SATURDAY'S SCORES
Rutgers 13,
Jacksonville State 5
Army 11,
Jacksonville State 6
UT Martin 3, Saint Francis 1
UT Martin 11, Savannah State 0
Chattanooga 6,
Morehead State 2
Ohio 6,
Morehead State 1
Central Arkansas 4,
Tennesssee Tech 1
@Southern miss 8,
Tennessee Tech 6
Eastern Kentucky 7, Appalachian State 6 (10)
Alabama 16,
Murray State 10
@Troy 2,
Murray State 1
South Alabama 9,
Tennessee State 1 (6)
Western Kentucky 5,
Tennessee State 0
ULM 5,
Austin Peay 3
Austin Peay 18, UAB 4 (5)
Chattanooga 2,
Eastern Illinois 1
Eastern Illinois 8, @Kennesaw State 0 (6)
Southeast Missouri 16, UNI 0 (5)
Southeast Missouri 7, Toledo 9
RUTGERS 13, JACKSONVILLE STATE 5; ARMY 11, JACKSONVILLE STATE 6
MACON, Ga. - A pair of big innings did the Jacksonville State softball team in at the Mercer Invitational on Saturday.
An eight-run second cost the Gamecocks (2-2) in an 11-3 loss to Rutgers before Army claimed an 11-6 win behind a seven-run fourth inning on day two of the tournament.
Taylor Beshears was the bright spot for the Gamecocks, belting three home runs in the second game of the day. The senior from Trussville, Ala., entered the game searching for her first hit of the season and responded in a big way. She paced a six home run day for the Gamecocks at the plate.
Rutgers got on the board first in the opening game, getting a sac fly from Anyssa Iliopoulos that gave the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead. JSU answered to tie in the top of the second on Anna Chisolm's first homer of the season and then took the lead when Jada Terry doubled in Bailey Smart to make it a 2-1 game.
The Scarlet Knights opened the flood gates in the bottom of the second, scoring eight runs in an inning that was highlighted by three home runs and gave them a 9-2 lead.
The Gameocks cut into the deficit in the fourth. Chisolm got the inning started by drawing a walk and then using her speed to steal second and force an error that allowed her to reach third. She would score on an Amber Jones RBI single, setting up a two-run homer by freshman Bailey Smart. Her first career blast drew JSU to within four, making it a 9-5 game.
Three JSU errors in the bottom of the fifth allowed a pair of unearned runs to score with two outs for the Scarlet Knights, stopping JSU's momentum and stretching Rutgers' lead to 11-5. A homer and another error, JSU's sixth of the game, led to the final two runs in the sixth that ended the game via the mercy rule.
Alexus Jimmerson (0-1) suffered the loss for JSU, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in just over an inning of work. Freshman Lexi Androlevich surrendered seven runs, four earned, on eight hits in 4 and 1/3 innings of relief work in her collegiate debut.
Whitney Jones (1-1) earned the win for Rutgers, allowing five runs on seven hits in four innings, while Corah Price held JSU scoreless through two innings. The Scarlet Knights hit four homers in the game and was led by Katie Wingert's 4-for-4 outing that featured a homer and two RBI.
The Gamecocks scored first in the second game of the day, plating two runs on Beshears' first homer. After Army tied the game in the second, freshman Karsen Mosley belted her first career homer to center to put JSU back up, 3-2.
That's when it came apart for JSU. The Black Knights scored seven times in the fourth with just two hits. The big inning featured four walks and two errors and put the Gamecocks in a 10-3 hole.
Beshears belted a solo homer in the fifth to get one back and then answered a sixth-inning Army run with a two-run blast that put the final 11-6 score on the board.
Nicole Rodriguez (0-1) suffered the loss for JSU after allowing five runs on six hits through three innings of work. Reagan Watkins gave up five runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks in one frame, while freshman Macy Bearden surrendered one run on one hit and three walks in two frames.
Jolie Doug (2-0) earned the win for Army, giving up three runs on four hits in four innings of work.
The Gamecocks will wrap up their opening weekend on Sunday, when they take on host Mercer at 12:15 p.m. CT.
