SUNDAY'S SCORES
North Dakota 9
, Eastern Illinois 6
@#8 Gerogia 8,
Belmont 0
@Jacksonville State 5, Southern Miss 4
Southern Miss 10,
@Jacksonville State 4
UMBC 3,
Murray State 2
@NC State 9,
Murray State 1
Drake 3,
SIUE 2
@Chattanooga 2,
Eastern Kentucky 1
@Chattanooga 2,
Eastern Kentucky 0
@Lamar 3,
Austin Peay 0
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
AUBURN, Ala. - Megan Burton went 3-of-4 at the the plate with two RBI and one run scored as Eastern Illinois softball falls 9-6 to North Dakota State in the final game of the Tiger Invitational. The Panthers fall to 3-11 overall.
Breya Cooper started things out for EIU in the top of the first batting Burton in on a double to left center. The Bison responded in the bottom of the first tallying three runs highlighted by a two-run homer from Hansen to take a 3-1 lead. NDSU added another run in the second and by the end of the third inning the Bison led 9-1.
Burton recorded one of her hits in the top of the fifth with a single to center field to score Mady Poulter. In the top of the sixth, EIU would add another run as Denaed Santini scored on Morgan LaMore's grounder to the second baseman. Poulter, Burton, and Jenna Robbins all singled in the sixth through seventh innings to record RBI, but the Panthers fall 9-6.
Mia Davis and Kendyl McKeough went 2-of-4 at the plate for EIU, while Hannah Cravens went 2-of-3 with one run scored.
Jade Montgomery started on the mound falling to 0-6 on the year. Valerie Thompson and McKenna Coffman also pitched for the Panthers. Coffman tallied four strikeouts.
The Panthers will be back in action next weekend with a four game tournament hosted by Lipscomb in Nashville, Tenn.
#8 GEORGIA 8, BELMONT 0
ATHENS, Ga. - Despite a convincing effort, Belmont Softball was unable to topple No. 8 Georgia on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins (6-4) fell to UGA (14-1), 3-0, on the final day of the Georgia Classic.
Sophomore Alicia Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) dashed UGA's hopes of a no-hitter with a leadoff single to left to open the second inning, however, it would be the home team that would notch a run on the scoreboard first. In the bottom of the third frame, Georgia sent a pair of runners over the plate. However, the Bruins were able to respond and keep them from adding another run in the following inning. The Dawgs used a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to 3-0 but Belmont continued to fight down the stretch.
In the top of the sixth, senior Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) notched a leadoff single to left, looking to spark the Bruins. Unfortunately, it would not be enough as Georgia was able to hold on for the 3-0 victory.
For the day, both Cook and Veltri went 1-for-3.
Inside the circle, Veltri went the distance, fanning three batters in the effort.
Belmont comes to the friendly confines of E.S. Rose Park this weekend for its first home series of the 2019 campaign. The team will host the Bruin Classic, March 1-3.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, SOUTHERN MISS 4; SOUTHERN MISS 10, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4
OXFORD, Ala. - A Taylor Beshears walkoff double in the opener highlighted a doubleheader split with Southern Miss for the Jacksonville State softball team on Sunday at Choccolocco Park.
Beshears went 3-for-4 with her game winner in a 5-4 win in the opening game, while freshman Karsen Mosley went 3-for-4 in a 10-4 loss in the nightcap.
The Gamecocks pulled off an exciting win in the opener, one that went back-and-forth over the last inning and a half.
JSU scored two on an Alexus Jimmerson first-inning, bases-loaded double to grab an early lead, and the Golden Eagles answered with a two-run pinch-hit single by Kaitlyn Passeau to tie it in the top of the second.
That 2-2 score held until the bottom of the sixth, when Anna Chisolm belted her fourth home run of the season through the wind and over the fence in straightaway center field to give the Gamecocks a late 3-2 advantage.
The lead didn't hold, thanks to a Southern Miss rally that saw Tata Davis two-run double down the left field line with two outs that flipped the scoreboard and gave the Golden Eagles a 4-3 advantage.
After two quick outs started the bottom of the seventh, Sidney Wagnon kept the game alive with a single to left center and Anna Hood took a pitch off the leg to put the winning run on base for Beshears. The senior from Trussville lined the game winner into the gap in right center to score Wagnon from second and Hannahstaysia Weaver, who reentered the game to run for her pinch hitter Hood, from first to win the game.
