SUNDAY'S SCORES
Longwood 6,
Eastern Kentucky 2
Tennessee Tech 7, Jackson State 3
Tennessee Tech 7, Houston Baptist 6
Jacksonville State 15, Mercer 0 (5)
Ohio 4,
Eastern Illinois 1
@Georgia Southern 6,
UT Martin 3
Chattanooga 10,
Morehaed State 2
Maryland 3,
Murray State 2
Tennessee State 4, Florida A&M 3
UAB 11,
Austin Peay 6
Drake 6,
Southeast Missouri 1
LONGWOOD 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
ELON, N.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team fell in its weekend finale, 6-2, Sunday against Longwood University.
EKU (1-3, 0-0 OVC) wasted no time the in top of the first. Sammi Miller reached on an infield single and then stole second base. Destinee Lizzmore followed with a walk. That is when Zoe Mihalicz delivered a RBI single through the right side to give the Colonels an early 1-0 lead.
The Lancer offense got going in the third. A double by Leah Powell, followed by a walk, put runners on the corners for Longwood. Kaylynn Batten brought in the tying run after a sac bunt to make the score 1-1. Alexis Wayland followed with a RBI ground out of her own to give the Lancers the lead for good.
Longwood (2-2, 0-0 Big South) pushed four more runs across in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 6-1, through five innings.
Eastern did not go down without a fight though. In the top of the seventh, Lizzmore got them started with a double in the right center gap and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Emily Corbitt drew a walk to put runners on the corners with no outs.
Mihalicz drove in her second run of the game after an RBI groundout making it 6-2, but the EKU rally came to an end after that.
Mihalicz went 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the day. Lizzmore chipped in a 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.
Wayland and Jenna Dunn both went 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Lancers.
EKU returns to the field next weekend when the Colonels travel to Coastal Carolina for the Battle at the Beach. The first game is scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m. against Marshall.
TENNESSEE TECH 7, JACKSON STATE 3; TENNESSEE TECH 7, HOUSTON BAPTIST 6
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The bats were connecting for the Tennessee Tech softball team as the Golden Eagles closed out the Black and Gold Invitation on Sunday with a pair of wins, beating Jackson State 7-6, then holding out to beat Houston Baptist 7-6.
Senior Gabby LaSala ended the day with five RBI to lead Tech as Kayla Hughes and Haeli Bryson picked up their first wins of the season.
Tech improves its record to 2-2 after the first weekend before heading to Chattanooga this upcoming weekend for the Chattanooga Challenge on Friday through Sunday, weather permitting.
Hughes went the distance against Jackson State, allowing three runs on four hits as she walked seven and struck out nine.
LaSala had three of Tech’s seven RBI in the contest as she connected with a three-run triple in Tech’s six-run outburst in the sixth inning to seal the game. Freshman Raleigh Lewis also drove in two, while Beth McCulley and Hughes also picked up RBI.
JSU took a 1-0 lead in the second, then Tech tied the game in the third. Chandler Caldwell drew a walk and stole second, then advanced to third on an error at short off of a ball hit by Jessie Lowery. McCulley earned her RBI as the grounder allowed Caldwell to score.
Jackson State retook a 2-1 lead in the third, but the Golden Eagles opened the flood gates in the fifth. After a Caldwell walk to open the frame, Lowey and McCulley both laid down bunt singles, then LaSala cleared the bases ahead of her with a three-run triple to right.
Hughes drove LaSala in with a grounder to second. Haeli Bryson and Sydney Love-Baker added back-to-back singles to center field, then Lewis delivered a shot down the left field line to plate the two runners.
JSU (0-3) added a run in the top of the sixth, but Hughes was able to retire the side in the final two frames to hold on for her – and Tech’s – first win of the season.
The Golden Eagles, however, had to rally against Houston Baptist, trailing 5-3 heading into the top of the seventh, but a four-run inning was enough to secure the victory.
Alyssa Arden had the start, but Houston Baptist tagged her for four runs – three earned – on seven hits in the first 2 1/3 innings of work as she walked two and struck out one. Bryson came on in relief, pitching the final 4 2/3 frames, allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out two.
