m
UT MARTIN 5 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 1
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team extended its winning streak to five games with a 5-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State on the second day of the Red and Blue Classic hosted by Ole Miss.
The Skyhawks (15-2) led from the first inning and never looked back before ultimately picking up a 5-1 victory in the team’s second matchup of the season against Mississippi Valley State. The squad tallied seven base hits led by junior Rachel Williams and Savannah Dodson who notched two each. The outfield trio of Carly Gonzales, Lauren Myers and Williams each tallied a RBI to pace the squad.
Freshman Samantha Scott (3-0, 1.21 ERA) earned a complete game victory after allowing one run over seven innings of work. Scott struck out six while allowing three hits and issuing one walk.
UT Martin would get on the scoreboard in the first inning by manufacturing a run with their speed. A leadoff walk by Gonzales would result in a free base. Gonzales would not stay stationary however, swiping second base before ultimately coming home on a wild pitch to advance to third before scoring on an illegal pitch.
The Skyhawks would add to their margin in the top of the third inning as Jessie Douglas reached on a walk before being relieved for pinch runner Alicia Hansen who quickly moved into scoring position by swiping second and advancing to third on an illegal pitch. Another walk, this time to Dodson would put runners on first and third, setting up a double-steal by Hansen and Dodson to score a run. The squad would add another run on a RBI single by Williams to give the Skyhawks a three-run advantage.
Mississippi Valley State would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Holly Brown would lead off the inning with a single to left before advancing into scoring position later in the inning. The Devilettes would bring the run into score on a RBI groundout by Kailyn Dunn.
The Skyhawks would put a cap to the day’s scoring in the top of the seventh. Consecutive singles by Douglas and Dodson would put the pair on second and third following a stolen base. With runners in scoring position, Gonzales would bring Douglas home on a groundout before Dodson came home to score on a single up the middle by Myers to result in the final margin of 5-1.
UT Martin will look to close out the Red and Blue Classic out on a high note when taking on Southeastern Conference foe and tournament host No. 23 Ole Miss on Sunday, March 5. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be seen on SEC Network +.
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ST. JOHN'S 3, MOREHEAD STATE 0; MOREHEAD STATE 7, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 6
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Junior Robyn Leighton went 2-for-5 with two home runs, including a grand slam, as the Eagles built an early lead and then held on to win at East Tennessee State, 7-6, in extra innings on Saturday afternoon.
In the early game, the Eagles fell 3-0 to St. John's.
With the split, their record moves to 8-7 on the season.
Leighton's grand slam in the top of the first inning gave the Eagles a 4-0 lead. After the Bucs responded with two runs in the second and the fourth to tie it, sophomore Ellen Barrett hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth to regain the lead. Leighton then added her second home run of the game in the sixth to give Morehead State a 6-4 lead.
But, ETSU answered again, this time with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and the two teams headed to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, sophomore Allison Rager delivered a one-out RBI single, scoring freshman Cassie Griffin. Senior Megan Tymorek then shut down ETSU in order in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
Tymorek (2-2) picked up the win for the Eagles in relief, allowing three hits and two earned runs in four innings of work. She struck out one and walked one.
Morehead State finished with seven hits, led by Leighton and senior Karly Thompson, who each had multi-hit games. Leighton finished 2-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in, while Thompson went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
In the loss to St. John's, the Red Storm got a two run home run in the first inning and a solo home run in the second to build a 3-0 lead.
The Eagles managed five hits and threatened to score in the bottom of the seventh, but stranded runners at second and third with nobody out.
Junior Chelsea McManaway (5-3) picked up the loss, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in seven innings. She struck out six and walked six.
Junior Lindsay Ward went 2-for-3 with two singles in the loss
Morehead State wraps up play in Johnson City, Tenn. tomorrow afternoon at 10 a.m. ET against St. John's.
MARSHALL 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2; EASTERN KENTUCKY 15, SOUTH CAROLINA 2
STATESBORO, Ga. – A first inning offensive explosion allowed Eastern Kentucky to split a pair of games on day two of the 2017 Eagle Classic hosted by Georgia Southern. The Colonels lost to Marshall, 7-2, before beating South Carolina State, 14-2, in five innings.
