FRIDAY'S SCORES
Tulsa 10,
Tennesssee Tech 2
Tennessee Tech 10, @Mercer 7
Tulsa 5,
Eastern Kentucky 2
Eastern Kentucky 14, Dayton 6 (5)
Murray State 1, South Dakota State 0
Murray State 3, @Northern Iowa 1
Eastern Illinois 5, Akron 4
@Samford 4,
Eastern Illinois 3
Jacksonville State 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 7
@Kennesaw State 9,
Jacksonville State 1 (5)
Buffalo 4,
UT Martin 3
UT Martin 5, Alabama State 0
EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, AKRON 4; SAMFORD 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball opened the 2020 season today at the Samford Tournament hosted by Samford University. The Panthers collected their first win of the season in their opening game against Akron, winning 5-4. In the second game of the day, the Panthers fell to Samford 4-3.
EIU is 1-1 heading into a two-game slate tomorrow. The Panthers will play Winthrop tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. and the Samford at 5:30 p.m. They will wrap up their first tournament of the season with an 11 am rematch with Winthrop on Sunday.
Game 1
The Panthers win their season opener 5-4 against Akron Friday afternoon. EIU took an early 4-0 lead over Akron with a grand slam from Hannah Cravens in the first inning.
In the bottom of the fifth Akron gets on the board with a single to advance a runner across the plate to make the score 4-1. Later in the inning Akron bats in two more runs to make the game 4-3 heading into the sixth inning.
In the sixth inning, Hannah Kissel has an RBI to drive Kayla Bear home to make the score 5-3. In the bottom of the sixth, freshman pitch Taylor Florea gets her first strikeout of her college career and another one right after that to end the inning.
In the final inning, the Panthers head into it 5-4, EIU couldn't get a run across the plate but neither could Akron. The Panthers pick up their first win of the season and give Head Coach Tara Archibald her first career win as a Panther and as a head coach.
Game 2
The Panthers lost their first game of the season to Samford 4-3. EIU plays Samford again tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. as they look to avenge this loss.
In the first inning, the Panthers got a base hit from Bear, but couldn't capitalize. It was all Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning as they have five singles to drive in two runs for the Bulldogs.
The Panthers start the second with a leadoff walk by Hannah Cravens then Kendyl McKeough knocks one deep into the left-field over the wall for a two-run homer to tie the game 2-2. In the bottom of the second, Samford got a leadoff single but the Panther defense was dialed in as they shutout the Bulldogs the rest of the inning.
In the third, Kayla Bear gets the Panthers started with a double off the wall in center field but that's all EIU can do on the bats in the third. While the Bulldogs get a single, Megan Burton ends the inning with a double play to end the inning.
Hannah Cravens leads off the fourth inning with a lead off home run to put the Panthers up 3-2. In the bottom of the fourth Burton end the inning with a fly out catch with the Panthers on top 3-2 going into the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth Samford hits a home run to tie the game 3-3. In the middle of fifth, the Panthers switch out pitchers as they bring in senior Jade Montgomery to close the game. At the end of the fifth inning the Panthers are down 4-3. The Panthers were not able to come back as they lose their second game 4-3.
BUFFALO 4, UT MARTIN 3; UT MARTIN 5, ALABAMA STATE 0
HAMMOND, La. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team opened the 2020 campaign by splitting the opening day of the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic on Friday afternoon.
The Skyhawks (1-1) took great strides in their first action of the season by jumping out to an early lead against Buffalo before ultimately falling 4-3 in the opener. Despite the late rally to flip the result in the opener, UT Martin took control of the contest against Alabama State and never looked back, cruising to a 5-0 victory.
UT Martin saw its returners post strong showings after a long offseason. Junior Madelyn Dycus paced the team with a .600 batting average in the doubleheader, posting three base hits and one RBI. Junior Paige Clark also posted a multi-hit day with two base hits and a pair of stolen bases to go with one RBI. As a whole, the group of Dycus, Clark, Chelsey Gore, Aalia Bivens and Shyanne Sheffield each tallied RBIs on the afternoon.
The Skyhawks pitching staff was impressive, posting a team ERA of 2.00 while tallying 15 strikeouts between the two contests. Erin Gallagher (0-1) started the opener and struck out 10 before allowing four runs in the sixth inning to be hit with the loss. In Game 2, senior Hannah Ridolfi (1-0) tossed five scoreless innings for the victory while junior Seeley Layne pitched three innings of scoreless relief between the two games.