Faith Sims (5-0) earned the win for Jacksonville State, tossing her fifth complete game in as many starts this season. The senior from Cordova, Ala., surrendered four runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out five in her seven innings of work.
Abby Trahan (2-3) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits in 6 and 2/3 innings of work. She struck out nine and didn't issue a walk.
The finale saw the Gamecocks score first, thanks to an RBI single from Kaley Warren in the second. IT was the first hit of the freshman's career and drove in Chisolm to put the Gamecocks up 1-0 in the second.
The lead didn't last long, however. Southern Miss scored three in the third to take a lead it wouldn't relinquish the rest of the game.
Back-to-back doubles from freshmen Wagnon and Mosley made it a 3-2 game, but four unearned runs after three JSU errors in the fifth opened the game up.
Mosley homered in the fifth to make it a 7-4 game, but the Golden Eagles plated three more in the sixth to put the final 10-4 score on the board.
Kirsten Titus (1-1) suffered the loss for JSU in the second game, allowing seven runs, only three earned, on five hits and three walks in 4 and 1/3 innings. Nicole Rodriguez retired two batters and didn't allow a run, while Jimmerson gave up three on three hits in two innings in the circle.
Makenna Pierce (2-1) earned the win in relief for Southern Miss, allowing two runs on five hits in 3 and 1/3 innings of work.
The Gamecocks will return to Choccolocco Park on Wednesday, when they host Samford at 4 p.m
DRAKE 3, SIUE 2
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - SIUE softball finished off the Razorback Invitational Sunday morning with a 3-2 loss to Drake.
Despite a handful of opportunities, the two offenses restricted their scoring to two innings.
Drake, 10-4, sent nine batters to the plate in the third inning and scored first on an RBI single by Libby Ryan. Taryn Pena and Kennedy Frank each drew walks with the bases loaded to account for the other two runs.
SIUE responded in the fourth inning when Bailley Concatto walked with the bases loaded. Alyssa Heren added an RBI on a fielder's choice.
The Cougars have completed their schedule for February and will take a 5-5 record into March.
CHATTANOOGA 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1; CHATTANOOGA 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team lost a pair of contests against Chattanooga on Sunday.
EKU lost game one to Chattanooga 2-1. Eastern lost in game two, 2-0.
Game one was a pitcher’s duel for most of the contest.
Destinee Lizzmore got the Colonels on the board after she sent a pitch down the right field line to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead after six innings.
That set up some last inning heroics for the Mocs. Chattanooga loaded the bases with three walks. With one out in the bottom in the seventh inning, Katie Corum came on to pinch hit and sent the pitch through the right side to walk it off, 2-1.
Samantha Reynoso started in the circle, going three and one-third innings while striking out three.
EKU had two hits on the contest.
In game two, Eastern could never get anything going.
In the sixth inning, the Colonels put together their biggest threat. After a leadoff walk by Gaby De La Cerda and a single by Zoe Mihalicz. EKU had runners on second and third with two outs. Hannah Clark ripped a line drive right at the third basemen to end the EKU threat.
The Mocs got a run in the first and third innings.
Bethany Todd went five and two-thirds innings, striking out six batters and only allowing four hits.
Mihalicz, Clark, Emily Corbitt and Erica Bowers each picked up a hit on the contest.
The Colonels wrap up their series with Chattanooga tomorrow. First pitch is at 12 p.m.
LAMAR 3, AUSTIN PEAY 0
BEAUMONT, Texas – Austin Peay State University’s softball team just couldn’t get its offense going, Sunday afternoon at the Lamar University Softball Complex, as the Governors were shutout by the Cardinals, 3-0.
The Govs (8-6) looked like a team that was a little tired after playing 23 innings the day before but did have scoring chances against Lamar (8-9).
In the third inning, Emily Moore opened the inning by drawing a walk, steal second and move over to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded.
Moore also reached on a seventh-inning single.
In the fourth, Carly Mattson and Kelsey Gross opened the inning with back-to-back singles, but three straight outs followed to end the scoring threat.
Finally, in the fifth inning, Natalie Schilling got the inning started with an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a ground out, but advanced no further.
UMBC 3, MURRAY STATE 2; NC STATE 9, MURRAY STATE 1
RALEIGH, N.C. - Recap coming soon.