FRIDAY'S SCORES
Marshall 5,
Eastern Kentucky 2
Eastern Kentucky 18, Presbyterian 1
Belmont 5, Ball State 0
Belmont 10, Akron 2 (5)
SIUE 5, UTSA 4
Prairie View 8,
SIUE 6
Tennessee Tech 6, Kennesaw State 5 (8)
@Chattanooga 10,
Tennessee Tech 2 (5)
Eastern Illinois 8, Georgia State 4
DePaul 6,
Eastern Illinois 4
Jacksonville State 2, North Alabama 1 (8)
Wichita State 8,
Southeast Missouri 0 (8)
Soutehast Missouri 10, Abilene Christian 2 (5)
Mount St. Mary's (Md.) 15,
Morehaed State 3
@Georgia Southern 6,
Morehead State 4
Stephen F. Austin 5,
Austin Peay 1
#13 Louisiana 2,
Austin Peay 1
UT Martin 9, Alabama A&M 8
UT Martin vs. Western Carolina - Suspended
Murray State 5, Butler 0
Murray State 16, Delaware 5 (5)
MARSHALL 5, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2; EASTERN KENTUCKY 18, PRESBYTERIAN 1
CONWAY, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a pair of contest on the first day of the Battle at the Beach hosted by Coastal Carolina.
EKU fell to Marshall University, 5-2, in the opener before knocking off Presbyterian College, 18-1, in five innings in the second game.
Zoe Mihalicz led the way offensively for the Colonels in game two. She went 3-for-4 with two home runs and eight RBIs. She tied an EKU record for most RBIs in a single game.
The Colonels scored the first 18 runs of the game. Hannah Clark got the scoring started with a three-run shot over the left center field fence to give Eastern the early 3-0 lead.
The Colonels scored four more runs in the second inning. That is when Mihalicz got going, sending grand slams in back-to-back at bats in the third and fourth innings. Pushing the Colonel lead to 15-0 after four.
Clark went 3-for-4 with one home run and five RBIs. Emily Corbitt was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk.
Presley Bisset went 1-for-1 with one RBI.
Mollie Paulick picked up the win in the circle. She went one and one-third innings allowing one hit.
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In game one, Marshall scored a run in the first and third innings to jump out to an early 2-0 lead after three innings of play.
Carly Robinson put an end to that when she sent a 2-2 pitch over the left center field fence to tie the game at 2-2 after three and a half innings.
The Thundering Herd threatened in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out. However, Mollie Paulick came in and struck out back-to-back batters to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Marshall showed off the long ball, hitting back-to-back home runs by pinch hitters Mya Stevenson and Briana Diass to take a 5-2 lead for good.
Destinee Lizzmore went 2-for-4 on the game. Robinson was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.
Aly Harrell went 2-for-2 with one home run and two RBIs for Marshall. Armani Brown went 2-for-4 with a run.
The Colonels return to the field tomorrow for two more contests. The first game is at 9:30 a.m. against Townson University followed by another game against Marshall at 4:15 p.m.
BELMONT 5, BALL STATE 0; BELMONT 10, AKRON 2
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. -- Belmont University Softball (2-0) opened the 2019 campaign on a high note with a pair of wins on the first day of the Madeira Beach Invitational. The Bruins pushed past Ball State (3-3) with 5-0 shutout before knocking off Akron (2-2-2) in five innings, 10-2.
In game one, a single to left from junior Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) got things rolling for the Bruins in the bottom of the fifth inning after senior Taylor Hargrove (Greenbrier, Tenn.) reached base on four balls. Senior Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) took advantage of a fielder's choice and moved all the way to third to load the bases before a throwing error helped Hargrove cross the plate. BU exploded in the bottom of the sixth frame. After stacking the bases behind a pair of walks for juniors Alicia Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) and Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) and a single by freshman Audrey Lyle (Westlake, Ohio), a scoring merry-go-round helped push four runs over the plate to put Belmont ahead 5-0 at the end of the flurry. Lee continued her tear inside the circle, going on to post a blistering nine strikeouts to mark her first shutout of the season. It also marked her first career no-hit shutout and the first for BU since the 2017 season. Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas) went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles at the plate to lead the Bruins.
Stellar pitching continued in the nightcap for the Bruins with Veltri recording seven strikeouts in her first win of the season. The bats continued to boom in the second contest of the day, immediately posting runs in the bottom of the first frame. Cook was walked and notched her first stolen base of the season before an Akron fielding error saw her trade places with Baker for BU's first score. Veltri smashed a two-run homer over the left center fence to put Belmont ahead 3-0 and Lee closed the onslaught with her first collegiate solo homerun to end the half inning. The Zips attempted to bounce back in the top of the third, recording a pair of runs to cut the Bruin lead in half but Belmont would not be denied. BU surged again, this time in the bottom of the fourth inning, thanks to another scoring merry-go-round that tallied five more runs. With the run rule in effect, the Bruin defense combined with another strong half inning of pitches from Veltri sealed the 10-2 victory.