Tech took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first as LaSala hit a two-out double down the left field line, then Hughes drove her in with a single to right before she was thrown out at second following LaSala’s score.
With the score knotted at one, Tech added a second run in the top of the second as Love-Baker reached on an error at short, advanced to third on McCulley’s double to right center, then scored on Ashley McGowan’s grounder to second.
But Houston Baptist scored three runs in the bottom of the second to make it a 4-2 deficit.
Tech chipped away with a lone run in the fourth as pinch runner Hannah Richter stole second, then rushed home on McCulley’s single to right. HBU negated that with a single run of their own in the fourth.
However, the Golden Eagles retook the lead with a four-run seventh. Love-Baker reached on an error at second to start the frame, then McCulley singled and McGowan singled to right to load the bases.
Lowery drew an RBI on a fielder’s choice as Houston Baptist was unable to retire a runner on the play, allowing Love-Baker to score. Caldwell popped up to short, then Alexis Trimiar picked up an RBI, driving in McCulley on a sacrifice fly to left. LaSala delivered the final blow as she drove in McGowan and Lowery with a double to left center.
HBU (1-3) slimmed the Tech lead by one with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Tech was able to get out of the frame to preserve the win.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 15, MERCER 0
MACON, Ga. - Jacksonville State finished its opening weekend with a bang on Sunday, when they handed Mercer a 15-0 mercy-rule defeat in the final game of the Mercer Invitational.
The Gamecocks (3-2) had 14 hits at the plate, while senior Faith Sims tossed her second gem of the season in her second start in the circle. She held the host Bears (2-3) to just two infield singles and needed only 48 pitches to earn her second shutout just two days after no-hitting Army to open the season.
At the plate, senior Kirsten Titus wrapped up an explosive opening weekend with a 2-for-3 day that featured her first career grand slam and five RBI. The Evans, Ga., native entered the weekend with just two career at bats and no hits, but she exits the Mercer Invitational after going 4-for-8 with three home runs and 11 RBI.
Fellow senior Taylor Beshears also had a big weekend, driving in eight runs on a 7-for-17 showing at the plate. The native of Trussville, Ala., also homered three times in the tournament and drove in three runs in a 3-for-4 showing on Sunday.
Freshman Sidney Wagnon was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored on Sunday, putting the finishing touches on an impressive debut weekend to her collegiate career. The Moody, Ala., native hit .467 (7-for-15) with six runs scored, three doubles and five RBI in the tournament.
Sims (2-0) struck out seven in Sunday's five-inning complete game win. She allowed back-to-back infield singles to lead off the second inning before retiring the last 11 batters she faced. The Cordova, Ala., native went 2-0 on the tournament with 16 strikeouts and no walks in just 12 innings in the circle. Sunday's gem saw 35 of her 48 pitches go for strikes.
JSU threatened in the first but stranded two runners on. That would change in the second, when Wagnon started the scoring with a bases-clearing double that gave the Gamecocks a 3-0 lead. Beshears followed with a double of her own two batters later that staked Sims to a 5-0 lead.
The Gamecocks added six in the third, starting with a pinch-hit RBI single from freshman Bailey Smart. Titus and senior Lex Hull followed with back-to-back homers to make it an 11-0 game. Titus' grand slam cleared the wall in right, just before Hull hit the very next pitch over the center field fence.
Beshears started a four-run fourth with an RBI single and Titus drew a bases loaded walk to follow. Freshman Anna Hood reached on an error that also allowed the final two runs to score and post the final 15-0 score on the board.
Sydney Tucker (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Mercer, allowing eight runs on seven hits and two walks in just 2 and 1/3 innings of work. Lauren O'Dell gave up the other seven runs on seven hits and two walks in 1 and 2.3 innings, while Bailey Pattison was able to get the final three outs without allowing a run.
The Gamecocks return to action on Friday, when they open play in the Alabama State Black & Gold Tournament in Montgomery. Their first game will be at 12 p.m. CT on Friday against North Alabama.
