FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Jacksonville State 3, UT Martin 0
@Jacksonville State 5, UT Martin 2
Tennessee State 6, @SIUE 0
Tennessee State 6, @SIUE 5 (8)
@Austin Peay 10, Morehead State 2 (5)
@Austin Peay 10, Morehead State 0 (6)
Southeast Missouri 1, @Tennessee Tech 0
Southeast Missouri 6, @Tennessee Tech 5
Eastern Kentucky 5, @Murray State 1
@Murray State 7, Eastern Kentucky 6
Belmont 6, @Eastern Illinois 5
Belmont 7, @Eastern Illinois 6
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, UT MARTIN 0; JACKSONVILLE STATE 5, UT MARTIN 2
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Faith Sims threw a no-hitter and earned a save to lead Jacksonville State in sweeping a doubleheader from UT Martin on Friday at University Field and remaining in first place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings.
Sims struck out nine batters in a seven-inning no-hitter to start the day with a 3-0 win and then nailed down a three-inning save in a 5-2 victory for the Gamecocks (32-12, 16-4 OVC). She held the Skyhawks (27-24, 8-10 OVC) hitless in the three innings in the finale, capping a day that saw her toss 10 innings of hitless softball.
JSU capitalized on big swings at the plate, getting two home runs each from Karsen Mosley and Hayley Sims and another from Alexus Jimmerson. Anna Chisolm tripled in each game and doubled in the nightcap.
Faith Sims (19-4) got more support than she needed from her offense. The senior from Cordova, Ala., struck out nine batters in the opener and retired the last nine batters she faced to earn her second career no-no and her first since no-hitting Army on Opening Day. She needed just 109 pitches in the first game.
Mosley put JSU up early with a solo homer to left in the first inning. Hayley Sims increased the lead to 3-0 in the second with a two-out homer that followed Chisolm's first triple of the day.
UTM starter Lexi Ray (7-7) settled in from that point, allowing the three runs on five hits in six innings in the circle. She suffered the loss, despite the solid outing that saw her strike out four and walk a pair.
In the finale, Mosley got things going early again. She hit the first of back-to-back homers with Jimmerson, staking Nicole Rodriguez to a 2-0 lead. Hayley Sims made it a 3-0 game in the second with her second homer of the twinbill, a solo opposite field blast to left center.
The Skyhawks cut JSU's lead to one with a pair of third-inning runs, their first of the day through just over nine innings vs. JSU pitchers.
Rodriguez (8-4) took the game into the fifth and earned the win after holding UTM to two runs on six hits and two walks. The Gamecocks turned back to Faith Sims in the fifth, when she came in to throw three hitless frames to earn her sixth save of the season.
JSU got the two back in the fifth, when Chisolm laced a two-run double to left that scored Taylor Beshears and Jimmerson and put the final 5-2 score on the board.
AUSTIN PEAY 10, MOREHEAD STATE 2; AUSTIN PEAY 10, MOREHEAD STATE 0
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University swept a pair of Ohio Valley Conference contests versus Morehead State, Friday afternoon at Cathi Maynard Park at Cheryl Holt Field, both in run-rule fashion, 10-2 and 10-0.
After a scoreless first inning, the Govs (27-18, 12-4 OVC) sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning, scoring seven of them on five hits, a walk and two hit batters.
Highlighting the inning was a bases-clearing triple by Brooke Pfefferle, to drive in the first three runs of the inning, while Kacy Acree and Morgan Rackel collected an RBI singles to go with Danielle Liermann’s two-run single, for a 7-0 advantage.
The Eagles would score their only runs of the day in the top of the third inning on an RBI triple by Peyton Rose and an RBI single by Princess Valencia, to make it 7-2, but that would be as close as they would get, as Kelsey Gross (5-1) retired six of the final seven batters she faced in picking up her third straight wins in as many starts.
Gross would also help herself at the plate, hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, while Lexi Osowski ended the game with an RBI single in the fifth for the 10-2 final margin.
Game 2 would see Morgan Rackel (19-5) and Mardones combined for a one-hit shutout in the versus the Eagles (2-35, 0-16 OVC), with Rackel picking up her 12th straight win without a loss.
Offensively, Austin Peay used the long-ball to score its first two runs of the game, with Liermann homering in the first inning and Emily Moore in the second for a 2-0 advantage.