UT MARTIN 3, SAINT FRANCIS 1; UT MARTIN 11, SAVANNAH STATE 0
STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team took care of business on the second day of the Georgia Southern Bash in the Boro by sweeping Saint Francis, 3-1, before run-ruling Savannah State 11-0 in five innings.
The Skyhawks (3-1) looked impressive throughout the day, scoring 14 runs while allowing just one. Sophomore outfielder Madelyn Dycus posted the best day of her young career, going 3-for-3 on the day with a RBI and a stolen base. Meanwhile, Alli Fulcher, Shelby Woodard and Haylee Short each tallied a pair of base hits while combining to drive in five runs on the day. Freshman Kenna Garst would also joni in the action, tallying a two-run double in the win over Savannah State.
For as dominant as the Skyhawks were in the batter’s box, they were equally as impressive in the pitcher’s circle. Sophomore Caitlin Karo (1-0, 1.40) picked up her first win of the season, striking out a pair while allowing just one earned run in five innings of work. Freshman Lexi Ray (1-1, 4.67 ERA) rebounded nicely in her second collegiate start, tossing a five-inning shutout against Savannah State. Fellow freshman Erin Gallagher continued to impress out of relief, striking out two in a pair of scoreless innings to notch her first career save.
Game 3: UT Martin 3, Saint Francis 1
UT Martin would strike first in the contest as Shelby Woodard drove in the game’s first run on a fielding error. Another run would come home to score on a RBI by Aalia Bivens to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks added on some insurance in the bottom of the second with a RBI by Paige Clark to make it a three-run advantage.
UT Martin gave up its lone run of the day in the top of the sixth inning as McKee tallied a solo home run to right field.
Game 4: UT Martin 11, Savannah State 0 – Five innings
UT Martin would score early and often in the team’s second game of the day. A RBI single through the left side by Woodard would serve as her second RBI of the day in the first inning.
From there the Skyhawks would explode in the second inning with seven runs. Short would drive in the first run of the second inning with a single through the left side before two later came home to score on a throwing error. The runs continued to mount with a pair of two-run doubles by Fulcher and Garst to stretch the lead out to eight runs.
A RBI single by Gracyn McBride scored a run in the third inning while the final damage was inflicted in the fourth inning on a RBI single to left center by Dycus and fielding error to cap off an 11-0 victory.
UT Martin will look to close out the tournament on a high note when concluding play against host Georgia Southern on Sunday, Feb. 10. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
CHATTANOOGA 6, MOREHEAD STATE 2; OHIO 6, MOREHEAD STATE 1
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Morehead State softball team dropped a pair of games on Saturday in the second day of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament hosted by Kennesaw State at Bailey Park.
The Eagles dropped a 6-2 decision to Chattanooga in the morning game before falling 6-1 to Ohio in a mid-day meeting.
With the losses, Morehead State drops to 0-3 to begin the 2019 season.
CHATTANOOGA 6, MOREHEAD STATE 2
The Mocs broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth as they connected on five of their seven hits, including a three-run home run, to pull ahead 6-2.
Sophomore righty Sarah King (0-2, 7.35 ERA) suffered the setback after allowing five runs in two and two-thirds innings of work. Right-handed sophomore Megan Murphy (0-0, 4.20) made her first start of the season and conceded one run on two hits and five walks.
The Eagles offense mustered up a season-best eight hits in the game between five different batters.
Sophomore Kalle Coleman tripled in the first inning with two outs for the Eagles only extra-base hit of the game. Coleman was also responsible for Morehead State's two runs scored in the third frame.
The Wheelersburg, Ohio, native singled home senior outfielder Aubrey Bennett and junior outfielder Allison Davis to put the Eagles ahead 2-1.
A solo home run by Chattanooga in the bottom of the frame tied things at 2-2 before the Mocs big fifth inning.
Coleman led the Eagles with a 3-for-4 day at the plate while freshman catcher Princess Valencia recorded her second-straight multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 outing. Bennett, freshman infielder Peyton Slater, and freshman utility player Randi Hamilton rounded out the team's hits.
OHIO 6, MOREHEAD STATE 1
The junior Davis blistered her first career home run in the first inning but that proved to be all the Morehead State offense could muster up in a 6-1 defeat.