EKU wasted little time jumping out on South Carolina State, scoring 10 runs in the first inning on eight hits. Rachel Minogue drove in the first run with a single to center field. Johnkyria Alston hit a three-run home run over the fence in center. Minogue came back and capped the scoring in the inning with a 2-run double to right center.
Eastern added one each in the second and third, and two in the fourth. Minogue’s run scoring double in the fourth capped the scoring. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the top of the fifth trying to keep the game alive, but a double play put a halt to the rally and ended the game.
Krislyn Campos finished 3-for-3 with two runs, a stolen base and an RBI. Minogue had a 3-for-4 day with a run and four RBIs. Alston went 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in three. Peyton Hutchens pitched the final three and two-thirds innings to earn the win. She allowed two runs on five hits and struck out two.
Marshall took advantage of five Eastern Kentucky errors to build a 6-1 lead after three innings in the first game. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Campos scored on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 game in favor of the Thundering Herd. However, that is as close as the Colonels would get.
Eastern Kentucky (5-9) will conclude play at the 2017 Eagle Classic on Sunday against Presbyterian College at 11:30 a.m.
NORTHERN IOWA 6, TENNESSEE TECH 3; OKLAHOMA STATE 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Tennessee Tech softball team rallied late, but the homestanding Oklahoma State squad survived in the second day of the Mizuno Classic. The Golden Eagles fell 3-2 to the Cowgirls, following a 6-3 defeat to Northern Iowa to open the day.
Tech (4-14) concludes its action at the Mizuno Classic on Sunday as the Golden Eagles face Abilene Christian at 10 a.m.
In the day's opener against Northern Iowa, the Golden Eagles gave up three runs in the first, then tied the game in the fourth, before UNI claimed two more runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to secure the win.
Kelly Kennedy drove in two runs with a home run to center field, following an RBI double from Gabby LaSala for Tech's three runs in the contest. That was Kennedy's fourth home run of the season, tied with Hallie Davis for the team lead.
In the circle, Danielle Liberatore (2-6) gave up six earned run on eight hits, walking five and striking out six.
Against the Cowgirls (11-8), Tech trailed 3-0 heading into the seventh inning. But the Golden Eagles were able to put two runs on the board as Callen Griffin hit a two-run homer to left center. The home run was Tech's 19th of the season.
Tech was held to four hits in the contest, with Aalia Bivens, Alyssa Richards and Bayli Cruse collecting the other safeties.
Leigh Ellen Thomas (1-7) went the distance in the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits as she walked three and struck out three.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2, MISSOURI STATE 1; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, UMKC 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (10-2) picked up two more wins when it beat Missouri State, 2-1, and UMKC, 4-2, Saturday at the We Back Pat Tournament.
SEMO extended its winning streak to seven games and became the fifth Ohio Valley Conference school to get 10 victories this season.
A one-out two-RBI double by Riley Hayes was the difference in SEMO's one-run victory over Missouri State.
With Mykaela Arellanes and Nicole Deering on base, Hayes ripped her first double of the season to left field to give the Redhawks a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
Three-and-a-half scoreless innings later, MSU loaded the bases and cut SEMO's lead in half when Kyana Mason touched home.
The Bears had a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, but nothing came of it as SEMO starter Madeline Krumrey silenced the threat.
Krumrey (5-1) won her fourth-straight game inside the circle. She pitched her second complete game this year, allowing one run and striking out four on seven hits. Krumrey now has 200 strikeouts in her career.
Holly Kelley (1-3) suffered the loss. Kelley worked seven innings, giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out four.
SEMO had five hits with freshman Rachel Anderson going 3-for-3 to lead the way. Hayes and Ashley Ellis followed with one apiece.
Erika Velasquez Zimmer and Mary Stephens added two hits each to lead MSU.
The Bears left nine runners on base, as well.
Alexis Estes recorded a season-high eight strikeouts and picked up the first complete game victory of her career when SEMO beat tournament host UMKC in game two.
Estes gave up just three hits, a walk and tossed six scoreless innings.
Parker Bandy tripled home Claudia Gallo to grab the Redhawks a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
An inning later, Addison Barnouski hit a solo home run. For Barnouski, it was her second round-tripper of the season.
