SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Kentucky 6, Jacksonville State 3 (9)
@Eastern Kentucky 14, Jacksonville State 3 (5)
@Eastern Illinois 4, Austin Peay 2
@Eastern Illinois 8, Austin Peay 0
Southeast Missouri 8, @Belmont 2
Southeast Missouri 6, Belmont 0
Murray State 3, @SIUE 2
Murray State 7, @SIUE 1
@UT Martin 9, Tennessee State 2
@UT Martin 5, Tennessee State 2
EASTERN KENTUCKY 6, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3; EASTERN KENTUCKY 14, JACKSONVILLE STATE 3
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team swept a doubleheader against rival Jacksonville State University on Saturday in Richmond.
Eastern Kentucky (14-6, 6-2 OVC) took game one, 6-3, in nine innings before taking game two 13-4 in five innings.
The Colonels wasted no time in game one taking the lead over Jacksonville State.
Sammi Miller singled up the middle and Ariyana Miranda singled through the left side to put runners on first and second with no one out. Carly Robinson followed with a walk to load the bases in the bottom of the first. Vianna Barron brought home the first run of the game with an RBI walk to give Eastern the early 1-0 lead. Mollie Paulick brought home two more runs with a sacrifice fly in the right center gap to give EKU the early 3-0 lead.
Jacksonville State (4-13, 3-5 OVC) started chipping away in the third inning.
Keeli Bobbitt got things started in the top of the third after reaching via a Colonel error. Savannah Sudduth followed with a single down the right field line and advanced to second on the throw to third to put runners on second and third with no one out. Jada Terry brought home Bobbitt was a sacrifice fly to cut into the Eastern lead, 3-1.
JSU tied it up in the top of the fifth inning.
Lauren Hunt got things started with a single through the left side for the Gamecocks. After a Bobbitt walk put runners on first and second with no one out, Sudduth's sacrifice bunt moved Hunt and Bobbitt into scoring position. With two outs, Terry singled through the left side to bring home two runs and tie the game at 3-3.
The two teams traded zeros the rest of the way until the ninth inning.
Eastern had the winning run in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings, and finally took advantage in the ninth.
Miller walked and Miranda singled in the bottom of the ninth to put runners on first and second with one out. That set up the Robinson heroics, as she sent the 2-1 pitch over the right field fence for a walk-off three-run home run to give Eastern the 6-3 win.
Miranda went 3-for-5 with two runs. Robinson went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.
Tori Peterson (6-0) picked up the win in the circle for the Colonels tossing four and one-third innings in relief allowing one hit and striking out four.
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In game two, Eastern scored two in the first, four in the second, three in the third and four more in the fourth to cruise past Jacksonville State.
The first four batters of the game reached for the Colonels to take the early 1-0 lead over Jacksonville State on a bases loaded walk by Jasmine Miller. Miranda scored the second run of the inning on a wild pitch to give EKU a 2-0 lead after one inning.
Miranda Lopez led off the second inning with a double off the left field wall to get things started. After a Jaelyn Sanders hit by pitch and a Sammi Miller walk loaded the bases for the Colonels in the second inning. Miranda singled to right field to bring home two and give Eastern Kentucky a 4-0 lead. Sammi Miller scored on a fielder's choice by Robinson and Lou Bowers brought in the fourth run of the inning on a RBI ground out to give the Colonels a 6-0 lead after two innings.
JSU got two unearned runs back in the top of the third to cut into the lead, but Eastern answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Robinson to give EKU a 9-2 lead over the Gamecocks.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning Sammi Miller doubled into the left center gap clearing the bases to give Eastern a 12-3 lead. Jasmine Miller brought home Sammi Miller with a RBI single to left field.
Jacksonville State scored once in the fourth and fifth innings.
Miranda went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Sammi Miller went 1-for-2 with three RBIs and Robinson chipped in 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBIs.
Peterson started in the circle for the Colonels in game two tossing three innings allowing one run and striking out one. Peterson picked up both wins in the circle on the day.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, AUSTIN PEAY 2; EASTERN ILLINOIS 8, AUSTIN PEAY 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball clinched its third straight Ohio Valley Conference series win as the Panthers swept a Saturday doubleheader against Austin Peay at Williams Field.
EIU won 4-2 in the opener and 8-0 (5 inn.) in the second game to improve to 14-5 overall, 7-1 in the OVC. Austin Peay fell to 9-6 overall, 4-4 in the OVC. The two teams wrap up the three game series on Sunday at 11 a.m.
In the opener Amber Cieplinski hit a two-run home run in the second inning that lifted the Panthers to an early lead. Aniya Holt would add a sacrifice fly to plate a run in the fourth while Hannah Cravens drove home a run in the fifth to account for EIU’s scoring.
