SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 7, Eastern Kentucky 0
Eastern Kentucky 14, @Belmont 3
@Jacksonville State 7, Murray State 3
@Jacksonville State 10, Murray State
@SIUE 5, UT Martin 0
UT Martin 7, @SIUE 3
Eastern Illinois 7, @Southeast Missouri 5
Eastern Illinois 4, @Southeast Missouri 1
Morehead State 4, @Tennessee State 0
@Tennessee State 10, Morehead State 2
@Tennessee Tech 6, Austin Peay 5 (10)
@Austin Peay 1, Tennessee Tech 0
BELMONT 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0; EASTERN KENTUCKY 14, BELMONT 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a doubleheader at Belmont on Saturday, losing game one, 7-0, before rolling past the host Bruins, 14-3, in a five-inning game two at E.S. Rose Park.
EKU (14-18, 3-2 OVC) jumped on Belmont (26-9, 3-3 OVC) early in the game two rout. Senior Krislyn Campos led off the game with a double and scored on a double by freshman Mia Sanchez. After a base hit by sophomore Rachel Minogue advanced Sanchez to third, junior Johnkyria Alston drove both runners in with a double into left center.
Freshman pitcher Mollie Paulick capped the inning with a single to left field that plated Alston and made it 4-0.
Campos scored again in the top of the second, but Belmont cut into EKU's lead with two runs in the bottom of the third.
The Colonels responded by plating six runs in the top of the fourth to put the game out of reach. An RBI single by Campos and a two-run double from Minogue highlighted the big inning for EKU.
Another RBI hit by Minogue and another two-run double by Alston made it 14-3 in the fifth inning.
The top of EKU's lineup provided most of the fireworks in the win. Alston went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI, while Minogue finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Sanchez – who is hitting .588 (10-for-17) since OVC play started – was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored, while Campos went 2-for-4 with four runs scored.
Paulick (5-6) picked up her second OVC win of the season, allowing only five hits and three runs over five innings of work.
In game one, Belmont's freshman hurler Brooklin Lee (11-4) shut down the Colonels, tossing a complete game, three-hit shutout.
Campos and senior Amber Murray both doubled in the loss. Sophomore Hannah Clark added the Colonels' only other hit.
Belmont did all of its damage in the first four innings. Sophomore Peyton Hutchens tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief for the Colonels, but the damage had already been done.
Eastern returns to action on Tuesday when the Colonels play at Tennessee. First pitch from Knoxville is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, MURRAY STATE 3; JACKSONVILLE STATE 10, MURRAY STATE 6
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Leila Chambers drove in seven runs over two games on Saturday, helping the Jacksonville State softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Murray State at University Field and into first place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings.
The junior from Zebulon, Ga., went 2-for-3 and hit a three-run homer in each game on Saturday, putting together a 4-for-6 day that saw her score three times and boast a 1.667 slugging percentage.
Along with Chamber's two homers, senior Cadi Oliver got her first round tripper of the season, a three-run shot in the second game that helped the Gamecocks (25-9, 5-1 OVC) overcome an early 4-1 deficit to the Racers (25-12, 2-3 OVC). With the sweep JSU has now won six in a row and 12 of its last 14 to move into a tie for first in the league standings with Eastern Illinois.
While the Gamecocks were racking up 18 hits against an MSU team that entered the day with one of the top five earned run averages in the OVC, Whitney Gillespie was continuing her impressive work in the circle.
The junior from Pelham earned the complete-game win in the opener before entering the second game to record a six-out save, her first of the year and ninth of her career,
The Racers struck early in the first game with an unearned run to grab a 1-0 lead in top of the first. With runners on second and third, Gillespie got a called third strike on a change up, but a passed ball allowed the batter to reach and the runner at third to score. The unearned run snapped a streak of 33.1 consecutive scoreless innings in OVC play, dating back to an unearned run by the Racers in April of last season.
The Gamecock offense picked her up in the second, when Chambers deposited her first homer of the season over the left field wall. The junior took Mason Robinson's 1-2 pitch the other way for a three-run blast that gave JSU a 3-1 lead.
JSU got two more in the third on RBI grounders from Taylor Sloan and Hayley Sims that made it a 5-1 game and then stretched it to 7-1 in the fifth. The first came on a sac from Sims that resulted in a throwing error from Robinson that allowed Stephanie Lewis to score. Chambers drove in her fourth run of the game later in the frame on a line drive to right that plated Sloan easily from third.
A pinch-hit two-run homer from Madison Culver cut JSU's lead to 7-3 in the sixth and ended another impressive streak of Gillespie's. The two earned runs were the first against her in OVC play since Austin Peay got one on April 23, 2016, snapping a streak of 46.2 innings without an earned run in OVC play for the junior ace.
Gillespie (12-4) earned the win after limiting the Racers to three runs, two earned, on seven hits in seven innings in the circle. She struck out six and tossed 118 pitches in the complete game.
