SATURDAY'S SCORES
South Dakota 9,
Murray State 8
@Northern Iowa 7,
Murray State 2
Tennessee Tech 15, Wright State 3
Tennessee Tech 8, Dayton 6
@North Alabama 8,
Tennessee State 0
Alcorn State 5,
Tennessee State 2
UT Martin 6, Alabama State 0
@Southeastern Louisiana 6,
UT Martin 5 (9)
Eastern Illinois 2, Winthrop 1
Eastern Illinois 16, @Samford 11
Eastern Kentucky 10, Wright State 0 (5)
TENNESSEE TECH 15, WRIGHT STATE 3; TENNESSEE TECH 8, DAYTON 6
MACON, Ga. – One thing the Tennessee Tech softball team is showing through the first four games of the season is some offensive prowess. In the Golden Eagles’ two wins on Saturday – a 15-3 five-inning victory over Wright State, then an 8-6 nail-biter over Dayton – Tech collected 22 RBI, hit four home runs and batted .474 as a team.
In the process, the Golden Eagles improved to 3-1 through the first four games of the 2020 campaign, the first time since 2004 Tech started at that mark.
Alyssa Arden, who threw 140 pitches in the win over tournament host Mercer on Friday night, had another long day on Saturday, pitching the five-inning win over the Raiders, then came in as a reliever in the Dayton victory. In all, Arden threw 7 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out 10 over 163 pitches.
Arden earned her second win of the season against Wright State, allowing three runs on four hits, while walking two and striking out five. She also claimed the save against Dayton, coming in and working the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits as she walked one and struck out five.
Haeli Bryson earned her first win of the year against Dayton, going 4 1/3 frames as she allowed four runs on four hits, walking four and striking out four.
Offensively, Raleigh Lewis had another great day at the plate, driving in five, as she was 3-for-4 from the plate Saturday with her third home run of the season against the Flyers, while Sydney Love-Baker hit her first two home runs of the year and Alexis Trimiar claimed her first, as well as four total RBI, against Wright State.
Against the Raiders, Tech wasted no time, striking for five runs in the first inning as Sydney Love-Baker and Beth McCulley came home to score as Trimiar hit a three-run blast over the center field wall. Lewis scored on a Paxton Grimes single, then KaDedra Temple drove in Nicolle Nysted with a single to right.
The lead extended to 7-0 in the second as McCulley scored on Trimiar’s double to left center. After the sophomore infielder took third on a wild pitch, Trimiar came home on Grimes’ sacrifice fly to right.
Wright State added a run in the bottom of the second on a solo home run, but as the Golden Eagles scored in every inning, the Raiders struggled to keep pace. Tech put two more on the tally in the third as McCulley had an RBI single, then Lewis drove in Love-Baker on a sac fly.
A sacrifice fly and an error allowed two more Raiders to score, but the Golden Eagles put the game away with a five-spot in the top of the fourth. A Temple single, a wild pitch for Chandler Caldwell, atwo-run Love-Baker homer to left center, then a bases-loaded walk to Nysted.
Just an inning later, Love-Baker hit her second round-tripper of the game as added insurance.
In the game against Dayton, neither team was able to push anything across for the first two-and-a-half frames. That was until Tech struck for a four-spot in the third. Love-Baker and McCulley reached to lead off the frame, then Lewis hit a three-run home run to straight-away center. Bryson helped out her own cause, driving in Jessie Lowery on a double to left center.
Tech extended the lead to 6-0 as Lewis collected an RBI single, then Nysted had a sacrifice fly to drive in McCulley from third.
However, Dayton led off the fifth with five runs. Three runs – one on a wild pitch, two on a double – saw the end of Bryson’s day, then another RBI double allowed an inherited runner to score. One more single allowed another Flyer to cross, cutting Tech’s lead back down to one at 6-5.
The Golden Eagles got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the frame as Love-Baker drove in Caldwell on a single through the left side. Dayton threatened in the top of the sixth, but left the bases loaded.
Tech added one more insurance run in the sixth as Temple drew a bases-loaded walk. However, Dayton gave one last effort, driving in one on a double, then leaving the game-tying runs on the corners as Arden was able to retire the last batter looking.
The Golden Eagles (3-1) close out the Mercer Invitational on Sunday as they take on Wright State at 8 a.m. Central.
