SATURDAY'S SCORES
UMKC 9,
Morehead State 2
Georgia Southern 19,
Morehaed State 2
Louisiana Tech 11,
Southeast Missouri 3 (5)
Southeast Missouri 8, Fairleigh Dickinson 0 (5)
Monmouth 4,
Belmont 2
Belmont 16, Drexel 1
SIUE 4, Texas A&M - CC 2
SIUE 3, Missouri State 1
Austin Peay 12, Jackson State 2
@#13 Louisiana 8,
Austin Peay 0
Georgia State 9,
Eastern Illinois 2
@Samford 7,
Eastern Illinois 4
Jacksonville State 9, Alabama A&M 6
Western Carolina 8,
Jacksonville State 6
UT Martin 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 1 (5)
North Alabam 3,
UT Martin 2
Toledo 6,
Tennessee Tech 4
Indiana State 6,
Tennessee Tech 5 (8)
George Mason 6,
Murray State 3
Murray State 8, South Dakota 4
Eastern Kentucky 5, Towson 0
Marshall 8,
Eastern Kentucky 4
UT MARTIN 9, PURDUE FORT WAYNE 1; NORTH ALABAMA 3, UT MARTIN 2
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team return to action on Day Two of the Black and Gold Tournament by splitting its matchups, defeating Purdue Fort Wayne 9-1 in five innings in the opening game of the day before falling 3-2 to North Alabama.
The Skyhawks (5-3) tallied 11 runs on the day to earn a split on a sunny day on the campus of Alabama State. Five different player notched a pair of base hits on the day as Aalia Bivens, Alli Fulcher, Haylee Short, Paige Clark and Kenna Garst led the way. Bivens would highlight the day with a pair of doubles while Short led the way with three RBIs on the day. Meanwhile Shelby Woodard and Clark also tallied multi-RBI contests.
UT Martin turned to its freshmen in the circle today. Lexi Ray (2-1, 3.50 ERA) earned her second win of the season, striking out three while allowing one earned run in five innings of work against Purdue Fort Wayne. Erin Gallagher (1-1, 1.11 ERA) made her first career start, allowing two earned runs over six innings of work.
Game 8: UT Martin 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 1 (Five innings)
UT Martin scored early and often in the first game of the day. Back-to-back singles by Clark and Short resulted in the first run of the game while a double play brought the team’s second run of the inning home. The Skyhawks added three more runs in the second inning after three straight singles were highlighted by a RBI single to center by Clark to push out the margin. The lead would ultimately reach five runs when two runs came home to score on a fielding error to cap the second inning.
The Skyhawks would essentially put the game away in the top of the third. Already leading by five runs, UT Martin pushed for the mercy rule as Bivens led off the inning with an opposite field double before coming home on a fielder’s choice later in the inning. The 1-2 duo of Clark and Short would come through again to drive in three combined run and take a 9-0 lead which would not be relinquished.
Game 9: North Alabama 3, UT Martin 2
In the second game of the day, North Alabama jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second. A pair of walks proved costly as a single scored the game’s first run.
UT Martin would strike back in the top of the sixth and ultimately take the lead. Short would draw a full-count walk before moving into scoring position with a stolen base.
Fulcher would then move the pair into scoring position with a single to third that deflected and resulted in an error. With runners on second and third, Woodard – a North Alabama transfer - came through in the clutch against her former squad with a two-run double into the left field gap to take a 2-1 advantage.
North Alabama fought back in the bottom of the sixth after an error resulted in the game becoming tied at two runs apiece. The error would come around the bite the Skyhawks again as the runner later came home to score on a single to serve as the difference in the contest as UT Martin fell 3-2.
LOUISIANA TECH 11, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 0
RUSTON, La.– Ashley Ellis went 3-for-5 with a run scored, double, home run and seven RBI as Southeast Missouri (6-3) split two games at the Louisiana Tech Invitational Saturday. The Redhawks fell to Louisiana Tech, 11-3, and beat Fairleigh Dickinson, 8-0.
The Redhawks regrouped to claim another split in the second day of the Louisiana Tech Invitational. SEMO shook off a loss to undefeated and tournament host Louisiana Tech with a strong performance in its first meeting with Fairleigh Dickinson.
Ellis hit her team-high fourth home run of the season on a two-run shot to help SEMO get a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and the Redhawks never looked back.
In the fourth inning, Ellis drove in two more runs on a single up the middle.
An inning later, Mykaela Arellanes tripled home Rachel Anderson and scored on the play to push SEMO's lead to 7-0.
Freshman Anna Griffin belted her first career home run over the wall in right center to complete the shutout in the sixth inning.
The Redhawks pounded out 10 hits with two each coming from Addison Barnouski, Ellis and Claudia Gallo. Arellanes scored a game-high three runs.
Alexis Estes and Haley Thogmartin combined on a two-hit shutout. Estes, who improved to 3-1, gave up one hit and struck out two in three innings.
Thogmartin then closed things out with seven strikeouts, one hit allowed and seven strikeouts.