Jade Montgomery was strong in the circle for EIU allowing just one hit through the opening six innings. In the seventh, APSU finally broke through with three hits in the frame including RBI singles by Emily Harkleroad and Drew Dudley.
Montgomery would close out the inning for the complete game win improving to 6-4 on the year. Montgomery had five strikeouts and did not allow a walk.
Jordan Benefiel took the lost for APSU allowing just five hits. Bailey Shorter was 2-for-3 as the only player on either team with multiple hits in the opener.
In the second game freshman Olivia Price worked out of an early jam for the Panthers in the circle as she would scatter three hits in a five-inning complete game shutout win. Price improved to 4-1 on the year.
EIU again used the long ball in the second inning as Cravens had a two-run shot. Holt added her second RBI of the day with an infield single to drive home the Panthers third run of the inning.
The Panthers added five more in the third chasing APSU starter Kelsey Gross (4-1). Haley Mitchell hit her eighth home run of the season to get the rally started. Morgan Lewis then added an RBI single as she was 2-for-2 in the game with two runs scored.
Abi Stahlhut closed out the scoring with a two-run single down the left field line.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, BELMONT 2; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Katie Dreiling went 6-for-7 with two home runs, a double and three RBI, and Rachel Rook pitched a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts to lead Southeast Missouri (9-10, 7-1) to a 8-2, 6-0 doubleheader sweep of Belmont (6-11, 2-6) Saturday.
Dreiling had three hits in game one before going a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run in each of her first two at-bats in the nightcap. The home runs were the first of Dreiling's career as a Redhawk.
Rook carved up Belmont limiting the Bruins to a mere .087 batting average (2-for-23) in the nightcap. Her 13 strikeouts marked a season-high as she struck out 10 or more in a game for the fourth time in her career.
Dreiling and Alyson Tucker each had three hits, and Karsyn Davis added a pair of doubles and a career-high four RBI to lead SEMO to its game one victory.
The Redhawks outhit BU, 11-4, and registered double-digit hits for the fourth time this season.
Tied, 1-1, after two innings, SEMO scored three runs in the top of the third and tacked on four more in the seventh to blow by the Bruins.
Jillian Anderson started off the third with a double down the left field line. Rachel Anderson's sacrifice bunt moved Anderson to third, who scored the go-ahead run on a bunt single by Kaylee Anderson. Davis later ripped a two-out double to left field scoring both Katie Dreiling and K. Anderson to put the Redhawks ahead, 4-1.
After BU scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, Dreiling began the seventh with a one-out double to left center. With the bases loaded and one out, Davis belted her second double of the game, this time scoring pinch-runner Kelby Robinson and pinch-hitter Kimmy Wallen. Abigail Rickermann then touched home on a wild pitch and Austine Pauley followed with a RBI-single to left widening SEMO's lead to 8-2.
Four Redhawks, including Dreiling, Tucker, Davis and Pauley finished with multiple hits. Dreiling went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a double, Davis went 2-for-4, Tucker was 3-for-4 and Pauley finished at 2-for-4 with a run and one RBI.
SEMO's five doubles marked a season-high in game one.
Paytience Holman (2-5) picked up the win allowing just two hits and one run in 4.2 innings. Holman also struck out three.
Marisa Davis claimed her second save of the season after recording three strikeouts and giving up two hits and one run in 2.1 innings.
With Rook tearing apart the Bruins lineup with her masterful work inside the circle, SEMO gave here and early lead when Dreiling began the second inning with a solo home run.
Two innings later, Kynzie Wrigley doubled down the left field line and scored on an ensuing single by J. Anderson. Dreiling later launched her second home run of the game over the right center wall with two outs giving the Redhawks a 4-0 cushion.
SEMO scored once more in the fourth and fifth innings to complete its third shutout of the year.
Rook improved to 6-5 this season. The complete game was the 10th of her career and the shutout marked the seventh with her in a Redhawk uniform.
The Redhawks outhit the Bruins, 21-6, in the doubleheader.
SEMO is on a six-game winning streak in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Redhawks 7-1 start against league foes is their best under Head Coach Mark Redburn.
MURRAY STATE 3, SIUE 2; MURRAY STATE 7, SIUE 1
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE softball dropped a pair of contests Saturday in its home opener to visiting Murray State.
The Cougars fell 3-2 in the opener and 7-1 in the nightcap. The two teams will return to Cougar Field for a 1 p.m. single Ohio Valley Conference contest Sunday.
It was the first home contest for SIUE softball since the final day of the 2019 regular season (May 5, 2019).
In the opener, Murray State scored three runs in the top of the seventh to push past the Cougars.