NORTH ALABAMA 8, TENNESSEE STATE 0; ALCORN STATE 5, TENNESSEE STATE 2
FLORENCE, Ala. -The Tennessee State softball team opened the 2020 season with a pair of losses on day one of the UNA Softball Invitational. The Tigers led 1-0 in the night cap versus Alcorn State before surrendering five runs in the top of the seventh inning, eventually falling 5-2. North Alabama needed just five innings in the season opener for both teams to drop TSU 8-0.
Redshirt senior Lauren Powell toed the rubber for the first time in 22 months after sitting out the 2019 campaign rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Powell held the Braves in check for six innings as she allowed just three hits through the first six innings. ASU would take advantage multiple miscues by the Tiger defense in the final frame to chase Powell from the game.
The fifth-year hurler finished with eight strikeouts, while allowing one walk and six hits. Powell was touched for five runs, three earned, in 6.1 innings of work.
Patton Akers picked up two hits in the contest. Akers scored the first run of the contest and drove in another.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 10, WRIGHT STATE 0
MACON, Ga. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball used three home runs to power past Wright State University on day two of the Mercer Invitational, 10-0, in six innings.
The Colonels scored in five of the six innings in the game.
Eastern (2-1) wasted no time in the bottom of the first. Sammi Miller started the game off with a leadoff single to get things going. Zoe Mihalicz made quick work sending the 1-1 pitch down the right field line to bring home Miller and give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.
Ariyana Miranda brought home Mihalicz with a sac bunt to extend the EKU lead to 2-0. Fellow freshman Miranda Lopez drove in Amanda Sjoberg after a Wright State error to take a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
Lopez did her job again in the third inning. After singles by Carly Robinson and Mattira Morales put runners on the corners with one out. Lopez drove in Robinson with a sac fly to extend the lead to 4-0.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Isabella Gonzalez and Lou Bowers hit back-to-back home runs to push the EKU lead to 7-0.
With Mihalicz and Robinson on first and second in the bottom of the sixth inning, Morales took the first pitch she saw over the right center field fence to put the run rule into effect.
Samantha Reynoso (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, tossing four scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Mollie Paulick pitched two scoreless innings.
Morales went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBIs and a stolen base. Robinson went 2-for-3 with two runs. Miller chipped in a 2-for-4 with a double.
The Colonels wrap up their weekend tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. against host Mercer.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, WINTHROP 1; EASTERN ILLINOIS 16, SAMFORD 11
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball played Winthrop in the first game of today's play at the Samford Tournament. The Panthers took a 2-1 win over the Eagles. In the second game and the Panthers second time facing Samford they come back down 10-8 and win 16-11.
The Panthers improve to 3-1 on the season. They will be back in action tomorrow morning at 11 a.m., to face Winthrop for the second time this tournament.
Game 1
In the second inning, the Eagles took an early lead with a home run by Gilreath off of freshman pitcher Taylor Florea. The Panthers couldn't get much going until the 6th inning.
In the sixth inning, Adriana Sampson was able to cross the plate first for the Panthers off of an Eagle error. Later in the inning, Hannah Cravens scores for the Panthers off of another error by the Eagles.
The Panthers were able to hold on for the win as they give Florea her first win as a starting pitcher. Florea had four strikeouts on the game and one earned run. Kayla Bear, Haley Mitchell, Hannah Cravens, Kendyl McKeough, and Amber Cieplinski all had one hit to lead the panthers.
Game 2
Kayla Bear gets the Panthers started with a lead-off single in the first inning. Mia Davis gets a walk and then Haley Mitchell gets a single to load the bases early for the Panthers. Bear scores on a pop out fly by Cravens before the inning is over, making to score 1-0 Panthers. The Bulldogs tie up the game with a double from Roberson and an error from McKinlee Miller.
In the second inning, Jade Montgomery homers in her first at-bat in two years to put the Panthers on top of the Bulldogs 2-1. Samford comes right back and hits a home run to tie up the game and adds on two more to make it 4-2 Samford. McKeough makes a diving catch at first to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, the Bulldogs go on a run and score six runs to go up on the Panthers 10-2 heading into the top of the fifth. The Panthers come out swinging in the fifth to score three making the score 5-10. Hannah Kissel hits a bomb over the fence in center field to score three more runs to make the score 8-10. With Davis's first hit of the weekend, she smacks the ball over center field for a grand slam as the Panthers take the lead 13-10.