SEMO loaded the bases during its first at-bat of the game. Randi Dae Conway reached on an error and went to third on a double by Anderson. After a Sarah Messex strikeout, Barnouski walked to load the bases. Ellis followed with a bases clearing double to left center giving the Redhawks a 3-0 lead.
Lousiana Tech countered with 11 unanswered runs, including five in the fifth inning, to pick up its eight win of the season.
The Lady Techters loaded the bases on three walks in the bottom of the first inning and pulled to within a run on Zoe Hicks' two-RBI single to left field.
Preseason Conference USA Player of the Year Morgan Turkoly led off the bottom of the third with a double to right and scored on Jaz Crowder's double down the left field line. Crowder later touched home on a bunt single by Marilyn Rizzato to give Louisiana Tech the lead.
After adding two more runs in the fourth inning, the Lady Techsters ended the game with five tallies in the fifth.
Lin Edwards singled home Bayli Simon and Kim Atienza drove in Edwards. Rizzato slugged a two-RBI double and Mary Terral capped the scoring with a RBI-hit up the middle.
Krystal De La Cruz (3-0) earned her third win of the season. She tossed five innings with seven strikeouts and allowed only one walk. De La Cruz tossed four shutout innings after SEMO put up three runs in the top of the first.
Rachel Rook (0-1) took the loss. Rook, in her first start of the season, struck out five, allowed five hits, gave up four runs and walked three in 2.1 innings.
Louisiana Tech collected a total of 13 hits. Turkoly (2), Rizzato (3) and Edwards (2) combined for seven of the hits. Rizzato also had a game-high four RBI.
Anderson went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Ellis was 1-for-2 with three RBI to lead the Redhawks in game one.
SEMO faces Mississippi Valley State in its Louisiana Tech Invitational finale Sunday.
SIUE 4, TEXAS A&M CORPUS CHRISTI 2; SIUE 3, MISSOURI STATE 1
HAMMOND, La. – SIUE softball improved to 3-1 at the Lions Classic II with a pair of wins over Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Missouri State.
Both victories were two-run games, defeating Texas A&M Corpus Christi 4-2 early in the day followed by a 3-1 victory over Missouri State.
Emily Ingles improved to 2-0 in the nightcap, fanning nine Bears and not allowing any walks.
Perhaps one of the most exciting plays of the day occurred in game two when Janie Smith, pinch-running for Kalei Kaneshiro in the fifth inning against Missouri State, pulled off an uncommon play in softball.
With Smith at third, Jones called for a squeeze bunt only to have Alana Cobb-Adams miss the low pitch from Missouri State starter Erin Griesbauer. Missouri State catcher Alex Boze bobbled the pitch, and the ball came forward into the batter's box next to the left-handed hitting Cobb-Adams. Smith continued on where she sometimes would turn back to third.
SIUE picked up nine hits against Missouri State, including three from Alyssa Heren. Her defense also shined with a diving catch to end the sixth inning.
In the opener, SIUE outhit Texas A&M Corpus Christi 8-3 but found itself down 2-0 after just one-half inning.
The Cougars answered back in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Amber Storer. Micah Arps tied the game later in the inning when she and Reagan Curtis completed the double steal after starting at first base and third base.
Sammie Ofoia put the Cougars ahead 3-2 in the third with a single up the middle that scored Cobb-Adams.
Kylie Lane scored in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Bailley Concatto.
SIUE closes out the tournament Sunday with an 11 a.m. contest against host Southeastern Louisiana.
AUSTIN PEAY 12, JACKSON STATE 2; #13 LOUISIANA 8, AUSTIN PEAY 0
LAFAYETTE, La. - Austin Peay State University’s Morgan Rackel and Danielle Liermann combined for seven hits and seven RBIs, Saturday at Lamson Park, in Day 2 of the 33rd Annual Louisiana Classic, as, as they defeated Jackson State 12-2 before falling to 13th-ranked Louisiana, 8-0 in the nightcap.
Rackel would finish the Jackson State game with four hits -- including a home runs -- and four RBIs, while Liermann collected three hits -- including a home run -- and three RBIs.
Kelsey Gross (1-1) would pick up the win in relief, going 4.1 innings, while giving up eight hits, one run and striking out three.
In Game 2 versus No. 13 Louisiana, the Ragin' Cajuns pulled away late, as the Govs only trailed 2-0 after three innings, but saw Louisiana score six runs in its final three at bats for the 8-0 final.
In the loss, the Govs were limited to just two hits -- singles by Liermann and Gross.
GEORGIA STATE 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, SAMFORD 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball fell in both games at the Samford Classic today. Georgia State bounced back with a 9-2 win over EIU, while Samford won 7-4. Morgan LaMore finished 2-of-2 at the plate and recorded two runs in today's action.
The Panthers fall to 3-6 overall and will be back in action next weekend at the Tiger Invitational hosted by Auburn. EIU will play five games starting with North Dakota State on Friday Feb 22 at 9 am.