SEMO capitalized on an error to plate two unearned runs and push its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
Morgan Byrn's two-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh accounted for UMKC's only scoring.
Estes remained undefeated this season, improving to 4-0, while Lia Lombardini took the loss.
Barnouski went 2-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI to lead SEMO, which had seven hits in the nightcap.
The Redhawks close out tournament play with two more games Sunday. SEMO first takes on Saint Louis at 11 a.m., CT.
OHIO 1, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0; #15 TENNESSEE 3, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
KNOXVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team dropped a pair of one-run games on Saturday, falling 1-0 to Ohio and 3-2 to No. 15 Tennessee.
The Gamecocks (10-6) entered the second day of the Tennessee Invitational with a tough draw in front of them and fell in a pair of pitchers' duels. They dropped the opener of the day to the Bobcats (11-2) before forcing the host Vols (17-2) to come from two runs down and win in their final at bat.
In the early game against Ohio, the Gamecock bats struggled to solve Bobcats starter Savannah Jo Dorsey. She shut out JSU on just two hits and struck out seven in the winning effort to improve to 6-1 on the season.
JSU senior Taylor West (5-2) was also good for JSU but dropped the 1-0 pitchers' duel. The Anniston native held the Bobcats to a run on four hits in her complete game in the circle, striking out five and walking three.
Ohio got a run in the second inning off of West before she rallied to retire 13 of the last 14 batters she faced. At the plate, Anna Chisolm and Leila Chambers had the Gamecocks' two hits, both singles.
In the final game of the day, JSU jumped on the 15th-ranked Vols, scoring a pair in the top of the first. A Tennessee error, followed by a Taylor Sloan double, set up Jamie McGuire's squeeze bunt and Stephanie Lewis' RBI single that gave the Gamecocks an early 2-0 lead.
The Vols cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the first, thanks to an RBI double by Meghan Gregg. They tied it in the second, generating a run after Shelby Robinson's leadoff single.
Whitney Gillespie went the distance against UT, allowing just three runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings of work. The third run came on a two-out single from Chelsea Seggern on a 2-2 pitch that scored Brooke Vines with the walk-off win.
She went toe-to-toe with UT ace Caylan Arnold, who entered the game in the second after starter Matty Moss allowed two runs on two hits. Arnold (7-2) struck out nine in six hitess frames to earn the win.
The Gamecocks will wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 10:30 a.m., when they take on Bradley at Lee Stadium.
OLE MISS 6, AUSTIN PEAY 0
OXFORD, Miss. – Austin Peay State University's softball team got a big day at the plate from Danielle Liermann, Saturday afternoon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, but its wasn't enough, as the Governors were shutout by the #23 national-ranked Ole Miss Rebels, 6-0, in Day two of the Red & Blue Classic.
The shutout was the first suffered by the Govs this season.
Liermann's first hit of the day would be part of an early scoring chance by the Govs (6-6), as they loaded the bases in the top of the first inning – with one out – but couldn't push anything across.
The Rebels (15-2) would score all the runs that they would need in the bottom of the second inning pushing two runs across, while adding a single run in the third and their final three runs in the fourth.
Along with her first-inning hit, Liermann would pick up singles in the third and sixth innings – the only hits recorded by the Govs – with Erica Inagaki and Cassidy Hale reaching base in the first on walks; Emily Moore being hit by a pitch in the second and a walk to Christiana Gable in the fourth inning being the only other base runners for APSU.
Catcher Carly Mattson, with her 0-for-3 day versus the Rebels saw her string of 16 straight games of reaching base – dating back to last year – come to an end.
Although she took the loss, Gable (0-1) pitched her first complete-game of her career, giving up six runs – five earned – on seven hits, while walking two and striking out two against a team that came into the contest batting .367 on the season and averaging almost nine runs a game.
