SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Jacksonville State 5, SIUE 3
@Jacksonville State 2, SIUE 1
@UT Martin 7, Eastern Kentucky 3
Morehead State 6, @Southeast Misssouri 2
@Southeast Misssouri 6, Morehead State 2
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, SIUE 3; JACKSONVILLE STATE 2, SIUE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Emily Woodruff provided heroics at the plate in game one and in the field in game two of a doubleheader sweep of SIU-Edwardsville in a battle of the Ohio Valley Conference's top two teams on Saturday.
The Jacksonville State junior from Albertville ended JSU's 5-3 win in game one with an eighth-inning walk-off home run and then saved a 2-1 win in game two with a diving catch that started a double play in the seventh inning. The Gamecocks (34-9, 13-1 OVC) swept the Cougars (35-10, 10-4 OVC) for the second-straight season and grabbed two big wins in the first-ever meeting between two top 50 RPI teams from the OVC.
The 50th-ranked Gamecocks improved their case for national recognition with the sweep of the No. 40 Cougars and broke a tie in the all-time series that now leans in JSU's favor, 12-10.
The Gamecocks also won the second game with a big swing, but got that one from junior Leila Chambers. The Molena, Ga., native broke a 1-1 tie with a laser homer in the bottom of the sixth that capped an impressive day that also saw her knock a two-out double to extend the inning that set up Woodruff's game winner in the first game.
SIUE struck early in game one on a pair of first-inning seeing-eye singles that each scored a run. A leadoff hit batter and a wild pitch contributed to both runs, the first allowed by Whitney Gillespie in 24 1/3 innings.
Gillespie and Haley Chambers-Book put up zeroes for the next few frames until the Gamecocks capitalized on a fourth-inning error by the Cougars. It came from the pitcher, who tried to get the lead runner on a sac bunt attempt by Hayley Sims. Chambers-Book's throw to third sailed high and into the left field corner to allow two runs to score.
JSU took the lead in the fifth, thanks to Alexus Jimmerson's second homer of the year. Her solo blast cut through the wind deep beyond the fence in right center to put JSU up 3-2.
The Gamecocks didn't hold the lead for long, though. SIUE got an unearned run across in the top of the sixth to tie it, and both pitchers made sure the game went into extras.
The home half of the eighth was when Woodruff worked her magic. Chambers set up the game winner, driving Chambers-Book's 3-2 pitch to the wall in right for a double that brought Woodruff to the plate. She turned on the first pitch she saw and easily cleared the wall just inside the left field foul pole to plate the winning runs.
Gillespie (16-3) won the battle of the OVC's last two Pitchers of the Year, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits in eight innings. The reigning OVC POTY struck out two and walked one.
Chambers-Book (22-6) was tagged with the loss despite starting strong. JSU plated five runs, three earned, on seven hits and struck out six times while drawing three walks in 7 2/3 innings.
The Gamecocks scored first in the second game, plating another run off of the bat of Woodruff with two outs. This time it was a single to center that did the damage, scoring Gillespie from second after her leadoff single to put JSU up 1-0.
Chambers-Book drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 1-1, a score that would stand until Chambers' big swing in the sixth. That swing came on Emily Ingles' first pitch of the at bat and the junior from Molena, Ga., hit it off of the tin roof on the batting cage beyond the right field wall.
The Cougars threatened in the seventh with a leadoff single and a drive into the left centerfield gap, but Woodruff made an improbable catch and throw to retire the batter and double up the runner at first. She ran to her right and went airborne to make the diving catch that would've tied the game.
After a walk and a single followed, Gillespie moved into the circle to record the final out and notch the save. She saved the game for senior Taylor West (14-4), who earned the win after allowing just one run on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. The win was the 49th of her career, passing JSU Hall of Famer Ann Shelton for fourth on the school's career wins list.
Ingles (8-4) suffered the loss despite allowing just two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.
UT MARTIN 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3
MARTIN, Tenn.- A first inning grand slam by Jodie Duncan would be all the offense the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team needed en route to a 7-3 win over Ohio Valley Conference foe Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon.
The Skyhawks (32-14, 9-4 OVC) scored seven runs in the first three innings of play – highlighted by Duncan’s grand slam in the bottom of the first inning. While Duncan’s big blast would pave the way for much of the team’s offensive success, sophomore Lauren Myers would pick up the team’s other RBI on the day after leading the Skyhawks with a pair of base knocks. As a whole, the Skyhawks would tally five base hits on the day as senior Carly Gonzales extended her streak of reaching base to 22 games with a double while Aeron Smith also notched a hit.
