SATURDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee Tech 13, South Carolina State 2 (5)
Northern Kentucky 6,
Tennessee Tech 5
UT Martin 9, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0 (5)
Northwestern State 1,
UT Martin 0
Austin Peay 2, College of Charleston 1
Austin Peay 6, Alabama State 1
Murray State 5, Ball State 2
DePaul 3,
Murray State 2
Bowling Green 5,
Eastern Illinois 2
Syracuse 12,
Morehead State 4
Louisiana-Monroe 8,
Morehead State 0 (5)
Louisiana-Monroe 9,
SIUE 4
Syracuse 12,
SIUE 9
Southeast Missouri 13, Nicholls 5 (5)
@Southeastern Louisiana 6,
Southeast Missouri 5
Tennessee State 5, Grambling 0
Jackson State 8,
Tennessee State 0 (5)
AUSTIN PEAY 2, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 1; AUSTIN PEAY 6, ALABAMA STATE 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Austin Peay’s softball team improved to 4-0 on the young season, Saturday at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex, in the second day of the Stinger Classic holding off the College of Charleston, 2-1, and defeated Alabama State, 6-1.
The Govs would score all of its runs in the second inning, with Morgan Zuege driving in the first run with an infield single and Brooke Pfefferle the other by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Cougars would cut the APSU lead in half with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning, but would get no closer, as Govs pitcher Jordan Benefiel only allowed Charleston two base runners over the final four inning to secure the one-run victory.
In the night cap versus Alabama State, freshman Kylie Campbell was the story for the Govs at the plate as she drove in all six APSU runs, including a grand slam in the fourth inning and a two-run single in the fifth.
Benefiel would pick up her second win of the day in the circle for the Govs, going four shutout innings, while giving up three hits and striking out four.
Freshman Samantha Miener would come in and pitch the final three inning to pick up her first career save, giving up one run of four hits over that span.
UT MARTIN 9, ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF 0; NORTHWESTERN STATE 1, UT MARTIN 0
NATCHITOCHES, La. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team exploded for nine runs in a shutout victory over Arkansas Pine Bluff (9-0) in the third game of the NSU Lady Demon Classic on Saturday morning before dropping a one-run decision to host Northwestern State (1-0) in the tournament finale.
The Skyhawks (2-2) posted 15 hits on the afternoon while hitting .288 as a team and tallying nine runs. The All-OVC trio of Kaitlyn Kelley, Kaci Fuller and Paige Clark each tallied three hits on the day while Emily Gilstrap led the team with a pair of RBIs.
UT Martin excelled in the pitching circle where it posted a 0.64 ERA in 11 innings of work while combining to strikeout 11 and walk just one. Seeley Layne (1-0, 0.00 ERA) picked up a win in the first game of the day after striking out four and allowing just one hit in three innings of scoreless work. Alexis Groet (0-1, 0.70 ERA) suffered the loss against Northwestern State after allowing an earned run on a solo home run in five innings. After the starters, the bullpen was spotless for the second straight day as Erin Gallagher, Emily Brown and Abigail Kubin each pitched scoreless innings of relief.
Game 3: UT Martin 9, Arkansas Pine Bluff 0 (Five innings)
UT Martin scored early and often in the first game of the day against Arkansas Pine Bluff. Shyanne Sheffield got the first started by drawing a walk and swiping second to move into scoring position. Needing just a base hit to score her, Kelley drove a single to center and took an early 1-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks added another run in the top of the second inning when Fuller reached on an error to start the frame before moving into scoring position with a stolen base. The following at bat saw Anna Hazlewood single to center and bring the speedster home on the play.
After a wild pitch led to Clark scoring the game’s third run in the top of the third inning, the Skyhawks added to their advantage with two more runs in the fourth. Back-to-back hits by Gilstrap and Maddi Long moved the pair into scoring position at second and third with no outs. The following play saw a wild pitch score another run before Clark made it a 5-0 contest with a RBI later in the frame.
With UT Martin leading by five runs heading to the fifth inning, the squad looked to end the game early with a big inning. Four consecutive singles by Kelley, Kallie Pickens and Fuller was capped off by a two-run single Gilstrap to break the game open. The Skyhawks added two more runs later in the frame with a RBI groundout by Anna Blanton before an error gave the visitors on the scoreboard a 9-0 advantage and ultimately ended the game early after a scoreless bottom half of the inning.