Davis turned on a 2-0 pitch and sent it over the left-center field fence. The hit was Davis' first of the 2019 season and just the fourth of her career.
Hamilton (0-1, 8.40 ERA) started the game in the circle and absorbed the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks in one and two-third innings. Freshman lefty Lakyn Largent (0-0, 3.32 ERA) relieved Hamilton and worked four and one-third innings while giving up one run on six hits while striking out three batters.
Morehead State will take on Chattanooga in the final day of the PRMT on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 4, TENNESSEE TECH 1; SOUTHERN MISS
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Tennessee Tech softball team had a chance late in its second game of the Black and Gold Invitational to earn its first win of the season against Southern Miss, but the homestanding Golden Eagles snuffed out Tech’s rally with USM taking an 8-6 win on Saturday night.
Freshman Alexis Trimiar led Tech at the plate on Saturday in her first two career games, going 3-for-6 with four RBI.
Tech went 0-for-2 on its first day of the season, falling 4-1 earlier in the day to Central Arkansas.
Trailing 3-0 through three frames in the contest against the Golden Eagles, Tech put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth as Trimiar picked up her second and third RBI of the day with a two-run single to right field, sending pinch-runner Chandler Caldwell and Gabby LaSala home to score.
However, Southern Miss answered with four runs in the fourth, then another single run in the fifth to make it an 8-2 game.
Tech rallied in the sixth with two runs as Haeli Bryson picked up her first career RBI with a grounder to second, giving LaSala enough room to score. Trimiar followed that up with an RBI single to left center, driving in Kayla Hughes.
Then, in the top of the seventh, Tech added two more runs as Hughes drove in LaSala and Jessie Lowery on a double, before Southern Miss ended the visiting Golden Eagles’ rally.
Callie Piper took the loss, allowing the first run on two hits as she walked one and struck out one among her seven batters faced. Bryson threw the final four frames, allowing seven runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two.
Madison Rayner led Southern Miss (3-0) with three RBI on a 2-for-4 night. Pitcher Abby Trahan improved to 2-0 as she went the distance in the circle, allowing six runs – two earned – on seven hits and one walk, while striking out six.
In the day’s first game against Central Arkansas, Trimiar drove in Tech’s lone run in the fourth inning, driving in Hughes on one of the Golden Eagles’ three hits of the contest. Beth McCulley and Hughes had Tech’s other two hits.
Alyssa Arden took the loss for Tech, allowing four runs on seven hits as she walked six and struck out four. Her counterpart, UCA’s Kam Coleman, took the victory as she allowed one run on three hits, walking one and striking out three.
The Golden Eagles close out play in the Black and Gold Invitational on Sunday as they take on Jackson State at 10 a.m. and Houston Baptist at 12:30 p.m.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 7, APPALACHIAN STATE 6
ELON, N.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team knocked off Appalachian State University, 7-6, in 10 innings on Saturday.
Do to the international tiebreaker rule both teams started with a runner on second base once they reached the 10th inning.
EKU took advantage of that opportunity. Back-to-back ground outs brought in Samantha Reynoso for what would be the winning run for the Colonels.
Hannah Clark threw out the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning for the Colonels to prevail in extras.
The Mountaineers got off to a quick start showing off their power, hitting a pair of two-run home runs by Ally Walters and Alison Durrence to take a 4-0 lead after three innings.
That is when Eastern got the bats going. The Colonels scored five straight runs to take a 5-4 lead after three and half innings.
Emily Corbitt and Clark drove in a run each with a RBI single to get the scoring started for the Colonels in the top of the fourth.
Mattira Morales got the scoring started in the top half of the fifth sending a 1-1 pitch over the right center field fence for her first home run of the year. Reynoso singled up the middle with two outs to extend the Colonel threat. That is when Destinee Lizzmore sent her third home run in two days over the center field fence to give Eastern a 5-4 lead.
Appalachian State responded with two unearned runs to retake a 6-5 lead going into the top of the sixth inning.
Carly Robinson wasted no time tying the game at 6-6 after she sent a 3-2 pitch down the left field line to bring home Clark.
The two teams went scoreless for the next three innings until the 10th.
Miller led the way for EKU going 5-for-6 on the day. Reynoso went 3-for-5 with two runs.