While the team benefited from scoring seven runs on the afternoon, the pitching of senior Brooke Kennedy (17-4, 2.73 ERA) was equally as impressive. Kennedy picked up her seventh consecutive OVC win to remain undefeated in league play while allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work.
Eastern Kentucky (19-24, 6-6 OVC) looked to take an early lead in the contest with a dangerous first inning. A pair of singles by Paige Murphy and Rachel Minogue put a pair on base. With just one out on the board, the Skyhawks would make the most of an unconventional double play, recording a flyout before nailing an advancing runner on the back end.
With a big defensive stand behind them, the Skyhawks would turn to their bats in the bottom of the first. A leadoff double by Gonzales would nearly sneak out of Bettye Giles Field as it bounced off the top of the wall in left center. A single through the left side by Myers followed by Gracyn McBride being hit by a pitch would load the bases. Following an innocent infield fly, Duncan would connect on a first-pitch ball and launch a line drive over the centerfield wall for the team’s second grand slam of the season, giving the Skyhawks a 4-0 advantage.
Small ball would lead to another run in the bottom of the second inning. A leadoff walk to Reid Ballard would result in pinch runner Alicia Hansen moving onto the basepaths. A well-placed grounder by Savannah Dodson would move her classmate into scoring position before the speedster came home later in the inning on a single up the middle by Myers to push the margin to five runs.
The Skyhawks capped off their scoring afternoon with a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the third inning. Duncan would keep an inning going after a pair of outs to start the inning. The Colonels would then suffer three errors in the inning – including a pair of fielding errors up the middle to plate a pair of runs.
Eastern Kentucky would finally get on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. With one out in the books, Hannah Clark would turn on a 1-1 pitch and launch a solo home run over the left field wall. The Colonels would continue to chip away in the seventh inning. Still trailing by six, the Colonels would benefit from a pair of Skyhawk errors to bring a pair of runs home to score and leave the bases loaded with potential. With the bases still full of foes, the Skyhawks would shut the door with a grounder to the right side to signal the winning decision.
MOREHEAD STATE 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, MOREHEAD STATE 5
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Freshman Rachel Anderson hit a three-run walk-off home run off the scoreboard in right field to send Southeast Missouri (18-24, 3-11) to a doubleheader split with Morehead State (25-17, 5-9) Saturday. The Redhawks dropped game one, 6-2, before rallying to win the nightcap, 6-5.
SEMO and MSU got a late start due to inclement weather and Anderson's curtain call capped an excellent finish.
Anderson was 1-for-5 at the plate before launching her team-high fifth home run to right field. Brooke Rheinecker reached on an error and Mykaela Arellanes singled. After Rheinecker stole third, the Redhawks had two runners in scoring position before Anderson belted her game-winner. It was SEMO's first walk-off home run this season.
Allison Rager led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field. Then, after a fielder's choice and three singles, Kylie Holton stepped in and hit a grand slam to grab the Eagles a 5-0 advantage.
SEMO put together a rally of its own during its at-bat in the fourth inning. After Arellanes drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a wild pitch, Ashley Ellis delivered a one-out single through the left side. Parker Bandy followed with a double to score both Arellanes and pinch-runner Nicole Deering. Bandy later came around to score when Addison Barnouski hit into a fielder's choice, dicing MSU's lead to 5-3.
Rager (5-4), who pitched out of a jam in the sixth inning, gave up the decisive home run to Anderson. She struck out one, gave up two hits and allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen.
Mackenzie Hoelting (2-5) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings en route to picking up her second win of the season. Hoelting relieved starter Haley Thogmartin in the fourth inning.
Seven different Redhawks had a hit in the nightcap.
Ellis hit a two-run home run to left field for SEMO's only runs in game one.
The Redhawks trailed, 6-0, when Ellis hit her third home run of the season immediately after Madison Harris walked to start the bottom of the sixth inning.
SEMO had runners on base in six innings, but came up empty in five of those frames. The Redhawks stranded nine baserunners and had one thrown out at the plate for the game.
MSU used a four-run third inning to key its victory. With the bases full of Eagles, Karly Thompson hit a 3-RBI double to center and MSU tacked on another run to push its lead to 5-0.
Kayla McGuffey's sacrifice fly plated the Eagles final run in the top of the sixth.
SEMO's first two runners reached base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Chelsea McManaway recorded three-straight outs after that to get her 14th win of the season.
McManaway (14-6) had 12 strikeouts and allowed two runs on nine hits in her complete game victory.
Madeline Krumrey (10-8) took the loss, giving up five runs on four hits. Krumrey also struck out three and walked three in 2.2 innings. Alexis Estes struck out three and allowed a run in the final 4.1 innings.
SEMO outhit MSU, 9-7, with Rheinecker and Arellanes getting two hits each.