SUNDAY'S SCORES
UAB 5,
Belmont 0
@Troy 8,
Belmont 0 (5)
Murray State 9, North Dakota 1 (6)
Southern Illinois 6,
Murray State 0
Tennessee Tech 9, Western Carolina 2
@Auburn 3,
Southeast Missouri 1
@Tennessee 10,
Eastern Kentucky 0
@Tennessee 3,
Eastern Kentucky 2
UAB 5, BELMONT; TROY 8, BELMONT 0
TROY, Ala. - Belmont Softball remained on the hunt for an offensive rhythm on the second day of the Trojan Classic, hosted by Troy. The Bruins (0-4) fell 5-0 to UAB (2-2) in the first contest of the day before host-Troy (4-0) used a late rally in the fourth inning to win, 8-0.
The Blazers jumped onto the scoreboard first, posting a run in the top of the first inning behind a series of singles. In the top of the following inning, UAB added three more runs to pull ahead, 4-0. The Bruins looked to have a chance to push a run over the plate in the bottom of the third frame.
Freshman Kaley Varner (Cumming, Ga,) reached on a fielder's choice as UAB used the chance to prevent senior Georgia McKee (Frisco, Texas) from advancing after she reached after being hit by a pitch. Senior Cheyenne Cavanaugh (Spring, Texas) reached with a single, but the Bruins could not get the two over the plate. Belmont surged again in the bottom of the fifth but stranded a pair of runners then as well. UAB was able to hold on for the 5-0 win.
In the nightcap rematch, Troy posted a single run in the bottom of the first two innings. Belmont continued to get runners into scoring position not over the plate over the same span. After quieting the Trojan bats in the third inning, BU hoped to make a move in the top of the fourth. Junior Audrey Lyle (Westlake, Ohio) was walked but sophomore Abi Ledbetter (Livingston, Tenn.) hit into a double play to halt the opportunity.
TU pushed back in its half of the same inning, exploding for a whopping six runs to put the contest out of reach for the Bruins. BU attempted to rally in the top of the fifth frame but fell short, allowing Troy to hold on for the 8-0 victory.
For the day, Ledbetter led the Bruins at the plate, going 2-for-5. Seniors Autumn McDanel (Moravia, Iowa) and Alicia Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.), sophomore Kailey Brown (San Antonio, Texas) and freshman Alex Clesi (Mandeville, La.) all took a spin inside the circle. Each recorded a strikeout.
Belmont returns to action Friday, February 19 when it hosts Dayton for a doubleheader at E.S. Rose Park. Live stats will be available.
MURRAY STATE 9, NORTH DAKOTA 1; SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6, MURRAY STATE 0
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Murray State softball split the final day at the Black and Gold Invite on Sunday, picking up its first win of the season with a 9-1 six-inning triumph over North Dakota, followed by a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Southern Illinois to close the weekend in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
GAME 1 – Murray State 9, North Dakota 1 (6 Innings)
Hannah James continued her impressive start to the season in her second start in the circle on the weekend, allowing just one infield hit in her second complete-game outing in as many appearances. She held the Fighting Hawks scoreless until the sixth inning, when North Dakota's Caitlyn Shumaker scored from third on a wild pitch for the first run of the contest.
Facing a 1-0 deficit, the Racers responded in a big way in the home half of the frame, bringing the game to an early end after they posted nine runs to earn a 9-1 run-rule victory in their first-ever meeting with the Fighting Hawks.
Sierra Gilmore sparked the run-scoring frenzy with the first Racer home run of 2021 – a solo shot to left field to begin the inning. After Lindsey Carroll doubled, freshman Kamryn Carcich drove in Carroll with a hard-hit liner in her first at-bat in a Racer uniform. A Lexi Jones double to right center would drive in Carcich to give the Racers a 3-1 advantage with nobody out in the inning.
Alie Kennedy drew a walk, and Lily Fischer reached on a bunt that scored Jones to extend the Racer lead to 4-1.
Sophomore Jenna Veber drew a pinch-hit walk to then load the bases for Logan Braundmeier, who was hit by a pitch to force across another Racer run.
A pinch-hit walk courtesy of Gracey Murt plated another Racer run, a Sierra Gilmore single up the middle in her second at-bat of the frame scored a pair to put the Racers in front 8-1.
After Carroll was intentionally walked, Carcich would end the game with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Murt to seal a 9-1 victory for the Racers.
Gilmore (2-3, HR, BB, 3 RBI, R) and Jones (2-3, 2B, RBI, R) each turned in a multi-hit performance to lead the Racers offensively.
In the circle, James fanned four North Dakota batters while allowing just one hit and one run in the competition as she improved to 1-1 on the year.
GAME 2, Southern Illinois 6, Murray State 0
The Racers were unable to get revenge on the Salukis in the second meeting of the weekend between the two sides, as Racer bats were stymied by SIU's freshman pitcher Madi Eberle.
The Salukis opened the scoring in the second with a Tori Schullian double that scored Aubree Depron.
They tacked on another in the fifth and then three more in the sixth, before another RBI single from Schullian in the seventh gave Southern Illinois a 6-0 advantage.
The Racers managed three hits in the ballgame, but could not get on the scoreboard as the weekend in Hattiesburg ended in defeat.
Jenna Veber went five and one-third innings in the circle, surrendering three earned runs while striking out one on the day.
