SUNDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 4, @Morehead State 0
SIUE 2, @Morehead State 1
Eastern Illinois 7, @Eastern Kentucky 2
@Eastern Kentucky 2, Eastern Illinois 1
@Belmont 1, Tennessee Tech 0
Tennessee Tech 5, @Belmont 4
Murray State 11, @Southeast Missouri 6
Murray State 6, @Southeast Missouri 1
Jacksonville State 7, @Tennessee State 0
Jacksonville State 8, @Tennessee State 0
@UT Martin 4, Austin Peay 0
@UT Martin 8, Austin Peay 4
SIUE 3, MOREHEAD STATE 0; SIUE 2, MOREHEAD STATE 1
MOREHEAD, Ky. - SIUE softball swept its second doubleheader in as many days Sunday with a pair of Ohio Valley Conference victories at Morehead State.
The Cougars defeated the Eagles 4-0 in the opener and 2-1 in the nightcap. SIUE improved its season record to 32-7 with an 8-2 mark in OVC play. Morehead State dropped to 20-16 overall and 3-7 in the OVC.
Extra-base hits in both games were the difference on offense for the Cougars.
In game one, Alyssa Heren opened the doubleheader with a solo home run to center field, her fifth of the season. Sarah Lopesilvero added a two-run homer in the third inning.
Lopesilvero, a senior shortstop, said she played well despite not having the best warmup.
In the nightcap, Reagan Curtis delivered RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth innings. Curtis' RBI in the fourth was down the line in left, scoring pinch runner Jane Smith from first base. Her RBI in the sixth scored Heren with two outs after Heren had singled and stole second.
SIUE's pitching allowed just one run all day.
Haley Chambers-Book recorded her eight shutout of the season and completed the week without yielding a single run. She was 4-0 for the week after tossing a four-hit shutout in the opener. Ashley Koziol gave up five hits in the second game while improving her season record to 5-0.
It was Koziol's first start of the OVC season. She earned the Sunday start after posting three scoreless innings Saturday at Eastern Kentucky.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2; EASTERN KENTUCKY 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a doubleheader with first-place Eastern Illinois on Sunday afternoon at Gertrude Hood Field, losing game one, 7-2, before edging the Panthers in game two, 2-1.
Freshman pitcher Mollie Paulick (6-8) tossed a complete game to earn the win in game two, allowing only one run and striking out six.
After EIU (22-16, 8-2 OVC) – which entered the day tied for first with Jacksonville State atop the OVC – plated a run in the top of the third, EKU (15-22, 4-5 OVC) responded with two of its own in the home half of the inning to take the lead. Senior Krislyn Campos ignited the rally with a one-out single up the middle. After going to second on a groundout by freshman Mia Sanchez, Campos scored when sophomore Rachel Minogue blasted a two-out double to right-center. Junior Johnkyria Alston then plated Minogue for the eventual game-winning run with a single into left field.
The one-run lead was all Paulick needed. EIU posed its biggest threat in the top of the sixth when the Panthers loaded the bases with two outs. However, Paulick emphatically struck out Maria DeVito to escape the threat and the inning.
Minogue – who came into the day leading EKU with a .412 batting average – finished game two 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Hannah Clark went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Mia Davis drove in EIU’s lone run in game two.
In game one, Eastern Illinois scored one in the first and then went ahead 3-0 when Kiley Pelker blasted a two-run home run to left field in the top of the second.
EKU cut into the deficit in the home half of the second, as Clark and junior Paige Murphy crushed back-to-back solo home runs to make it 3-2.
The Panthers, however, added a run in the third and fourth, and then pushed two runs across in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach.
Senior Alex Sallberg (6-10) picked up the loss in game one. Freshman Ashton Martin entered the game in the second and tossed 4.2 innings of solid relief, allowing only two earned runs on four hits.
Clark and Murphy both finished 1-for-3 with an RBI in game one.
Jessica Wireman (11-9) pitched a complete game for EIU, surrendering only two runs on four hits while fanning 11.
Haley Mitchell paced the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
UT MARTIN 4, AUSTIN PEAY 0; UT MARTIN 8, AUSTIN PEAY 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team shattered the program’s previous single-game stolen base record by swiping 10 bags in the second game alone today while tallying 15 stolen bases total in a doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley Conference foe Austin Peay on Sunday. The Skyhawks shutout the Governors 4-0 in the series opener before posting an 8-2 win in the finale.
