SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Kentucky 2, Eastern Illinois 1
@Eastern Kentucky 8, Eastern Illinois 2
@Belmont 4, Tennessee Tech 3
Tennessee Tech 7 @Belmont 5
EASTERN KENTUCKY 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1; EASTERN KENTUCKY 8, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
RICHMOND, Ky. -The Eastern Kentucky University softball team swept a doubleheader Sunday against conference foe Eastern Illinois University.
EKU (25-15, 12-4 OVC) won game one, 2-1, before defeating the Panthers in game two, 8-2.
In game one it was a battle of the pitchers and EKU came out on top.
Eastern Kentucky got on the board first in the second inning. After an Emily Corbitt walk put a runner on first with one out in the inning, Zoe Mihalicz ripped a 0-1 pitch the other way in the right center gap to bring home Corbitt all the way from first and take the 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Carly Robinson drew a one out walk to put a runner on first. Gaby De La Cerda came on to run at first and wasted no time stealing second base to put a runner in scoring position. Mihalicz delivered again with a single through the left side to give Eastern a 2-0 lead.
Eastern Illinois (12-35, 3-13 OVC) did not go down without a fight in the seventh. Mia Davis put the Panthers on the board with a solo shot to left field to cut the Colonel lead to 2-1.
With the tying run on second base and two outs, the game went into a lightning delay. Samantha Reynoso wasted no time after the delay getting the first batter to fly out to end the game.
Reynoso (8-1) went the distance in the circle, going seven innings allowing two hits, one run and striking out four.
Mihalicz went 2-for-2 with one double and two RBIs. Matti Morales chipped in the other hit for the Colonels going 1-for-3.
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In game two Eastern Kentucky struck for two in the fourth, three in fifth and three in the sixth to blow past EIU.
In the bottom of the fourth, Destinee Lizzmore got things started with a single up the middle to start the inning. Hannah Clark wasted no time sending a 1-0 pitch down the left field line in a hurry to take a 2-0 lead after four innings of play.
Melissa Jacobsen singled through the right side with one out to get things going in the fifth. After stealing second base, Sammi Miller singled to left center to bring home Jacobsen and take a 3-0 lead. Lizzmore delivered again, this time with a double down the left field line to bring home Miller to push the Colonel lead to 4-0. With two outs Robinson shot the 2-2 pitch the other way to take a 5-0 lead.
Eastern Illinois got on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo shot from Megan Burton.
But EKU responded with three more in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-1 lead into the seventh.
Mollie Paulick (9-6) started in the circle tossing five innings allowing one run, on four hits and striking out four. Murphy McRoberts pitched a scoreless top of the sixth inning in relief. Bethany Todd threw one inning in relief allowing one run.
Miller went 2-for-4 with one double and two RBIs on the game. Lizzmore was 3-for-4 with one double and two RBIs. Clark went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Robinson chipped in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with one RBI.
BELMONT 4, TENNESSEE TECH 3; TENNESSEE TECH 7, BELMONT 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech softball team wrapped up its road slate on Sunday, taking away a split at Belmont.
The Golden Eagles fell 4-3 in the first game, then held on to take a 7-5 victory in the nightcap.
The Bruins (26-17, 8-8 OVC) pulled out the victory in the bottom of the seventh in game one as Audrey Lyle hit an RBI single to right center, driving in Cameryn Strother for the walk-off win.
Beth McCulley and Raegan Sparks both went 2-for-3 as the Golden Eagles collected three runs on eight hits.
Tech scored two runs in the third as Jessie Lowery scored on a throwing error at third, then Sydney Love-Baker drove in Beth McCulley on a single to left.
Belmont tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, then Tech retook a slim advantage in the sixth as Raegan Sparks hit a solo home run to left. The Bruins knotted the game once more in the bottom of the sixth as Elison Ollinger hit an RBI triple to right center.
Alyssa Arden (11-9) took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking five and striking out five.
Alicia Veltri (12-7) earned the win, allowing three runs – two earned – on eight hits, while walking one and striking out six.
In game two, the Golden Eagles led 6-1 and held off a late rally to earn the victory. Gabby LaSala was 4-for-4 in the contest with three RBI and two runs scored, while Love-Baker also collected multiple hits as she went 2-for-4.
Kayla Hughes (4-5) earned the complete-game victory, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out eight.
LaSala drove in Tech’s first run in the second as she hit a single up the middle to drive in Ashley McGowan. Belmont tied the game with a single run in the third.
The Golden Eagles then scored two runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth.
LaSala drove the two in the fourth with a two-run home run to right, while Love-Baker and Sparks hit back-to-back homers in the fifth, then Hallie Davis collected an RBI single to left, driving in Alexis Trimiar.
Belmont scored two in the sixth to make it a 6-3 Tech lead, then the Golden Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the seventh with Lowery’s RBI single up the middle to drive in LaSala.
The Bruins attempted to rally in the seventh, driving in two, but was held there as Hughes finished off the contest with a strikeout.