OHIO 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
KENNESAW, Ga. - Eastern Illinois softball falls 4-1 to Ohio in the final game of their Rafter Memorial trip. The Panthers are now 2-3 overall after the first weekend of the regular season.
The Bobcats scored four runs over the first three innings. They recorded ten hits including two doubles and a triple in the win.
The Panthers lone run of the game came in the top of the sixth inning. Tayler Wullenweber doubled to right field scoring Breya Cooper. Cooper pinch hit in her first game of the season for Taylor Jones and doubled down the right field line to put her in scoring position as Wullenweber entered the line-up for Hannah Cravens. Wullenweber would tally EIU's only RBI of the game.
Sydney Cammon made the start on the mound for the Panthers. She pitched 1.2 innings giving up three hits and two runs. She collected the loss and falls to 0-1 on the season. McKenna Coffman and Valerie Thompson both pitched two innings and combined for two strikeouts.
EIU will travel next weekend to Samford for a four game tournament starting Friday Feb. 15. The Panthers will play Georgia State at 10 am and DePaul at 12:30 pm on the first day of play.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6, UT MARTIN 3
STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team concluded its first tournament of the season, picking up three wins on the opening weekend before dropping the finale to Georgia Southern 6-3.
The Skyhawks (3-2) tallied seven hits on the day along with a pair of RBIs on the offensive side of the ball. Meanwhile, three pitchers saw action inside the circle. Georgia Southern jumped out to an early lead striking for three runs in the first, a run in the second and two more in the third to hold a 6-0 advantage heading into the fourth. UT Martin would make its comeback attempt in the final innings, cutting the margin in half before ultimately dropping the contest 6-3.
The pair of freshman Kenna Garst and sophomore Paige Clark tallied two hits each to lead the squad. The trio of Haylee Short, Chelsey Gore and Alli Fulcher also tallied base knocks on the afternoon while Short and Garst drove in a run each.
In the pitcher’s circle, junior Hannah Ridolfi (1-1, 5.25) saw an early exit, going into the second before being relieved after allowing three walks and four earned runs. Sophomore Caitlin Karo appeared in relief, allowing two runs in four innings before Erin Gallagher entered and tossed a scoreless frame in relief.
UT Martin will return to action next weekend when traveling to the Black and Gold Tournament hosted by Alabama State in Montgomery, Ala. Action begins on Friday, Feb. 15 before concluding on Sunday, Feb. 17.
CHATTANOOGA 10, MOREHEAD STATE 2
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Morehead State softball team fell 10-2 to Chattanooga in the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament at Bobbie Bailey Park on Sunday morning.
The Mocs used an offensive outburst comprised of 14 hits and two home runs to defeat the Eagles on the final day of the tournament.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Lakyn Largent absorbed her first loss of the season in her second start of 2019. The lefty struck out three batters in four innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits. Junior right-handed pitcher Randi Hamilton saw two innings of relief action in the game and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk with one strikeout.
Both of the Eagles runs came in the fifth inning after three-straight walks allowed runners to get into scoring position. Junior infielder Chyenne Meyer, freshman infielder Peyton Slater, and junior infielder Helyna Bissell walked the bases full with one out. Junior outfielder Cassie Griffin kept the bases loaded as she reached on fielder's choice to set up senior outfielder Aubrey Bennett for an RBI single that scored Slater. Junior outfielder Allison Davis followed the Bennett RBI single with a walk to plate Bissell.
Right-hander Celie Hudson (2-0) picked up the win for Chattanooga as she allowed two runs on one hit and six walks.
Morehead State jumps back into action on Friday when they take on Mount St. Mary's (Md.) at 2:00 p.m. ET in the first game of the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern in Statesboro Ga.
MARYLAND 3, MURRAY STATE 2
TROY, Ala. - The first twelve batters of the game were retired in order to start the Sunday morning competition between Maryland and the Racers of Murray State. Logan Braundmeier continued her strong start to the season recording the first hit of the ballgame with a leadoff single to open the third inning. After advancing to second and third on two consecutive bunts, she would come around to score by way of a sacrifice fly to right center off the bat of Brenna Finck.