Game 1: Buffalo 4, UT Martin 3
UT Martin jumped out to an early lead in the season opener by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. The Skyhawks used some small ball to kick off the inning as Clark reach via a walk before swiping second to move into scoring position. A pair of consecutive bunts by Gore and Sheffield led to Clark scoring while setting up Bivens to drive in the team's second run on a double down the left field line.
The Skyhawks would pad their margin in the fifth inning as back-to-back singles by Dycus and Chayse Skinner led off the frame. With two runners in scoring position later in the inning, Sheffield singled through the left side to tally her second RBI of the contest and give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead.
Gallagher was cruising through the game with five no-hit innings and eight strikeouts until Buffalo found its stride in the top of the sixth. After the Bulls tallied their first base hit to lead off the inning the squad rattled off four hits in the inning - including a go-ahead two-run home run by Jenelle Martinez to ultimately serve as the game-winner.
Game 2: UT Martin 5, Alabama State 0
In the second game of the day, the Skyhawks took a lead in the third inning and never looked back. After Bivens led off the inning by reaching via a hit by pitch, the Skyhawk duo of Dycus and Cark tallied back-to-back singles to put the team on top. As the pair both moved into scoring position, Dycus later raced home to score on a wild pitch before Clark quickly followed in her tracks on a sacrifice bunt by Gore to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead.
The Skyhawks added to their margin in the fourth inning after capitalizing on miscues. Maddi Long would reach base via a passed ball to lead off the inning before being pulled for pinch runner Emily Alexander. The freshman speedster immediately went to work by swiping second before advancing to third and later home on a pair of wild pitches. The Skyhawks put the finishing touches on the contest with a single up the middle by Dycus to make it a five-run margin.
UT Martin will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 8 when squaring off against Alabama State (noon) and host Southeastern Louisiana (6 p.m.). The contest against Southeastern Louisiana will be streamed live on YouTube.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 8, PURDUE FORT WAYNE 7; KENNESAW STATE 9, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Jacksonville State softball team earned a split to open the 2020 season on Friday, holding off Purdue Fort Wayne before falling to Kennesaw State at Bailey Park.
The Gamecocks (1-1) overcame an early deficit to the Mastadons before rallying and then holding on for an 8-7 win to kick off the season at the KSU Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament. The host Owls then used two big innings to earn a 9-1 win in the second game of the day.
In the opener, the Gamecocks trained 4-1 in the second inning before storming back to take control of the game. An error allowed the Gamecocks to score in the second but a four-run frame by Fort Wayne gave them the early advantage.
JSU plated a pair in the third, thanks to RBI from Alexus Jimmerson and Jada Terry, to cut the deficit to a run. Terry tied the game in the fifth on a sac fly and then a two-run single from Jimmerson in the sixth put JSU back in front 6-4. Newcomer Maddie Clay, a transfer from Georgia State, laced a two-run double into left in the top of the seventh to build an 8-4 lead with just three outs to get.
Sophomore Hannah Brown (1-0), who entered the game in the third and tossed four scoreless innings to get to the seventh, worked out of a jam to preserve the win. The Mastadons took advantage of a JSU error and plated three unearned runs before Brown induced a Lexi Smalarz pop up to end the game.
Brown earned her first career win in the circle after allowing three unearned runs on five hits in five innings of work. Jimmerson started the game and surrendered four runs on seven hits in two innings.
Lauren McConnell (0-1) suffered the loss for Fort Wayne after surrendering five runs on six hits and five walks in 4 and 2.3 innings of relief work.
Terry led JSU at the plate with a 2-for-2 game that also saw her drive in a pair of runs, while Jimmerson had three RBI and Clay added two.
In the second game of the day, the Owls jumped on JSU for a four-run first inning and never looked back. They scored five in the fifth to end the game via the mercy rule.
JSU's lone run came in the third, cutting its deficit to three runs at the time. Freshman Megan Fortner led off with a double and then scored on a two-out error by KSU.
Macy Bearden (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in four innings in the circle, while Reagan Watkins allowed three runs, two earned, while recording one out in the fifth.
Melanie Bennett (1-0) earned the win for KSU, limiting JSU to an unearned run on two hits in five innings.
JSU will play the same two teams on Saturday, beginning with an 11 a.m. CT matchup with Fort Wayne. The Gamecocks will wrap up the day at 3 p.m. CT against KSU.