Durrence was 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBIs.
Reynoso picked up the win on the mound, throwing three and two-thirds innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.
EKU returns to the field tomorrow, when the Colonels take on Longwood at 11 a.m.
SOUTH ALABAMA 9, TENNESSEE STATE 1; WESTERN KENTUCKY 5, TENNESSEE STATE 0
GULF SHORES, Ala. - The Tennessee State softball team dropped a pair of games on day two of the Sand Dollar Classic. The Tigers fell 9-1 in six innings to South Alabama and 5-0 to Western Kentucky. The two losses drop TSU to 0-4 on the early season.
Against South Alabama, the Tigers scored the first run of the game on an RBI single by Reese Weber. Weber drove in Patton Akers who was hit by a pitch and moved to second when Beckey Melton was plunked.
TSU committed three errors in the top of the second, allowing five runs. The Tigers could not overcome the deficit, as USA added a run in the fourth and fifth innings before tacking on two more in the sixth.
Katie Schneider suffered her second loss of the season, tossing three innings before giving way to Raven Loveless, who worked the final three innings.
In the night cap, TSU left eight runners on base and could not manage to push a run across against the Hilltoppers. WKU touched starter Jessina Espinoza for three runs, two earned, on four hits to give the freshman a loss in her first career start.
Bri Vire led the Big Blue with three hits on the day, while Weber and Akers each collected two.
ULM 5, AUSTIN PEAY 3; AUSTIN PEAY 18, UAB 5
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team split a pair of games, on Day 2 of the UAB Tournament Saturday at Mary Bowers Field, dropping the opener to Louisiana Monroe 5-3 before exploding for a 18-4 victory versus UAB in the nightcap.
The Govs (3-1) would score in four of its five at bats versus UAB, including exploding for seven runs in the first and six in the third, finishing the game with 16 and hits overall.
Carly Mattson, Kacy Acree, Morgan Rackel, Kelsey Gross and Emily Moore would all finish with multiple-RBI efforts in the win, backing Rackel (2-0) who allowed seven hits while striking out four.
In Game 1 versus Louisiana Monroe, got out to a one-run lead on an Acree sacrifice fly in the second inning, but was the Warhawks score five unanswered, before Brooke Pfefferle’s two-run single in the sixth inning to cut the margin to 5-3.
CHATTANOOGA 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1; EASTERN ILLINOIS 8, KENNESAW STATE 0
KENNESAW, Ga. - Eastern Illinois softball played UT Chattanooga in the first game of today's play at the Rafter Memorial Classic. The Mocs took a 2-1 win over the Panthers. EIU turned around and shutout Kennesaw State 8-0 to sweep the season series over the Owls.
The Panthers improve to 2-2 on the season. They will be back in action tomorrow morning at 11:30 looking to split this weekend's series with Ohio.
Game 1
The Panthers tallied three hits in their 2-1 loss to the Mocs. Megan Burton, Mia Davis, and Taylor Jones each went 1-for-3 at the plate.
The teams were scoreless in the first four innings. A sac-fly from Halie Williamson scored Amanda Beltran for the Mocs first run of the game. EIU responded in the bottom of the sixth with a run of their own. Davis singled through the right side of the field to score Mady Poulter.
Williamson would single to right field in the top of the seventh to score Gracey Kruse for Chattanooga's game winning run.
Jade Montgomery recorded two strikeouts in the loss falling to 0-2 on the mound for the Panthers.
Game 2
EIU swept KSU in game two of today's play. Yesterday the Panthers beat the Owls 11-5, and today they came back with an 8-0 shutout over the Owls. Kendyl McKeough led EIU at the play going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored.
The Panthers put up two runs in the top of the second. Both Tayler Wullenweber and Breya Cooper scored on a single from Hannah Kissel. Wullenweber would score again in the top of the fourth on a sac-fly from MeKenna Coffman.
In the fifth inning, McKeough homered to left field to tally her three RBI of the game. The Panthers would add two more runs in the sixth on a double from Burton and a single from Davis.
Poulter went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Burton finished 1-of-2 with two runs scored.
Coffman made the start on the mound retiring three batters over six innings pitched. She only gave up five hits to the Owls and improves to 1-0 on the mound.