Kamryn Carcich also tossed her first innings in a Racer uniform, pitching one and two-thirds innings in relief.
Lily Fischer was the bright spot for the Racers offensively, collecting two hits that included a double in the ballgame. Carcich was responsible for the other Racer hit of the afternoon.
The Racers return to action on Friday when they meet Butler to begin a four-game tournament weekend in Mobile, Alabama.
TENNESSEE TECH 9, WESTERN CAROLINA 2
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Patience at the plate paid off dividends for the Tennessee Tech softball team on Sunday as the Golden Eagles took advantage of nine walks and some timely hitting to post a 9-2 victory over Western Carolina.
Tech finished the weekend with a 3-1 record as the Golden Eagles return home this week for a three-game set with East Tennessee State, weather permitting, on Friday and Saturday. First pitch on Friday at the Tech Softball Field is slated for 3 p.m.
Jessie Lowery ended the day Sunday with four RBI as she was 2-for-4 at the plate, while Haeli Bryson also drove in multiple runs in the contest with two RBI.
Starting pitcher Alyssa Arden went the distance, allowing two runs – one earned – over 104 pitches. Arden yielded three hits as she walked three and struck out five.
Western Carolina (2-2) struck for the first run, pushing the tally mark across on a wild pitch in the home half of the first. The Golden Eagles took over in their next turn at the plate, striking for three runs in the second. After leadoff walks to Love-Baker and KaDedra Temple, Chandler Caldwell took a one-out walk to load the bases, then Lowery took first on four straight pitches to push a run across and knot the game at one.
After a pitching change and the bags still juiced, Beth McCulley took a walk on four straight, giving Tech the lead. Mackenzie Fitzgerald hit a fly ball to left, but it was caught deep enough to send Caldwell home to roost, making it a 3-1 Tech lead.
The Golden Eagles added three more in the third. Starting with a walk to Nicolle Nysted, Love-Baker was able to put a double down the left field line. However, the play caught Nysted at third on a 7-1 throwout. Temple singled to put runners at the corners, then Bryson flied out to center field, scoring Love-Baker on the sacrifice.
With two down, Caldwell took a full-count walk, then Lowery collected an RBI single to drive in Temple, but Caldwell was able to score on the play as a throwing error from right field gave her room to cross the plate.
WCU added its second run on an RBI double to make it a 6-2 game, then Tech added some insurance in the top of the seventh with another three-spot.
Love-Baker led off with a single to right, with Hannah Richter taking over as the pinch runner at first. Paxton Grimes pinch-hit for Temple and took a full-count walk, then Bryson dropped a base hit into right. Richter came home to score on the play with Grimes on third and Bryson on second, advancing on the throw.
After Caldwell was thrown out 1-4-3 on a comebacker to the circle, Lowery delivered the final blow with a two-run single to left center, driving home Grimes and Bryson.
TENNESSEE 10, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0; TENNESSEE 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team lost a pair of games against No. 21/23 Tennessee on Sunday in Knoxville.
Eastern Kentucky’s (0-2) lost game one, 10-0 before falling in game two, 3-2.
In game two, the Colonels jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after a two-run home run by Carly Robinson in the top of the first inning.
Tennessee (2-0) answered back in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff double down the left field line by Amanda Ayala, a ground out advanced her to third. Chelsea Seggerm brought home Ayala with an RBI single through the right side.
The Colonels held the lead until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning Ally Shipman tied the game at 2-2 with a solo shot over the left center field fence. After a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for the Lady Vols. Rylie West got hit by a pitch to bring home the would-be winning run.
Bethany Todd started in the circle and went the distance tossing six innings, allowing three runs, and striking out five.
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In game one, the Lady Vols scored two in the second and eight in the third to take a commanding 10-0 lead and never looked back.
Mattira Morales had the lone hit for the Colonels in the contest.
Eastern returns to the diamond next weekend when the Colonels head to Charleston, South Carolina for four games. EKU will take on College of Charleston in a doubleheader on Saturday and Charleston Southern in a doubleheader on Sunday. First-pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday.
AUBURN 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
AUBURN, Ala. - Maddie Penta, after tossing a no-hit shutout in the series-opener, allowed only two infield hits in a complete game victory as Auburn (3-0) completed a series sweep of Southeast Missouri (0-3) with a 3-1 win Sunday.
SEMO scored its only run off Penta when freshman Kynzie Wrigley reached on an error. Austine Pauley, who hit a one-out infield single, scored an unearned run on the play.
Auburn put up all three of its runs with two outs in the bottom of the second inning.
Makenna McDowell doubled to right field and scored on an ensuing double by Tyler King. Kaylee Horton then followed with a single and King scored to put the Tigers ahead, 3-0.
SEMO had runners on first and second, and the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the seventh, but came up empty.
Freshman Abigail Rickermann and Pauley had the Redhawks two hits. Pauley also scored SEMO's lone run of the game.
Rachel Rook (0-2) scattered six hits and allowed three runs in 4.1 innings. Rook struck out five and walked one, as well. Paytience Holman and Marisa Davis pitched the final 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Penta (2-0) recorded six strikeouts and walked one en route to her second win of the season.
McDowell went 3-for-3 with a RBI-double and one run scored to lead Auburn which tallied seven hits.
SEMO travels to Tennessee on Feb. 20.