The Govs would then break the game open with three runs in the third, the first coming on a single by Rackel, while the other two came in a two-run homer by Osowski, making it 5-0.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Govs would close out the game’s scoring with two runs in the fifth inning – coming in on a single by Pfefferle -- and a three-run homer by Liermann, her second of the game to end the contest, 10-0.
Morehead State’s lone hit of the game came on a bunt single by Aubrey Bennett in the top of the fifth inning.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, TENNESSEE TECH 5
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri (37-14, 14-4) used a pair of one-run victories to sweep Tennessee Tech (18-25, 8-10) in a doubleheader Friday.
Brooke Rheinecker had SEMO's first hit and scored the only run in the Redhawks tight game one victory.
SEMO was no-hit through 5.2 innings until Rheinecker reached on a bunt single in the top of the sixth inning. Prior to Rheinecker's hit, the Redhawks had seven hitters reach base on either a walk, hit by pitch or fielder's choice.
Sarah Messex singled to right field and Rheinecker came around to score an unearned run with the help of a throwing error.
After TTU stranded a runner in the bottom of the sixth, Kaylee Anderson retired the Golden Eagles in order in the seventh.
Anderson tossed three scoreless one-hit innings with five strikeouts out of the bullpen. She faced 10 hitters and did not issue a walk, as well.
Alyssa Arden (11-12) suffered the loss. Arden went the distance striking out five, walking six and allowing a run on three hits.
SEMO had just three hits, one each by Claudia Gallo, Rheinecker and Messex.
Ashley Ellis went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored and broke SEMO's all-time single-season RBI record in the nightcap.
Tied, 1-1, Claudia Gallo and Ellis each hit home runs to put SEMO ahead, 3-1, in the top of the fourth inning. Ellis set the new single-season RBI record on that round-tripper.
After TTU tied the game again at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, the Redhawks countered with a three-run sixth inning and that was the difference in the game.
Rachel Anderson walked, stole second and scored the go-ahead run with the help of a wild pitch. Following a Addison Barnouski walk, Ellis ripped a two-run home run over the left center wall to give SEMO a 6-3 advantage.
Gabby LaSala, who went 3-for-3 in the nightcap, smacked her second home run of the game to narrow the Redhawks lead to 6- 5 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
K. Anderson (5-2) picked up her second win after throwing four scoreless, no-hit innings with two strikeouts. Anderson pitched a one-two-three seventh inning to bury the Golden Eagles for good.
SEMO recorded six hits. Parker Bandy joined Ellis with two hits.
The Redhawks completed their fifth doubleheader sweep in Ohio Valley Conference play this year.
TENNESSEE STATE 6, SIUE 0; TENNESSEE STATE 6, SIUE 5
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE softball battled from three runs down to send the Friday's doubleheader into extra innings but fell in eight innings.
The Cougars lost game two 6-5 and dropped the opener at Cougar Field 6-0.
Raven Loveless picked up both wins for Tennessee State, which improved to 12-26 overall and 5-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference. SIUE dropped to 15-21 overall and 7-9 in the OVC.
In game two, SIUE fell behind 4-1 after 1 ½ innings but tied the score in the fifth 4-4 on a two-run double down the left field line by Bailley Concatto. After Tennessee State regained the lead in the sixth, Concatto did it again with an RBI single that tied up the game 5-5
TSU's Sarah Snell provided the eventual game winner in the eighth on a single, driving home Jordan Wharton.
The Cougars collected 13 hits in the nightcap after hitting just four in the opener. Sammie Ofoia had a season-best three hits, including a pair of doubles. Concatto, Alyssa Heren and Alana Cobb-Adams each had two hits.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, MURRAY STATE 1; MURRAY STATE 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6
MURRAY, Ky. - Senior Lexi Jones capped a four-run seventh inning rally with a single turned error that allowed the Murray State softball team to walk-off with a 7-6 win in game two of an OVC doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky Friday at Racer Field in Murray, Kentucky. The Colonels, however, did get the better of the Racers in game one of the twin bill by a score of 5-1.