TULSA 10, TENNESSEE TECH 2; TENNESSEE TECH 10, MERCER 7
MACON, Ga. – An early offensive outburst was enough to keep the Tennessee Tech softball team on top in its nightcap on Friday night against Mercer to earn Golden Eagle head coach Michelle DePolo her first win in charge of the program.
Tech topped Mercer 10-7 in the second game, following a 10-2 defeat to Tulsa in the day’s opener to split the first day of the Mercer Invitational.
Sophomore Raleigh Lewis had a great day, collecting two home runs – one in each game – as she collected three RBI. Her solo home run, as well as freshman Nicolle Nysted’s score as Haeli Bryson was caught stealing, was all the runs Tech (1-1) mustered against the Golden Hurricane.
Bryson took the loss as she allowed eight runs on 10 hits as she walked one and struck one none. Callie Piper came on in relief in the fifth, allowing the last two runs on two hits as Tulsa walked off the contest.
Sophomore infielder Aubree Seaney did the most damage, striking for four runs as she went 2-for-3 at the plate. Senior pitcher Kassidy Scott slowed Tech’s bats down, allowing just two hits – the Lewis home run in the fourth and a Nysted single in the fifth. Scott walked one and struck out four.
The second game was more in Tech’s favor as sophomore Alyssa Arden held Mercer to two runs through the first four innings. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagle offense posted all of its runs in the same span.
Lewis picked up her second home run of the day in the first inning, pushing junior Sydney Love-Baker, who scored three runs in the contest, across the plate. Tech struck for three in the second inning as senior Beth McCulley drove in sophomore Chandler Caldwell with a grounder to second. Sophomore Alexis Trimiar then gave freshman KaDedra Temple and Love-Baker room to score on a single to left and unsuccessful throw home.
Mercer collected two runs in the bottom of the third, but Tech struck for five runs on four hits and an error to go up 10-2. Love-Baker scored on a fielding error off of a Lewis grounder to third, then, with the bases loaded, Nysted and Bryson picked up back-to-back walks. Senior Raegan Sparks came in as a pinch hitter and dropped a single into left center, driving in senior Jessie Lowery and Nysted.
With the Golden Eagles needing three outs to force the run rule, Mercer rallied as the Bears collected three runs on three hits – all with two down -- including an RBI single for freshman Elisa Rosado two-run home run for redshirt junior Danielle Castleberry.
After a quiet sixth, the Bears made things interesting again as Allie Jones hit a two-run double with the bases loaded and two down, but Arden was able to record her ninth strikeout of the game to end the contest.
Arden finished the complete-game effort allowing seven runs on eight hits to pick up her first win of the season. She walked eight and struck out nine among her 140 pitches in the contest, 90 for strikes.
Her counterpart in the circle, Lauren O’Dell, allowed 10 runs – four earned with four errors charged to the Bear defense -- on 10 hits, walking three and striking out one in 3 2/3 innings of work. Riley Hickok pitched the final 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits as she struck out one.
The Golden Eagles return to action Saturday morning as they play Wright State at 8 a.m. Central, followed by a contest against Dayton after that game. Wright State fell 3-2 in eight innings to Dayton, then fell 10-2 to Mercer. The Flyers also faced Eastern Kentucky following Tech’s win over Mercer.
MURRAY STATE 1, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE; MURRAY STATE 3, NORTHERN IOWA 1
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Murray State softball opened the 2020 campaign with a pair of victories on Friday, earning a 1-0 win over South Dakota State before defeating the host Panthers of Northern Iowa 3-1 at the Doc Halverson Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Murray State 1, South Dakota State 0
Hannah James picked up right where she left off in the circle a season ago, tossing a complete game shutout in her first outing of the 2020 campaign. The reigning OVC Freshman of the Year allowed just two hits, while recording nine strikeouts on an even 100 pitches.
In a contest that turned into a true pitchers' duel, senior Lexi Jones would be responsible for the game's lone run when she drove in freshman Lily Fischer on a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the second inning.
Sierra Gilmore reached base four times, going 2-2 while drawing a pair of walks, while Lindsey Carroll (1-3) and Abby Shoulders (1-2, BB) each doubled in the competition.
Murray State 3, Northern Iowa 1
The Racers got revenge on Northern Iowa, after UNI spoiled Murray State's 2019 home opener in extra innings, by defeating the Panthers on their home turf in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Taylor Makowsky would get the nod in the circle for game two of the afternoon, tossing a stellar outing that went into the fifth inning while giving up just one run on four hits while fanning four Panther batters.