Robinson (17-6) took the loss in the circle, allowing seven runs, four earned, on 10 hits in six innings of work. She recorded three strikeouts and didn't issue a walk in the losing effort.
Chambers was 2-for-3 with four RBI, one of three Gamecocks with two hits. Sloan and Cadi Oliver also recorded two hits in the game.
In the second game, the two offenses went back-and-forth from the start. After both teams scored a run in the first, Murray State seemed to take control with a three-run top of the second.
The Gamecocks answered, posting four in the home half of the inning to turn a 4-1 deficit into a one-run lead. Anna Chisolm drove in the first on a double to left center, and then Oliver's first home run of the season put the Gamecocks up for the first time in the game, 5-4. She drove Haven Campbell's 1-1 pitch over foul pole in left to drive in three.
JSU plated four more runs in the third, an inning that started with Chambers' second three-run homer of the day. The junior pulled Amber Van Duyse's 1-2 pitch down the right field line and off of the foul pole to give JSU an 8-4 advantage. The Gamecocks got one more on a Jimmerson grounder that scored Emily Woodruff, who reached on a fielding error from Robinson in the circle, from third.
A two-run homer by Jessica Twaddle in the sixth cut JSU's lead to 9-6 and forced the Gamecocks to go back to Gillespie, who came in and earned her first save of the season.
Gillespie tossed two shutout innings out of the bullpen to earn the save, while Kirsten Titus (1-0) grabbed the win in relief. Titus allowed just two hits in 2.2 scoreless frames in relief of starter Taylor West.
MSU starter Haven Campbell (8-6) suffered the defeat after surrendering five runs on four hits and a pair of walks in 1.1 innings.
Chambers led the Gamecocks at the plate with her 2-for-3, three-RBI game, while Chisolm extended her team-high hitting streak to nine games with a 2-for-3 effort in game two.
SIUE 5, UT MARTIN 0; UT MARTIN 7, SIUE 3
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE and UT Martin completed a Saturday split at Cougar Field. SIUE won game one 5-0 while UT Martin took the nightcap 7-3.
Haley Chambers-Book picked up her 15th win of the season with a one-hit shutout in the opener. The Cougar senior took a no-hitter into the seventh inning for the third time this season. It was her second one-hitter of the season.
The SIUE offense outhit UT Martin 8-1 in the opener. Chambers-Book and Zoe Schafer each had two hits. The duo also joined Tess Eby, Allison Smiley and Kalei Kaneshiro with RBIs.
Three double plays by UT Martin kept the Cougars from running away with game one.
In game two, UT Martin scored four unearned runs in the top of the seventh to defeat SIUE. The Skyhawks outhit the Cougars 12-3..
Chambers-Book and Schafer provided all three RBIs in game two.
Brooke Kennedy improved to 12-2 with a seven-strikeout effort for UT Martin. Emily Ingles dropped to 8-3 for SIUE after going 4 1/3 innings while striking out eight batters.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5; EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Eastern Illinois softball team extended their win streak to five games sweeping Southeast Missouri in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
With the wins, the Panthers improve to 19-15 on the year and 5-1 in the OVC while SEMO drops to 15-16 and 0-6 in the conference.
Junior Jessica Wireman recorded both wins on the mound for EIU throwing nine strikeouts over her 12 innings pitched Saturday to pull even on the season with a 9-9 record.
Senior Ashlynne Paul set new career marks against the Redhawks with four RBIs in game one while hitting her first career home run.
The Redhawks took an early lead to open Saturday's doubleheader thanks to an RBI single from Rachel Anderson in the bottom of the first to give SEMO a 1-0 lead.
Michelle Rogers answered for EIU in the second inning following up her first career hit in EIU's last game against TSU with her first career triple to score a pinch-running Amber Matchett from second base to knot the game up 1-1.
SEMO regained the lead in the bottom of the third inning as the first four batters reached base safely. Following a lead-off double from Mykaela Arellanes, Madison Harris reached first off a Panther error. Another Redhawk double, this time from Anderson, brought one run around to score with an RBI single on the next at-bat scoring two more runners to give SEMO a 4-1 lead.
Following SEMO's three runs, Wireman stepped in to replace Rogers on the mound. Wireman went on to record the win throwing six strikeouts over her five innings of work.
The Panthers tied the game once more in the fourth inning as Paul smashed a three-run home run over the left field wall to make it 4-4.
EIU took their first lead of the game loading the bases with two outs in the fifth inning. Junior transfer Kiley Pelker stood tall taking a hit by pitch to advance all runners and walk in Katie Grunert from third base to make it 5-4.
The Panthers extended their lead in the top of the seventh inning with runners on second and third base. On the following at-bat, Maria DeVito took a walk only to advance to second base off a wild pitch on the fourth ball. The wild pitch also scored Mady Poulter from third base. Paul's RBI sacrifice bunt on the next bat gave the Panthers a 7-4 lead.
Paul recorded four of EIU's six RBIs while going 1-for-3 at the plate.
The Redhawks attempted to pull even in the bottom of the seventh inning, but could only manage one run thanks to another RBI single from Pruett to earn the final score of 7-5.