In the seventh inning, the Panthers picked up three more runs to extend their lead 16-11. Hannah Cravens strikes out two batters and freshman Zoey Clark ends the game with a catch out in left field as the Panthers win 16-11.
UT MARTIN 6, ALABAMA STATE 0; SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 6, UT MARTIN 5
HAMMOND, La. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team played two games which began on Saturday before ultimately bleeding over into the wee hours of Sunday morning on the second day of the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic to earn a split.
The Skyhawks (2-2) played their first contest of the day at noon and picked up their second consecutive shutout of Alabama State with a 6-0 victory. UT Martin then returned to the field with a contest that started after 9 p.m. and finished minutes after midnight before ultimately falling 6-5 in the ninth inning.
UT Martin tallied 14 hits on the day led by the play of centerfielder Shyanne Sheffield who tallied three base knocks, including a rare three-run inside the park home run against Southeastern Louisiana. Meanwhile, the trio of Chelsey Gore, Kaitlyn Kelley and Paige Clark each tallied a pair of base hits while the sophomore pair of Chayse Skinner and Kenna Garst drove in two RBIs.
The Skyhawks pitching staff was daunting all day. The trio of Hannah Ridolfi, Erin Gallagher and Seeley Layne pitched 15.2 innings while allowing just one earned run. The group posted an opponent batting average of .167 while combining to strike out 17 opponents and pitch one shutout.
Game 3: UT Martin 6, Alabama State 0
Much like yesterday’s matchup against Alabama State, it took a couple innings but UT Martin would strike with a fury in the middle innings and never look back on its way to a shutout victory. A single sandwiched between a pair of walks loaded the bases for the Skyhawks with no outs before the game’s first run came home on a wild pitch to score Aalia Bivens. With a pair of runners still in scoring position, Garst scored one with a RBI single to right before Skinner tallied the second RBI of the inning with a well-placed sacrifice bunt. The fourth run would cross the plate for the Skyhawks as Clark singled into center to push out the game’s margin.
UT Martin would add to their margin to give the visitors on the scoreboard a 5-0 lead after Garst lofted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Sheffield from third. The Skyhawks would add another run in the top of the seventh for additional insurance as freshman Maddi Long tallied a single to right which resulted in an error to score Kallie Pickens from second.
While the Skyhawk offense gave the defense six runs, the pitching duo of Erin Gallagher (1-1) and Seeley Layne would need just one run to secure the victory. Gallagher earned her first win of the season by pitching four scoreless innings before Layne pitched three perfect three innings to close out the contest with five strikeouts.
Game 4: Southeastern Louisiana 6, UT Martin 5 (9 innings)
With the long tournament schedule delaying the evening’s start time, the Skyhawks saw its 6 p.m. start time pushed back over three hours later into the twilight. Squared off against the tournament host Southeastern Louisiana, the Lions struck first in the second inning. A leadoff single started the inning before a throwing error and a wild pitch resulted in the first run of the contest.
UT Martin struck back in the fourth to take its first lead of the contest on an exciting play. A pair of singles by Gore and Kelley led off the inning before a sacrifice bunt moved the pair into scoring position. With runners at second and third, Sheffield laced an opposite field shot into the left field corner and circled the bases for an inside the park three-run home run – the first of her career.
The margin would remain at two runs until the bottom of the fifth. The Lions used a hit-by-pitch and an ensuing walk to plague the Skyhawks. UT Martin would find a pair of groundouts to nearly escape the inning but a throwing error on the would-be third out of the innings resulted in both runners scoring to tie the contest at 3-3.
The contest would go to extra innings with the final decision coming after midnight. With the international tie-breaker enacted, both teams would score runs in the eighth inning. As the runner was placed on second to begin the inning, Skinner dumped a single between the fielders on the right side to score Gabbi Campbell and give the Skyhawks a brief lead. SELA would respond with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning with a RBI ground out.
A similar set of events occurred in the ninth inning as the Skyhawks capitalized on a fielding error to score Kelley in the top half of the inning. The Lions answered again with a sneaky steal of third before coming home on a single by Aeriyl Mass to tie the game up once for the third time. The tie would be short-lived to the despair of the Skyhawks as Madisen Blackford singled through the right side for the walk-off single.