Hannah James continued to cruise through the Maryland batting order as she recorded twelve straight outs to open the day before finally surrendering a run in the bottom of the fifth. Gracie Voulgaris drove in Sammie Stefan on a single up the middle and tied the game at 1-1 for the Terrapins through five innings of play.
After a scoreless sixth inning from both sides, the Racers had an opportunity to take the lead in the seventh after a leadoff double from Madison Culver. However, with runners at the corners and two out in the inning, the Racers were unable to push across the go-ahead run.
Grace Vaughn came on to pitch the seventh for MSU and allowed just a single hit, facing four batters and stranding the lone Maryland runner on first to force extra innings.
A sacrifice bunt from Brenna Finck in the Racer half of the eighth pushed the placed runner to third to set up the go-ahead score. Denise Teague then stepped up to the plate and put the ball in play to score Jensen Striegel from third to make it 2-1 in favor of the Racers.
The Terrapins would now have their turn to answer in the home half and started with two quick outs. With the game on the line and down to their final opportunity, Taylor Wilson came on to pinch hit and gave her team life with a single to left. They would follow with another single and wind up with runners on the corners. The following batter would be a face that the Racers were all too familiar with on the weekend. Anna Kufta, who had produced a multi-hit performance against the Racers in the season opener on Friday, stepped up to the plate and laced a walk-off two run double to left center to give the Terrapins a 3-2 victory in extra innings.
Madison Culver (2-3, 2B) and Lindsey Carroll (2-3) led the charge for the Racers offensively while Hannah James capped off the weekend with another solid pitching performance. She carries a 2.68 ERA through her 15.2 innings of work to start the 2019 campaign.
The Racers return to action on Friday at 3:30 p.m. as they take on Butler as part of the Madeira Beach Invitational in Madeira Beach, Florida.
TENNESSEE STATE 4, FLORIDA A&M 3
GULF SHORES, Ala. - Recap coming soon.
UAB 11, AUSITN PEAY 6
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team saw its late-inning rally fall short, Sunday at Mary Bowers Field in the final day of the UAB Tournament, as the Govs came up short to the Blazers, 11-6.
The Govs (3-2) saw the tournament host get out to a 9-0 advantage after four innings but put together a five-run fifth inning to get back into the contest.
Kelsey Gross would get the inning started with a home run, her first collegiate round tripper, followed by a single by Brooke Pfefferle and a walk to pinch hitter Victoria Eccleston.
A groundout later, Kacy Acree would drive in Pfefferle, with a single to center, making it 9-2.
Lexi Osowski would then hit the Govs second home run of the inning, a three-run blast over the left-center field fence to cut the deficit to 9-5.
But that would be as close as the Govs would get, as the Blazers (4-2) added singles runs in the fifth and sixth to push its lead out to 11-5 before the Govs picked up their final run of the game, in the top of the seventh, on a single by Carly Mattson to score Osowski for the 11-6 final.
DRAKE 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa– Southeast Missouri finished with a 4-1 record at its season-opening trip to the UNI Dome Classic after dropping a 6-1 decision to Missouri Valley Conference preseason-favorite Drake (4-1) Sunday.
Nicole Newman (2-0) went the distance allowing only one run on four hits with 13 strikeouts to set the tone for the Bulldogs.
SEMO's only run of the game came on a solo home run by Ashley Ellis in the bottom of the second inning. It was Ellis' team-high second round-tripper of the young season.
Drake scored three times in both the second and fifth innings and that was all the run support Newman needed.
The Bulldogs outhit SEMO, 9-4, with eight players getting a hit. Libby Ryan went 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI as Drake's lone multiple-hit performer.
Rachel Anderson had three of SEMO's hits. Anderson was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double for the day. Anderson finished the tournament hitting .556 (10-of-18) with three runs, a double, two triples, five RBI and two stolen bases.
Haley Thogmartin (2-1) struck out six, walked two and allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings. Thogmartin gave way to freshman Marisa Davis in the fifth.
SEMO returns to action when it travels to the Louisiana Tech Invitational on Feb. 15-17.