A Lindsey Carroll triple opened the scoring in the third, driving in Chloe Jacque after Jacque ran for Lexi Jones who began the inning with a leadoff single.
The Panthers answered back in the bottom half, however, when 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Sammey Bunch hit a solo shot to center field to even the score at 1-1 through three complete innings.
The score would remain unchanged until the Racer half of the sixth, when Logan Braundmeier gave her side the lead by driving in Sierra Gilmore who had doubled to begin open inning.
Jenna Veber took over for Makowsky in the circle for Murray State with one out in the sixth, and went on to retire the next two batters to preserve the Racer lead entering the final frame.
Murray State then tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Sierra Gilmore delivered with a two-out RBI double to score Lindsey Carroll - widening the Racer margin to 3-1.
Facing just one batter over the minimum in the seventh, Veber went on to seal the victory for the Racers to earn her first save in a Murray State uniform.
Gilmore tied a career high with three hits - going 3-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Carroll also scored a run and drove in another in a multi-hit outing of her own, going 2-3 with a triple as the Racers cruised to a 2-0 start to 2020.
The Racers will return to action on Saturday for day two of the Doc Halverson Classic, where they are set to take on the Coyotes of South Dakota at 8:00 a.m. followed by a second meeting with the host Panthers of Northern Iowa at 12:30 p.m.
TULSA 5, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2; EASTERN KENTUCKY 14, DAYTON 6
MACON, Ga. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a pair of contest on the opening day of the Mercer Invitational.
Colonels fell in game one to Tulsa, 5-2, before knocking off Dayton 14-6 in the nightcap.
In game two, the Colonels scored 13 unanswered runs in the first and second innings to roll past Dayton.
The Flyers (1-1) got on the board first in the top of the first. The leadoff batter reached via a hit by pitch, and Abby Ehrenborg took advantage of that. Enrenborg deposited a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to give Dayton an early 2-0 lead.
But the Flyers never led again.
A Sammi Miller single, followed by walks from Zoe Mihalicz and Carly Robinson loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Mattira Morales delivered by sending a 3-1 pitch down the left field line for a bases-clearing triple to give Eastern the 3-2 lead. Miranda Lopez brought home Morales with an RBI sac fly to push the Colonel lead to 4-2 after an inning of play.
Melissa Jacobsen walked followed by a Miller single to put runners on the corners with no one out in the bottom of the second. After Jacobsen scored on a passed ball, Mihalicz and Ariyana Miranda both walked to load the bases with no one out. Robinson delivered, sending a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to clear the bases and give the Colonels a 9-2 lead.
Bella Gonzalez, Gracie Frazier and Miller all had RBI hits to extend the Colonel lead to 13-2 after two innings of play.
In the top of the fourth inning, the first two Dayton batters reached after back-to-back singles. After a one out walk loaded the bases for the Flyers, Alyssa Cacini took a 2-2 pitch over the center field wall to clear the bases and cut into the Colonel lead, 13-6.
Bethany Todd (1-0) picked up her first win of the season tossing three innings and striking out one.
Miller went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three stolen bases. Morales chipped in 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and a walk.
In game one, the Golden Hurricane got on the board first. A walk to Kylie Norwood and a double by Chenise Delce down the left field line put runners on second and third with one out. Alexis Perry drove in the first run of the game after a Colonel error to take a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
Freshman Ariyana Miranda got the run back quick. In her first collegiate at bat, she deposited a pitch over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1.
Tulsa (2-0) responded in the bottom of the third. Norwood reached first after an infield single with one out. With two outs, Norwood scored all the way from first on a RBI single by Perry to retake the 2-1 lead.
The Golden Hurricane extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Down 0-2 in the count, Delce sent a line drive over the center field fence for a two run home run to take a 4-1 lead.
The Colonels did not go down without a fight though.
Zoe Mihalicz led off the top of the sixth with a solo home run over the left field fence to cut the Tulsa lead to 4-2.
Down 5-2 in the top of the seventh the Colonels sent the tying run to the plate with two outs, but a fly out to center field ended the EKU threat.
Sammi Miller, Mihalicz, Miranda, Mollie Paulick and Miranda Lopez all picked up a hit in the game.
Delce went 2-for-3 for the Golden Hurricane and picked up the win in the circle tossing six and two-third innings with six strikeouts.
The Colonels will be back in action on Saturday when the Colonels take on Wright State and Tulsa. First pitch against Wright State is scheduled for 6 p.m.