The Skyhawks improved to 28-12 on the season and 7-3 in OVC play with a pair of victories today while Austin Peay fell to 14-24, 2-8 in the OVC. Entering the contest, the Skyhawks ranked second nationally with 107 stolen bases and third in stolen bases per game at 2.92. After today’s output, UT Martin moved its season total up to 122 which sits just three off the program record set just last season. With 15 stolen bases on the day – including 10 in Game Two alone, the Skyhawks broke the previous single-game record of seven set against Mercer on Feb. 16, 2013.
Eight different players joined in the action on the day while the trio of Carly Gonzales, Rachel Williams and Lauren Myers each tallied three each. Junior Alicia Hansen also tallied a pair of steals while Gracyn McBride, Alli Fulcher, Savannah Dodson and Gabby Zizzi each swiped one of their own.
A big key for the UT Martin offense was the team’s ability to hit the ball up and down the lineup, tallying 16 hits on the afternoon while posting a .340 batting average as a team. The Skyhawks would outscore the Governors 12-2 on the day as McBride and Gonzales both tallied three hits while Williams, Myers and Fulcher each notch multi-hit afternoons of their own. McBride would lead the squad with three RBIs while Williams and Jodie Duncan notched a pair.
UT Martin was dynamic inside the pitching circle as well, limiting Austin Peay to just two runs on the day. Brooke Kennedy (14-3, 2.77 ERA) notched her second shutout of the season, allowing just one hit while striking out six in seven innings of work. Kennedy would face just one batter above the minimum while holding the Governors to a .048 batting average. Sophomore Sara Hooten (7-3, 2.72 ERA) was also impressive, allowing two runs in the first inning before pitching six scoreless innings to notch a complete game victory.
Game One: UT Martin 4, Austin Peay 0
UT Martin looked to waste little time jumping out in front in the series opener. A leadoff double by Gonzales into left field batted down by stiff wind would get the scoring opportunity started. Myers then joined her fellow speedster on base with a bunt single before advancing into scoring position herself by swiping second. With a pair of runners on base, Williams would loft a sacrifice fly into right field to put the Skyhawks on top. The Skyhawks would place another runner on base to set up a potential double-steal opportunity which saw Myers come home to take a 2-0 lead before the third out was recorded.
The Skyhawks added to their margin in the second inning as Fulcher reached on a single before scampering to second on a throwing error. Following a sacrifice bunt to move Fulcher into scoring position, the sophomore would travel the final 60 feet home to score later in the inning on a bunt single by Dodson to push the lead out to three runs.
Kennedy would shine throughout the contest before allowing the lone hit of the contest by Austin Peay in the top of the fourth inning. Despite the base hit, Smith would retire the runner on a stolen base attempt to wipe the slate clean. Kennedy would be dynamite from there, holding the Govs hitless over the final three innings of play to notch her second shutout of the season.
With the game already in control, UT Martin would add a final insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. Williams would work a nine-pitch at-bat into a single to right before stealing second to move into scoring position. A passed ball would move the outfielder over to third where she later scored on a groundout RBI by Duncan to cap off a 4-0 contest.
Game Two: UT Martin 8, Austin Peay 2
After being held scoreless in its last three contest, Austin Peay looked to break its scoreless inning streak which reached 21 in the first. A leadoff single by Emily Moore got the game off to a bright start for the Govs, setting up Danielle Liermann who launched a two-run home run to dead center field to take a 2-0 lead.
Facing its first deficit of the afternoon, UT Martin began its comeback attempt in the bottom half of the inning. Gonzales and Myers would both tally opposite field singles to begin the inning before tallying a pair of stolen bases to move the pair into scoring position. With two runners on base, McBride would stroke a single up the middle to score Gonzales and trim the margin to one run.
The Skyhawks would notch their game-tying run in the third inning to knot the contest at two runs apiece. Williams would start the rally after grounding into a fielder’s choice before swiping second to move into scoring position, who then came home to score on a RBI single by Duncan through the right side.
Looking for the team’s first lead of the contest, UT Martin found the winning formula in the fifth inning. A leadoff walk to Gonzales put the speedster on the basepaths were she notched her second and third stolen bases of the contest by swiping second and third consecutively. Still 60 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run, Gonzales would scamper home on a throw following a wild pitch strikeout to take a 3-2 advantage.
With Hooten shutting down the Governors offense after a rough first inning, UT Martin put the game out reach in the sixth inning. Five runs would come home to score in the final offensive frame for the Skyhawks as a walk to Myers led to a RBI followed by a two-run double up the middle by McBride and a RBI single up the middle by Williams to bring the score to its final margin of 8-2.