For the day, Baker went 4-for-6, hitting .667, with three runs, two doubles and a homerun.
Lee and Veltri combined for 16 strikeouts over the two games, allowing a single extra base hit over 12 innings of work.
Belmont returns to action on Saturday for day two of the Madeira Beach Invitational. BU takes on Monmouth at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Drexel at 6 p.m. ET.
SIUE 5, UTSA 4; PRAIRIE VIEW 8, SIUE 6
HAMMOND, La. – SIUE softball finished 1-1 to start the Lions Classic II, gaining a 5-4 win over UTSA and dropping an 8-6 matchup against Prairie View A&M.
The Cougars started on the right track from the first pitch of the game as Alana Cobb-Adams singled down the right field line. She scored on a double by Alyssa Heren, who would later score on a UTSA infield error.
Cobb-Adams made it three runs for the Cougars in the third with a double. She stole third base and scored on an infield out to the right side of the infield by Bailley Concatto.
SIUE's two others runs came in the fourth as Sammie Ofoia singled and moved to second on a hit by pitch by Reagan Curtis. Both scored on a second UTSA error.
Emily Ingles captured the win in the opener in five innings of work. Corrina Rivas recorded the save over the final two innings, including back-to-back strikeouts looking to end a seventh-inning threat.
In SIUE's second game, the big bats emerged with home runs by Curtis in the second inning and Ofoia in the seventh.
For Ofoia, it was career home run number one on day one of her collegiate career.
The Cougars were down by four runs heading into the bottom of the seventh. Heren began SIUE's charge with a bunt single to the left side of the infield. Ofoia followed with a long home run to left center at North Oak Park's field one.
Zoe Schafer collected her first hit of the season in the seventh inning, a single up in middle. Amber Storer added a double to left, but both runners were stranded to end the game.
Rivas took the loss in game two as the starter.
Conner Cutright had two hits and drew a pair of walks. Her .571 on-base percentage matched Heren for the team lead after day one.
SIUE continues play Saturday at the Lions Classic II with an 11 a.m. game against Texas A&M Corpus Christi and a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Missouri State. The tournament finishes Sunday when SIUE meets host Southeastern Louisiana at 11 a.m.
TENNESSEE TECH 6, KENNESAW STATE 5; CHATTANOOGA 10, TENNESSEE TECH 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech found a way to win one in a dramatic comeback fashion in the first day of the Chattanooga Challenge as the Golden Eagles trailed early to Kennesaw State, tied the game to force extra innings, then won in the eighth inning for a 6-5 victory.
However, in the day's second game, host Chattanooga opened the offensive flood gates to take a run-ruled 10-2 victory in five innings.
The Golden Eagles (3-3) continue the tournament on Saturday, taking on Toledo at 12:30 p.m. Central, followed by a 3 p.m. matchup against Indiana State.
In the day's opener, Kennesaw State (1-5) tagged Haeli Bryson for four runs in the first two frames and held that advantage through the midway point of the fourth inning. Bryson allowed five hits as she struck out one.
Hallie Davis got Tech going in the home half, hitting a leadoff home run on a 2-2 count. Sydney Love-Baker took a walk on four straight pitches, then advanced as Ashley McGowan put down a sacrifice bunt down the third base side. Chandler Caldwell gave Tech two in scoring position with a single to left and a stolen base.
Then Beth McCulley hit a ball to center field and it was misplayed, resulting in a two-run error as Love-Baker and Caldwell scored, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
KSU added its fifth run in the top of the fifth, then Love-Baker hit Tech's second homer of the game with a solo shot to left field, making it a 5-4 contest.
Tech tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Gabby LaSala drove in Caldwell with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Golden Eagles left a runner on in the bottom of the seventh, but it was nothing doing as the two teams went to extras with the international tiebreaker rule in effect. Following the placed runner, KSU ended up leaving the bases loaded.
With Hannah Richter placed at second for the tiebreaker rule, Caldwell reached on a passed ball on a swinging strike three, then Raleigh Lewis put a single down just in front of the catcher, beating out the play and loading the bases. LaSala repeated her effort from the sixth, driving in Richter with a sacrifice fly – this time to left – to end the contest.