In the opener, the Racers (22-24, 12-6 OVC) scored first when Lindsey Carroll scored Lillie Goetz on an RBI single, after Goetz led off the game with what would be her first of three walks on the day. Murray State held the narrow 1-0 lead until the third inning, when EKU’s bats came alive. Over the last five innings of the game, the Colonels (27-17, 13-5 OVC) scored five runs on nine hits to secure the 5-1 win.
Much of MSU’s troubles in the game came at the plate, as they mustered just four hits, while being struck out nine times by EKU pitchers. Hannah James (11-11) took the loss in the circle for the Racers after allowing five runs on 11 hits with no walks, but only two strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work.
In game two, the Racers were hot right out of the gates, scoring three runs in the first three innings, while Taylor Makowsky retired the first nine Colonels she faced in the contest. However, EKU’s Hannah Clark cut Murray State’s lead to just one in the fourth with a home run, before tying it in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, the Colonels surged ahead when Erica Bowers scored two on her first home run of the season after a leadoff single by Carley Robinson. Later in the inning, Sammi Miller extended EKU’s lead to 6-3 with a sacrifice fly of her own.
After Carroll started the inning with a single, she was replaced on the base paths on a fielder’s choice from Brenna Finck. Finck, though, was not alone on the bases for long as Culver drew a walk to give the Racers two runners with just one out.
With momentum going their way, Logan Braundmeier trimmed EKU’s lead to two with a double down the right field line that scored Finck from second. Braundemeier then found her way to third in the next at bat on a wild pitch that also scored Culver to pull the Racers within one at 6-5.
Denise Teague was next for Murray State and found her way to first on a fielder’s choice that did not result in an out by EKU. With the go-ahead run at first, Lexi Jones sent a ball to left field that was misplayed by the Colonel outfielder to not only allow Braundmeier to score from third for the tie, but also Teague to score from first for the 7-6 win.
Jensen Striegel was 3-for-4 in the game to lead Murray State, while Finck was 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI and Braundmeier was also 2-for-4, with a run and a RBI of her own. Amber Van Duyse (2-2) was lights out for the Racers in the final inning as she allowed no runs on no hits with no walks to earn her second win of the season.
BELMONT 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5; BELMONT 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Megan Burton hit .750 on the night with six hits in Eastern Illinois softball's doubleheader with Belmont Friday night. The Bruins took a 6-5 win in game one and a 7-6 win in game two over the Panthers. EIU falls to 14-39 overall and 3-17 in the OVC. Belmont improves to 28-19 overall and 10-8 in the OVC.
Game 1
The Panthers combined for 11 hits in game one of today's doubleheader. Burton led the Panthers with three hits including a double, two runs scored, and two RBI. Mia Davis, Cooper, and Poulter each added two hits in the game.
Belmont jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Burton would bring the Panthers within one run after the bottom of the first scoring on a single from Davis. The Bruins added four runs in the second on a series of hits from the middle of the batting order.
Burton recorded her 18 double of the season in the second inning to score Poulter for EIU's second run. In the fourth inning, Burton would hit a single to center field to score Hannah Cravens. Later in the fourth, Burton scored on a sac fly from Mia Davis bringing the Panthers within two runs of the Bruins. Taylor Jones scored EIU's final run of the game on a grounded out by Haley Mitchell, but EIU's run feel short falling 6-5 to Belmont.
McKenna Coffman falls to 5-12 after making the start in the circle for EIU. Sydney Cammon pitched 6.2 innings for the Panthers and retired a career-high six batters.
Game 2
Burton added another three hits in the night cap vs. Belmont, while Hannah Kissel went 2-for-2 and Taylor Jones went 2-for-3 at the plate.
The Bruins jumped out to a 4-0 lead mid-way through the second inning. The Panthers got on the board with a run as Burton drove in Morgan LaMore on a single up the middle. Belmont added another run in the fifth to go up 5-1, but a fifth inning rally from EIU would narrow their lead.
Hannah Kissel singled down the right field line for her first hit of the game driving in Poulter. Davis scored on the next at-bat on a single through the left side from Cooper. Kissel scored the third run of the inning on a fielding error by Belmont's pitcher to narrow the Bruins lead 5-4.
A pair of runs from Belmont in the sixth put them up 7-4. Jones and Poulter both scored in the bottom of the sixth, but EIU fell 7-6 in game two to Belmont.
Jade Montgomery falls to 4-19 overall and recorded four strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. Coffman came in for relief mid-way through the seventh inning.