BELMONT 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0; TENNESSEE TECH 5, BELMONT 4
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont University Softball snapped its two-game skid with a shutout victory but was unable to sustain the momentum through the entire doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins (28-12, 5-6 OVC) split with in-state rival Tennessee Tech (13-22, 6-4 OVC), winning 1-0 in game one but were held off in the nightcap, 5-4.
Game one was shaping up to be a no hitter for the Golden Eagles through the sixth inning. Even though the game was stalemated 0-0, the Bruins couldn't get past the TTU pitching ace. However, TTU struggled against freshman phenom Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) who rang up at one time during the duel, rang up four consecutive strikeouts. BU got its first runner on base in the bottom of the fourth frame when freshman Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) reached on four balls but she was eventually stranded. Finally, BU made a move in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Shersty Stanton (Pinckneyville, Ill.) doubled to left before classmate Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) smacked her first triple of the season down the right line to put up a run. It turned out to be enough as the Bruins clamped down defensively in the top of the seventh to win the game, 1-0, behind a pair of ground outs fielded by senior Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) and a pop up snagged by junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.).
The nightcap began in similar fashion with neither team able to plate a run for the first two innings. The Golden Eagles made a mark first in the top of the third and fourth frames, putting across four runs. Belmont fired back in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) and Andree were hit by pitches on consecutive at-bats before a single by sophomore Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Tenn.) loaded the bases. Sophomore Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) knocked her first single of the contest to score a run, keeping the bases juiced. TTU, who had changed pitchers, managed to get a force out a home but a long single up the middle by Zeronian pushed two more over the plate, making it a one run game, 4-3.
Both teams added a single run in their half of the fifth inning, keeping it a one run game, 5-4. The Bruin defense went to work again in both the sixth and seventh frames, keeping Tennessee Tech from netting additional runs. Unfortunately, Belmont was unable to find a tying or lead taking run over the same span and went on to fall by the same score.
For the day, Andree led the Bruins at the plate, batting .500 with a double and an RBI.
Inside the circle, a trio of Bruins made appearances led by freshman Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.), who recorded eight strikeouts and finished with a 0.68 ERA. Junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) and sophomore Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas) also saw pitching time
MURRAY STATE 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6; MURRAY STATE 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Murray State softball team pounded out 29 total hits in a doubleheader sweep of Southeast Missouri Sunday at the Southeast Softball Complex in Cape Girardeau. Murray State won the opener, 11-6, and took game two, 6-1.
Game 1 – Murray St. 11, Southeast Missouri 6
Maggie Glass got the offensive display going for Murray State in the second with a two-run home run that also scored Cayla Levins, who reached on a double in the previous at bat. Later in the inning, after reaching on a single, Maddy Feeney scored on a single from Brenna Finck to make it 3-0 Racers.
In the bottom of the second, Southeast Missouri got on the board with a long RBI-single to center field from Claudia Gallo, cutting the lead to 3-1. However, on the same play, MSU center fielder Kaylee Ranburger prevented any further runs by launching a ball from the outfield to get another runner at second with help from three different Racer infielders.
In the third, Feeney picked up her second hit of the day on a two-out bunt that she was able to beat out, allowing pinch runner Leah Kesel to score to make it 4-1 Murray State. The Racers were able to add three more runs in the fourth after they were able to load the bases with two outs. Levins brought in one run on a single, while the other two scored as a result of SEMO error.
Gallo began a three-run fifth for Southeast Missouri when she got on board with a triple and then scored on a miscue by the Racers. Parker Bandy scored SEMO's second run of the inning on a second triple, while she was then scored herself on a double from Rachel Anderson.
MSU added an insurance run in the fifth with back-to-back doubles from Jocelynn Rodgers and Cayla Levins to make it 8-4. In the seventh, Murray State took advantage of two Redhawk errors and used two singles and a RBI groundout to scratch out three runs, increasing the lead to 11-4.
In the bottom of the inning, Mykaela Arellanes led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After moving to third on a ground out, Arellanes eventually scored on another ground out to cut the deficit to 11-5. SEMO would add another run later in the inning and then load up the bases, placing the game-tying run on deck. However, Haven Campbell entered the game and retired the first batter she faced to earn the save and preserve the 11-6 win for Murray State.
The offensive output was a return to form of sorts for MSU as it marked the sixth time this season that the Racers have scored 10 or more runs and the first since Feb. 26. The 16 hits in the game was a season-high for MSU and was the 13th time this year that it has recorded 10-plus hits in a game.