Alyssa Arden picked up her first win of the season, going the final six frames in relief as she allowed one run on three hits, walking fix and striking out four.
In the second contest, Chattanooga (6-0) roughed up starter Kayla Hughes, who allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits as Tech was charged with four errors in the game. Hughes went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four walks and no strikeouts.
Tech took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Davis drove in LaSala on a double. Chattanooga tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, then the Golden Eagles retook the lead with a McGowan RBI double to right center to drive in Alexis Trimiar and make it a 2-1 contest.
But that was it for the Golden Eagles as they picked up just one more hit in the contest. Chattanooga struck for seven runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the third, then added solo runs in the fourth and fifth, forcing the run rule.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 8, GEORGIA STATE 4, DEPAUL 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball split day one at the Samford Classic Friday afternoon. EIU beat Georgia State 8-4 in game one and fell 6-4 in game two vs. DePaul. Kendyl McKeough finished 3-of-7 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI.
The Panthers fall to 3-4 on the year. They will be back in action tomorrow morning with a 9 am game vs. Georgia State. EIU will close the Samford Classic at 2 pm at Samford tomorrow afternoon.
Game 1
GSU score in the top of the first to take a quick 1-0 lead over EIU. Hannah Cravens would give the Panthers a one run edge over GSU in the second inning. Cravens doubled to left field to score Taylor Jones. Cravens would then steal third base and score on a throwing error by GSU's catcher.
GSU would add one run in the third, fourth, and seventh, but EIU's six-run fifth inning would secure their third win of the year. Mady Poulter started things off for the Panthers singling to left field. Megan Burton doubled down the left field line to advance Poulter to third forcing a GSU pitching change. Poulter scored on a single up the middle from McKeough. Burton, Breya Cooper, Jones, and Cravens would all cross home plate to tally runs in the win.
Poulter finished 2-of-4 at the plate with one run scored, while Cravens finished 1-of-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Jade Montgomery made the start on the mound pitching 3.1 innings. Valerie Thompson came in for relief pitching 3.2 innings and recording the win on the mound improving to 2-0.
Game 2
The Panthers led 4-0 over the Blue Demons heading into the top of the seventh inning. DePaul locked in in the seventh scoring six runs and holding EIU scoreless securing a 6-4 win.
Cooper led the Panthers with a double to right field in the bottom of the first to score Burton for EIU's first run of the game. Cooper tallied another two RBI with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. Burton would score again for the Panthers in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch giving EIU a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Gabby O'Riley doubled to left center for DePaul to clear the bases and tally three RBI giving the Blue Demons a 6-4 win over the Panthers.
Cooper finished 2-of-2 at the plate with three RBI and one run scored. McKeough finished 2-of-3 with one run scored.
McKenna Coffman started for the Panthers pitching six innings and retired two batters. Thompson came in for relief in the seventh and recorded the loss falling to 2-1 on the mound. Montgomery came in for Thompson to close the seventh inning.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 2, NORTH ALABAMA 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Bailey Smart belted a pinch-hut, two-run home run to break a scoreless tie and lift the Jacksonville State softball team to a 2-1 extra-inning win over North Alabama on Friday in the Alabama State Black and Gold Tournament.
The Gamecocks (4-2) got seven shutout frames from senior Faith Sims, who took a pitcher's duel with Lions (5-1) starter Megan Garst into the eighth inning. After the international tiebreaker rule placed a runner on second, Smart deposited a two-out pitch over the left field wall to give JSU a 2-0 lead.
Sims (3-0) finished off her complete game win by limiting the Lions to an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth and handed them their first loss as a Division I program.
The Cordova, Ala., native struck out nine and didn't issue a walk for the third start in her young 2019 season. She has now struck out 25 batters in 20.0 innings of work and has yet to allow an earned run.
Garst (1-1) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, when senior Taylor Beshears broke it up with a leadoff single to left. It would be the only hit she allowed until Smart's game-winning blast. She struck out 11 in the losing effort.
The Gamecocks' second game of the day with Alabama A&M was rained out.
WICHITA STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 2
RUSTON, La.– Southeast Missouri (5-2) hit four home runs in a 10-2 victory over Abilene Christian (1-5). The Redhawks bounced back from an 8-0 loss to Wichita State (3-3) to get a split in the opening day of the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
Center fielder Rachel Anderson fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle in SEMO's first-ever meeting with ACU. Anderson finished at 3-for-3 with a run scored, triple, home run and four RBI out of the No. 3 spot in the batting order. The triple marked the 17thof her career as she is now two triples away from breaking the school's all-time record.
The Redhawks trailed, 2-0, before Ashley Ellis hit a solo home run to cut the Wildcats lead in half in the bottom of the second inning. The home run marked Ellis' team-high third of the young season.