In the Panthers' second game of the day, EIU got on the board early in the top of the first with an RBI double to left center field from Mia Davis.
EIU added to their 1-0 lead in the third inning putting runners on second and third base with two outs. Haley Mitchell was able to reach first off a Redhawk error scoring Tori Johnson from third base to make it 2-0 on the unearned run. Amber Toenyes recorded one more run in the inning with an RBI single to right field to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead at the end of the third.
After back-to-back singles to open the seventh inning, Kayla Bear recorded her only hit of the day smacking an RBI double to center field to extend EIU's lead to 4-0.
SEMO avoided the shutout loss in the bottom of the seventh thanks to an RBI single from Pruett who finished the day 4-for-6 with two RBIs.
Wireman and the Panther defense recorded their second win of the day allowing only three hits, two of which came in the seventh inning.
Taylor Monahan finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored.
MOREHEAD STATE 4, TENNESSEE STATE 0; TENNESSEE STATE 10, MOREHEAD STATE 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Junior Chelsea McManaway threw a no-hit shutout in game one as Morehead State softball downed Tennessee State 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
In the second game, the Eagles fell 10-2 in five innings.
With the split, the Eagles move to 19-11 overall and 3-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play.
In the first game, Morehead State got single runs in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings to provide plenty of run support for McManaway.
Sophomore Allison Rager drove in senior Kayla McGuffey for the first two runs, then the Eagles scored on an error in the fourth and junior Taylor Wheeler drove in sophomore Aubrey Bennett in the seventh.
McManaway's (11-5, 1.24) no-hitter marked her second of the season and her second in her last five starts. It also marked her tenth shutout of the season as she continues to extend the school record for shutouts in a season.
She finished with a season-high 16 strikeouts and walked just three batters.
The Eagles finished with eight hits as McGuffey went 2-for-4 with two runs and Rager went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs batted in.
In game two, Morehead State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second, but Tennessee State scored seven runs in the fifth as the Eagles fell, 10-2.
Senior Megan Tymorek (4-4, 3.22) picked up the loss, allowing three runs, two of which were earned, in 3.1 innings of work. She walked three and struck out three.
Morehead State managed seven singles in the contest. Bennett finished with the lone two-hit game as she went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
TENNESSSEE TECH 6, AUSTIN PEAY 2; AUSTIN PEAY 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - For the longest team, it looked like both the Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay softball teams were going to battle infinitely on.
As time wore on, both teams kept battling – Tech taking an early 5-0 lead, then the Governors storming back to tie the game in the seventh inning, forcing extra innings.
But it was in the 10th when the Golden Eagles were able to prevail, taking a 6-5 victory in the contest, one that lasted nearly four hours.
However, Austin Peay was able to preserve a share of the doubleheader split, taking the second contest 1-0 on Saturday.
It was a marathon effort for Tech starter Danielle Liberatore, who pitched the first six full frames before Kayla Hughes came on in relief in the seventh.
The Govs, however, had other plans, pulling together a four-run frame and tying the game, which sent Tech head coach Bonnie Bynum Graham back to the circle to put Liberatore back in after a breather.
Liberatore finished the game officially working 10 full frames, allowing three runs on nine hits as she walked six and striking out 14. She threw 220 total pitches in the game, 145 for strikes.
But Tech was able to chase off APSU starter Kelsey Gross after the first three batters as Aalia Bivens and Raegan Sparks led off with back-to-back singles to left and a walk to Gabby LaSala. Gross yielded way to Christiana Gable, who struck out Bayli Cruse, but Alyssa Richards came through with the grand slam to make it a 4-0 contest after the first frame.
The Govs tried to challenge in the second as Rikki Arkansas tried to score on an Emily Moore single up the middle, but Callen Griffin showed a cannon as she blasted the ball back to Richards at catcher to throw Arkansas out at the plate.
The Golden Eagles added another run in the third inning as LaSala scored on a Cruse groundout to second.
With the game knotted at five in the bottom of the 10th, Richards led off with a walk, then Hallie Davis singled up the middle. Kelly Kennedy drew a walk to load the bases, then Aalia Bivens grounded a ball to the second baseman, who couldn't come up cleanly with the ball, allowing the game-winning run to score on the error.
Richards ended the game 3-for-3, while Sparks was 2-for-5 to lead the Golden Eagles (10-21, 3-3 OVC).
Gable (2-for-4) and Moore (3-for-6) led the Govs (13-19, 2-4 OVC).
In game two, it was a pitchers' duel between Tech's Leigh Ellen Thomas and Peay's Autumn Hanners as neither team scored until APSU scored the game's lone run in the sixth inning.
Thomas worked all seven innings, allowing one run on four hits as she walked one and struck out six, while Hanners kept Tech scoreless on six hits, walking two and striking out four.
The lone run came as Kacy Acree hit a solo home run in the sixth, her second hit in three trips to the plate.
Griffin and Gabby Perez both went 2-for-3 to lead the Golden Eagles.