SIUE had seven hits total in the opener, including two hits from catcher Amber Storer. She provided SIUE's RBI in the seventh inning, driving home Ava Bieneman as the Cougars' comeback fell short.
The Cougars would get on top early in game two when starting pitcher Lexi King helped herself with a sharp single that brought home Alana Cobb-Adams.
SIUE, 2-11 overall and 2-6 in the OVC, would collect five hits in the nightcap.
UT MARTIN 9, TENNESSEE STATE 2; UT MARTIN 5, TENNESSEE STATE 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team kept its impressive stretch going this afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee State in the first two games of the weekend series to push their season-long winning streak to six games.
The Skyhawks improved to 15-5 on the season and 5-3 in OVC play behind a pair of nice victories on their home field, winning Game 1 against Tennessee State 9-2 before picking up a 5-2 victory in Game 2 at Bettye Giles Field.
UT Martin saw its impressive offense continue to make opposing pitchers sweat in the circle, posting a .410 batting average on the day while slugging .689 on the afternoon. The Skyhawks tallied eight doubles in the doubleheader while blasting three home runs and driving in 11 RBIs. Once on base, the home squad wasn’t content, swiping six stolen bases in as many chances.
The Skyhawk pair of Aalia Bivens and Kaitlyn Kelley led the team with five hits on the afternoon while Bivens tallied her first home run of the season and drove in three RBIs. The freshman pair of Kaci Fuller and Maddi Long also went deep with home runs of their own.
In the pitching circle, Alexis Groet (5-1, 1.40 ERA) picked up a win in the series opener, striking out four and allowing two earned runs in five innings. Seeley Layne pitched in relief, striking out three in two perfect innings. Erin Gallagher (4-2, 3.06 ERA) pitched a complete game in the second half of the doubleheader where she struck out eight and allowed two earned runs in seven innings.
Game 1: UT Martin 9, Tennessee State 2
UT Martin wasted little time jumping out to an early advantage in the contest, scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Fuller led off the inning with an infield single before stealing her first of three bases on the afternoon to move into scoring position. After moving over to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Shyanne Sheffield, Kelley put the Skyhawks on top with a single to left center.
Tennessee State broke through onto the scoreboard in the top of the third inning as Anayah Baker-Rowell sailed a two-out solo home run to left field to tie the score at 1-1.
The game wouldn’t remain tied for long as UT Martin answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Three consecutive hits by the trio of Macey Neal, Fuller and Sheffield scored two runs leading to a pitching change by the Tigers. After the new pitcher got a quick out, Bivens stroked a two-run home run off the foul pole to give the Skyhawks a four-run advantage. Following another single by Clark and a RBI-double by Kallie Pickens – her eighth double of the season – Long stroked a two-run home run to left to give UT Martin an 8-1 lead.
UT Martin scored its final run in the opener in the fourth inning when Fuller reached on a fielding error before swiping second and advancing second on a throwing error by the catcher. After using her speed to put herself in scoring position, she came all the way home to score on the next at-bat via a passed ball to make it 9-1.
With the Tigers down to potentially their final out of the game, down by eight in the top of the fifth inning, Baker-Rowell tallied her second RBI of the contest to prolong the game and make it go the distance with a RBI-double to right center for the game’s final run.
Game 2: UT Martin 5, Tennessee State 2
Much like in the opener, the Skyhawks broke through in the first inning to score the game’s first run, this time with Fuller launching a solo home run out of the leadoff spot – her second of the season.
The Skyhawks added another run in the bottom of the second after Gracie Lusk singled to the shortstop before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kenna Garst. A defensive miscue off the bat of Fuller led to Lusk scoring on the play to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead heading into the third.
The Tigers turned to a familiar foe for their offense in the top of the third as Baker-Rowell launched her second home run of the day and drove in her third run of the afternoon with a solo shot to left field to cut the margin in half.
UT Martin doubled up its scoring output in the bottom of the third as Kelley led off the frame with a double off the top of the right field wall before pinch runner Anna Blanton took over on the basepaths. Blanton would immediately get to work, advancing to third on a wild pitch before coming home to score on a single up the middle by Bivens. The Skyhawks added one more run on a RBI groundout by Neal to push the score out to 4-1.
The Skyhawks capped off their scoring for the day in the bottom of the fifth as Bivens and Clark led off the frame with back-to-back opposite field singles. Following a sacrifice bunt by Pickens to put the pair in scoring position, Neal made the most of her opportunity once again by driving in Bivens for the second time in the contest to take a four-run advantage.
Tennessee State added a late run in the top of the seventh inning on a solo blast by McCurry to bring the score to 5-2 but the Tigers rally would end there as the game ended on an infield pop up.