SEMO then hit three more home runs in the bottom of the third inning to stretch its lead. Parker Bandy tied the game on a solo shot down the right field line. Anderson's two-run smash to right center put the Redhawks ahead and Addison Barnouski added a home run to center giving SEMO a 5-2 advantage.
Claudia Gallo had an RBI-infield hit and Sarah Messex singled home Mykaela Arellanes to make it 7-2 in the fourth.
Anderson's 2-RBI single put the finishing touches on the win as part of a three-run fifth inning.
SEMO outhit ACU, 14-4, with both Anderson and Arellanes getting three hits. Arellanes went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Ellis and Bandy contributed two hits apiece.
Haley Thogmartin (3-1) picked up her third win inside the circle. Thogmartin recorded seven strikeouts, scattered four hits and gave up two runs in five innings.
Bailey Lange hit a two-run home run and tossed a one-hit complete game shutout to lead WSU to victory in the tournament-opener.
Rachael Donald's leadoff single in the top of the third inning was the Redhawks only hit of the contest.
Ahead, 2-0, WSU tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth and added another two in the fifth to complete its shutout.
Neleigh Herring greeted Redhawks relief pitcher Marisa Davis with a double to left center and went to third on an ensuing base hit by Bailee Nickerson. Ryleigh Buck knocked in both Herring and Nickerson on a double to center. After Sydney McKinney popped up to Davis, Lange smacked a home run to right center giving the Shockers a 6-0 advantage.
Asea Webber's two-RBI double ended the scoring in the fifth.
Alexis Estes (2-1) took the loss for SEMO. Estes walked two, gave up three hits and allowed two runs in three innings.
SEMO resumes play against tournament host Louisiana Tech and Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday.
MOUNT SAINT MARY'S 15, MOREHEAD STATE 3; GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6, MOREHEAD STATE 4
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Morehead State softball team suffered two setbacks in the opening day of the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern at Eagle Park on Friday.
The Eagles dropped games to Mount St. Mary's (Md.) and host GSU as their record fell to 0-6 overall.
MOUNT ST. MARY'S (Md.) 15, MOREHEAD STATE 3 (6 Inn.)
Morehead State answered the Mountaineers' four-run first inning with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame but were ultimately out-slugged as Mount St. Mary's won 15-3 on Friday afternoon at Eagle Park.
The Mountaineers created separation with a five-run second inning before tacking on one in the fourth and then ending the game in six innings with five more players crossing the plate in sixth.
Freshman Elizabeth Lindsay was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk at the dish for Morehead State. Freshman Peyton Slater recorded a hit and an RBI while junior Lindsay Anderson rounded out the Eagles hitting with a 1-for-2 day that included a walk.
MSU freshman left-handed pitcher Lakyn Largent (0-3, 7.00 ERA) was handed the loss after giving up three runs after facing four batters in the first inning. Righty Jordan Weaver earned the win for Mount St. Mary's as she tossed four and two-third innings.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6, MOREHEAD STATE 4
The tournament hosts rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the fifth inning thanks to two Morehead State errors and three hits to take a 5-2 lead before coming away with a 6-4 win on Friday night at Eagle Field.
Morehead State produced its second-highest run total of the season as they managed four runs on five hits. Senior Aubrey Bennett, who for the first time in her career started behind the plate at catcher, was 2-for-4 in the game with two RBI, a triple, and a stolen base.
Bennett's triple put the Eagles on the board in the third inning and sparked a two-run frame as Kalle Coleman singled up the middle to score Bennett.
A solo homer in the bottom of the third knotted the game up at two runs.
Morehead State fired back with two more runs in the fourth. Freshman infielder Peyton Rose placed a picture-perfect slap hit into left field with the bases loaded to bring home junior Randi Hamilton which was followed by Bennet's second RBI as the senior's fielder's choice brought home junior Allison Davis.
The hosts rallied in the fifth inning to reclaim the win and pull out the victory over MSU.
Largent, who worked one and two-third innings, was tagged with loss after giving up the three runs (one earned) that put Georgia Southern back ahead in the fifth frame. Sophomore Alexis Strother made her first-career start in the circle for the Eagles and was pulled after facing two batters in the first inning.
Georgia Southern's Kaylee Ramos was credited with the win after tossing three scoreless innings from the circle.
Morehead State will continue play in Eagle Round Robin on Saturday with two games scheduled. The Eagles will take on Missouri-Kansas City at 11:30 a.m. ET before getting a shot at redemption against Georgia Southern at 4:30 p.m. ET.