Game 1
EIU took an early 2-1 lead over GSU over the first two innings of play. Megan Burton homered to left field in the first inning to score the Panthers first run. LaMore would score the second EIU run in the top of the second inning as McKenna Coffman reached on fielder's choice.
GSU tallied six runs in the bottom of the fifth to jump ahead of EIU 7-2. The inning was highlighted by doubles from A. Brumelow and B. Sexton. Sexton's double sent two GSU players across home plate, while Brumelow recorded one RBI. GSU would add two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth securing a 9-2 win over EIU.
Kendyl McKeough finished 2-of-3 at the plate. LaMore was 2-of-2 with one run scored, and Burton was 1-of-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
Coffman made the start on the mound pitching three full innings. Sydney Cammon and Valerie Thompson split the remainder of the game. Thompson would get the loss falling to 2-2.
Game 2
The Panthers looked to pick up a win in game two Saturday's slate at the Samford Classic. Burton scored the Panthers first run of the game again, but this time off a throwing error by the center fielder. Samford responded in the bottom of the first scoring their first three runs of the game.
McKeough doubled to right field in the third inning scoring Mady Poulter and narrowing Samford's lead 3-2. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the fifth and the sixth inning to lead 7-2.
Poulter would hit a double in the seventh inning to score Cammon. Breya Cooper hit a sac fly to center field scoring LaMore, but the Panthers would fall short losing 7-4 to Samford.
Montgomery was EIU's starting pitcher. She retired two batters in six innings falling to 0-3 on the mound. Cammon came in for relief for the final inning.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, TOWSON 0; MARSHALL 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4
CONWAY, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a pair of contests on the second day of the Battle at the Beach hosted by Coastal Carolina.
EKU beat Towson University, 5-0, in the opener before losing to Marshall University, 8-4, in five innings in the second game.
Eastern wasted no time in game one, hitting three home runs in the first inning to take a commanding 4-0 lead and not look back.
Zoe Mihalicz got the home run party started with a solo shot in the first inning. Hannah Clark followed suit with a solo home run of her own to take a 2-0 lead.
The Colonels were not done there. Emily Corbitt singled through the right side with only one out. That is when Mattira Morales sent a 1-1 pitched over the right center field fence to take a 4-0 lead after one.
The two teams would trade zeros for the next three innings.
Clark sent the first pitch of her at bat over the right field fence for her second home run of the game, to extend the EKU lead to 5-0.
Samantha Reynoso went the distance in the circle. She tossed seven innings allowing five hits and striking out five. She moved to 2-0 on the year.
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In game two, Marshall got off to a quick start scoring five runs in the first inning and did not look back.
With the bases loaded Hannah Giammarino sent a 1-0 pitch up the middle to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Thundering Herd were not done there. Hayden Ellis sent her 2-1 pitch down the left field line for a two RBI double to push the lead to 5-0, which would be all they needed.
EKU did not go down without a fight though.
Sammi Miller walked, followed by back-to-back walks by Corbitt and Jaqueline Mercado to load the bases with nobody out.
Carly Robinson put the Colonels back in it, as she sent the first pitch over the left center field fence to cut into the Thundering Herd lead, 5-4, after two innings.
Marshall would score one more in the fourth and two more in the fifth to extend its lead to 8-4.
EKU picked up five hits in the contest.
The Colonels return to the field tomorrow for their Battle of the Beach finale against Coastal Carolina at 1:30 p.m.
UMKC 9, MOREHEAD STATE 2; GEORGIA SOUTHERN 19, MOREHEAD STATE 2
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Morehead State softball team was denied a chance at picking up its first win of the season as it dropped contests to Missouri-Kansas City and Georgia Southern in the second day of the Eagle Round Robin on Saturday at Eagle Field.
Morehead State regressed to 0-8 in the 2019 season.
UMKC 9, MOREHEAD STATE 2
Freshman left-handed pitcher Lakyn Largent tossed three scoreless innings before giving up two runs in the fourth that led to an offensive outburst by the Roos'
Largent (0-4), who was charged with the loss, gave way to sophomore Megan Murphy after a walk and a single to begin the fourth. A passed ball and a single scored two runs against Largent and sparked a big inning against Murphy as UMKC scored five more runs to take 7-0 lead.
The Eagles responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, including a first-career home run by freshman Peyton Slater, but were unable to put together a consistent inning at the plate to pull closer.
Junior Allison Davis scored on an RBI single by junior Helyna Bissell in the fourth.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 19, MOREHEAD STATE 2 (5 inn.)
The ERR hosts Georgia Southern scored 10 runs in the opening inning on their way to a run-rule victory over the Eagles.
Morehead State scored two runs in the second inning off an RBI double by Cassie Griffin but were unable to produce the rest of the game.
GSU added four runs in the third and five in the fourth to cap its run total.
Largent (0-5) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on four hits.
Morehead State plays IUPUI at 9:00 a.m. in the final day of the Eagle Round Robin.