UT Martin will close out its tournament appearance with its fifth and final game of the SELA Lion Classic against Grambling State on Sunday, Feb. 9 at noon.
SOUTH DAKOTA 9, MURRAY STATE 8; NORTHERN IOWA 7, MURRAY STATE 2
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Murray State softball played two on the second day of the Doc Halverson Classic on Saturday, starting with a morning contest against South Dakota before taking on Northern Iowa in the afternoon competition. The Racers, who began their season with two wins on the first day of tournament action, were unable to carry that momentum into Saturday – coming up short in both contests at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
South Dakota 9, Murray State 8 (10 Innings)
In a 10-inning thriller that lasted nearly three hours and featured a combined 38 players between the two teams, the Racers came up just short against the Coyotes of South Dakota.
Aleesia Sainz homered to left field to break open the scoring in the second, as the Coyotes jumped out to a 1-0 advantage - a lead that lasted into the fourth frame.
The home half of the fourth would see momentum shift dramatically, however, when the Racers began the inning with three-straight hits courtesy of Jensen Striegel, Lindsey Carroll, and Kristen Bialek. Carroll's double to left field scored Striegel, before a Sierra Gilmore sacrifice fly put the Racers in front 2-1. With one out and Bialek standing on third, Logan Braundmeier laid down a perfectly-executed bunt to plate Bialek as the Racers found themselves with a 3-1 lead through four complete.
An RBI-double from South Dakota's Jordyn Pender followed by a throwing error during the next at-bat drew the score level once more in the fifth as the game quickly became tied at 3-3 – a score that held through the next two frames to force extra innings in the first game of the day.
Utilizing the international tiebreaker that places a runner on second to begin the inning, the Coyotes posted five runs on five hits in the eighth to reclaim an 8-3 lead with the Racers down to their final three outs in the home half.
Despite trailing by five runs, the resilient Racers would answer the call, stringing together five runs on five hits of their own. Mashea Glover opened the inning with a base hit, but a good throw from left field caught Ellison Barrett at the plate trying to score from second for the first out of the inning. After Lexi Jones was hit by a pitch and a Jordan Childress ground out advanced the runners to second and third, the Racers still faced a five-run deficit – but now with only one out left to work with.
A Lindsey Carroll two-run double kept a glimmer of hope alive as the Coyote lead was trimmed to 8-5, while a pinch-hit single from Alie Kennedy put runners on first and second with Gilmore due up next.
Needing three runs to keep playing, the Junior from Williamsburg, Indiana delivered just that – a three-run blast to left center to knot the contest at 8-8 through eight innings of action.
Following a scoreless ninth from the Coyotes, the Racers bunted Lily Fischer to third in the home half after Fischer was placed on second to begin inning.
Unfortunately, with the winning run 60 feet away with just one out in the frame, Fischer was left stranded and the game would head to the 10th.
South Dakota's Dylan Underwood singled to left to drive in the placed runner in the 10th as the Coyotes clung to a one-run lead, and would turn around to retire Racer hitters 1-2-3 to escape with a 9-8 victory in ten innings.
Ten Racer batters recorded a hit in the contest, with Sierra Gilmore (1-3, HR, 4 RBI) and Lindsey Carroll (2-6, 3 RBI, 2B, 2 R) leading the way.
UNI 7, Murray State 2
Murray State would be the first team on the scoreboard in game two when Sierra Gilmore opened the third inning with a solo shot to left center to give the Racers a 1-0 lead. Riding the momentum from the leadoff round-tripper, Abby Shoulders doubled the margin when her sacrifice fly scored Logan Braundmeier from third after Braundmeier reached base with a single following the Gilmore home run.
The Panthers would respond in a big way, however, plating seven runs in the bottom of the fourth on seven hits that included a two-run home run from reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Sammey Bunch to make it 7-2 in favor of Northern Iowa.
The Racers would put a runner on base in the fifth and sixth, but could not string together another run as that 7-2 score line would become the final as UNI prevailed in the second meeting of the weekend between the two sides.
Gilmore's second home run of the day would be the only extra-base hit for the Racers in game two, while sophomore Lindsey Carroll reached base three times – going 1-2 with a pair of walks.
The Racers will close the weekend in Cedar Falls with a single game on Sunday, where they are set to meet the Bulldogs of Drake University – first pitch is set for 9:30 a.m.