Austin Peay concludes play at the Red & Blue Classic on Sunday, opening with a 10 a.m. contest versus Nicholls State – who the Govs defeated, 4-3, on Day One of the Classic, Friday, followed by a 12:30 p.m. game versus Mississippi Valley
MURRAY STATE 7 , NORTHERN ILLINOS 3; MURRAY STATE 4, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Murray State softball improved to 13-4 on the season with a pair of wins Saturday at the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale. MSU opened play in the event with a 7-3 win over Northern Illinois, before picking up a 4-3 win over Western Illinois in the nightcap.
Game 1 – Murray St. 7, Northern Ill. 3
Northern Illinois took an early 1-0 lead in the contest by capitalizing on a pair of miscues by Murray State. Jessica Rio began the game by reaching on an error and later scored on another MSU error, after being advanced to second on a single from Kayti Grable.
However, in the second, the Racers negated the early score by exploding for seven runs in the frame on four hits and three errors by the Huskies. The highlight of the inning came from Jessica Twaddle as she cleared a bases loaded situation for MSU with a triple. Three of MSU’s four other runs in the frame came on NIU errors, with the fourth coming on a RBI single from Kristen Bialek.
Northern Illinois would go on to add two more runs in the sixth, but it would be nowhere near enough, as MSU picked up the 7-3 win.
Taylor Odom led Murray State in the opener by going 3-for-4 with a run and a RBI, while Twaddle followed at 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. Cayla Levins also had a solid day for the Racers as she was 2-for-2 with a run and a walk. Mason Robinson notched her ninth complete game of the season and moved to 9-2 on the year by allowing no earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Game 2 – Murray St. 4, Western Ill. 3
Despite being outhit 8-4 in the game, Murray State proved they only needed two of those, as the Racers did their damage on a pair of two-run home runs from Maggie Glass and Cayla Levins in the second and fifth, respectively.
Holly Hoelting struck first for Western Illinois in the first with a RBI single that gave her team an early 1-0 advantage. After Glass’ home run in the second, Nina Maggio tied the game for WIU in the fifth by scoring on a MSU error after a sacrifice bunt went awry. In the very next at bat, Hoelting put the Leathernecks back on top, 3-2, with a long ball of her own.
After Glass reached on an error in the bottom of the fifth, Levins brought both home with a home run in the following at bat, to cap the scoring at 4-3. In the top of the seventh, relief pitcher Mason Robinson struck out the side to help her team hold on for the 4-3 win.
In addition to the hits by Glass and Levins, Taylor Odom and pinch hitter Maddy Feeney also tallied hits in the game with both going down as singles. In the circle, Haven Campbell improved to 4-2 on the year with the win after allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 5.2 innings of work. Robinson earned the first save of her collegiate career in the game by allowing no runs on just one hit with three strikeouts and no walks over 1.1 innings of relief action.
The Racers will conclude play in the Coach B Classic Sunday with Illinois-Chicago at 3 p.m., followed by the host Salukis at 5 p.m.
ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF 10, TENNESSEE STATE 2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Tennessee State dropped its third consecutive game at the Blues City Classic in a five inning, 10-2, defeat at the hands of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Tigers are now 4-12, while UAPB improved to 4-14.
TSU was held in check offensively, as Kasey Cox and Erica O’Kane were the lone Tigers to collect hits on the night.
Cox delivered a two out shot down the third base line to plate Kim Trice and O’Kane to give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second. The inning began with Sarah Snell earning a walk, but the freshman was cut down trying to steal second base. The Tigers continued to attack as Trice earned a walk and O’Kane delivered the first hit of the game for the Big Blue. The two runners advanced 60 feet on a wild pitch, setting the scene for Cox.
UAPB answered back with three unearned runs in the bottom of the third. The Golden Lions bookended a pair of Tiger miscues and two hit batters with singles to take a 3-2 lead.
UAPB continued to pull away from the Tigers as they added three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth.
Trice earned her second walk of the game in the fourth, which marked the last base runner for the Tigers over the final three innings.
Lauren Powell (1-5) suffered the loss after giving up eight runs, five earned, on eight hits, a walk and two hit batters, while striking out six in 4.1 innings of work.
The Tigers look to snap a five game skid as they close out play at the Blues City Classic on Sunday with a pair of games. A rematch with Wright State is set for 11:15 a.m., followed by a meeting with the host, Lady Tigers of Memphis at 1:30 p.m.