Levins tallied game-highs of three hits and three RBIs in the opener to lead Murray State, while Finck, Ranburger, Twaddle, Rodgers and Feeney had two hits each. Mason Robinson improved to 19-6 on the year with the win in the circle after she went 6.2 innings and allowed three earned runs on 13 hits with a strikeout and a walk.
Game 2 – Murray St. 6, Southeast Mo. 1
In game two, neither team seemed to be able to get any offense going in the opening innings. However, after the Racers turned a double play in the bottom of the fourth, Darby Pruett got on board with a single to give SEMO a chance to break the tie. In the next at bat, Ashley Ellis sent a ball down the right field line that dropped fair, allowing her to reach third on a triple and Pruett to score to give SEMO a 1-0 lead.
The lead did not last long, however, as Brenna Finck notched her fifth triple of the season in the fifth and came home one batter later on a two-out bunt single from Ranburger to knot the game at one. In the sixth, Maggie Glass made it 3-1 when she took the first pitch she saw after a SEMO pitching change yard for her second home run of the day.
The Racers cushioned their lead in the seventh after Finck and Kaylee Ranburger began the frame with back-to-back singles. Jessica Twaddle brought Finck home in the next at bat on a long single to the wall to make it 4-1. Jocelynn Rodgers singled on the next play, but an error by SEMO on the throw allowed MSU to score two more to cap the scoring at 6-1.
Amber Van Duyse picked up the first collegiate win of her career by allowing just one run on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Ranburger and Twaddle were each 3-for-4 in the game, while Finck, Glass and Taylor Odom had two hits each. The Racers once again hit the ball well as a team, pounding out 13 hits in the contest.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 7, TENNESSEE STATE 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 8, TENNESSEE STATE 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Taylor West tossed her first career no-hitter to follow up Whitney Gillespie's shutout on Sunday, to lead the Jacksonville State softball team to a dominant sweep of Tennessee State.
West struck out 12 of the 16 batters she faced and allowed just one baserunner that reached on an error in an 8-0 rout in the second game of the twinbill. The Gamecocks (30-9, 9-1 Ohio Valley Conference) cruised to a 7-0 win over the Tigers (9-25, 1-9 OVC) behind Gillespie in the opener.
West's first no-hitter in her saw her throw just 78 pitches, 52 for strikes. The senior from Anniston struck out the first seven and 10 of the first 11 batters she faced en route to her career high in strikeouts for a five-inning game. A fourth inning fielding error at third that allowed the Tigers' lone baserunner to reach was the lone blemish on her line.
The win improved West to 12-4 on the season and gives her 47 career wins, one away from Ann Shelton in fourth on the school's career wins list. Her 12 strikeouts run her career total to 336, sixth in school history. It also capped an impressive week for West, one that saw her go 2-0 with a save in three appearances and post an earned run average of 0.40.
JSU's second sweep in as many days also put the Gamecocks in sole possession of first place in the OVC standings for the first time this season. Eastern Illinois, who entered the day tied with JSU for first, split its doubleheader with Eastern Kentucky on Sunday.
While West was shutting down the TSU bats, the Gamecock bats were busy racking up eight runs on 10 hits, led by two-hit performances from Gillespie, Stephanie Lewis and Leila Chambers. Gillespie delivered the big blast, a grand slam that highlighted a seven-run third inning that put the Gamecocks up 8-0. Also in the inning were and RBI single by Alexus Jimmerson and two-run triple y Anna Chisolm.
Chambers drove in the game's other run on a single up the middle in the second. The Molena, Ga., native also had an impressive week, batting .412 with six RBI, two doubles and a homer.
Lauren Woodard (2-8) suffered the loss for the Tigers after allowing eight runs on 10 hits in five innings. She also walked one and struck out one.
In the opening game, Gillespie (14-3) was impressive, limiting TSU to five hits in her 14th complete game in 18 starts. The Pelham native allowed just five hits in her sixth shutout of the season and only allowed one runner to pass first base. She struck out seven and walked a pair.
The JSU offense was good for her, too. The Gamecocks amassed 12 hits in the opening game, led by Lewis' 3-for-4 game that included a triple and two RBI. Jimmerson, Gillespie, Jamie McGuire and Emily Woodruff each had two hits in the win.
Lewis' triple plated a pair in the first to give JSU an early 2-0 lead, and then Gillespie doubled in a run in the fourth to make it a 3-0 game. A three-run fifth broke the game open and then a McGuire RBI double in the sixth capped the JSU scoring.
Lauren Powell (4-10) suffered the loss for TSU in the opener after giving up seven runs on 11 hits in 5.1 innings in the circle. She walked four and struck out three.