Game 4: Northwestern State 1, UT Martin 0
The second game of the day featured a pitchers’ duel with both teams combining for to allow just one earned run.
Northwestern State was able to get the game’s deciding run in the bottom of the second inning when Kat Marshall launched a solo home run to left center which ultimately proved to be the game-winner.
The Skyhawks had their best scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth inning when they had three players reach base as Katie Dreiling and Pickens both drew walks. With two runners on base, Fuller singled to second base but the Skyhawks were caught trying to score on the play with a play at the plate to strand a pair of runners.
UT Martin will return to action on with four games in the Gata Challenge hosted by Georgia Southern next week from Feb. 18-19.
TENNESSEE TECH 13, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 2; NORTHERN KENTUCKY 6, TENNESSEE TECH 5
CLINTON, S.C. – One thing the Tennessee Tech softball team showed on Saturday is resiliency. After falling behind early in both games on Saturday in the Blue Hose Invitational, the Golden Eagles found ways to knot the games up.
However, both games ended in opposite directions as the Golden Eagles blasted South Carolina State 13-2 in five innings, then Northern Kentucky hit a one-out, walk-off home run to hand Tech its first defeat of the season 6-5.
The Golden Eagles (3-1) close out the Blue Hose Invitational on Sunday as they take on South Carolina State with first pitch slated for 1:30 p.m.
South Carolina State tried to make Tyler Erwin’s debut with the Golden Eagles a tough one, scratching out two runs on four hits and a walk in a third of an inning, but the switch to Alyssa Arden left the Bulldogs in the doghouse as the senior hurler struck out her first four batters faced en route to right total Ks in the contest.
Arden picked up the relief win over 4 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit with one walk.
She later took the tough-luck loss in the second game of the day against Northern Kentucky, allowing the walk-off home run to her second batter faced to see her record go to 2-1 on the season.
Erwin saw a better outing in the second session as she went 3 1/3 frames allowing just one hit, while walking one and striking out two. Haeli Bryson was let off the hook after the Norse struck for five runs – three earned – on eight hits in the first 2 2/3 innings as the Golden Eagles tied the game in the top of the seventh.
Madisyn Eads, who took the loss in Friday’s game against Tech, earned the victory, being the pitcher of record when NKU claimed the win. She pitched the final inning-and-a-third, allowing two runs on two hits with a strikeout.
Savannah Talley, Sydney Love-Baker and Bryson each picked up three RBI in Saturday’s action.
The Norse scored two runs in the first, a single run in the second, then two more in the third. After holding NKU silent in the fourth and fifth innings, Tech started a furious comeback. Mackenzie Fitzgerald and Love-Baker led off the sixth with back-to-back doubles to plate the first run then, with two down, a wild pitch moved the Tech shortstop to third. Carmen Betts drove her in with the first of consecutive singles from Temple and Penning, the last bringing Betts home for the third Tech run.
In the top of the seventh, Fitzgerald led off with a single, then Love-Baker reached on an error at short. Bryson cleared the bases with a two-run triple to tie the game at five runs each. After a change to Arden in the middle inning, she coaxed a grounder to Jenna O’Hair for the first out before Kendyl McKeough went yard to end the day.
After South Carolina State scored two runs in the top of the first in the day’s opener, Love-Baker cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the home half of the inning. Tech then added two runs in the second as Talley drove in Betts and KaDedra Temple with a double.
Tech blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth, striking for 10 runs on 10 hits and three errors. Temple led off with a walk, then took second on a Brooklin Richardson grounder back to the circle. The Golden Eagles then picked up six consecutive hits, including a two-run triple for Love-Baker, to collect four runs.
Betts reached on an error at short, which brought Bryson home to score. Temple and Richardson had back-to-back singles, the first driving in Abby Buettner. An error on a flyout allowed Betts to score, then back-to-back RBI singles plated two more.
Tech was able to close out the top of the fifth to force the run-rule.
TENNESSEE STATE 5, GRAMBLING STATE 0; JACKSON STATE 8, TENNESSEE STATE 0
VICKSBURG, Miss. - The Tennessee State softball team spilt on day two of the River City Classic, defeating Grambling State and losing to Jackson State.
Final: Tennessee State 5 , Grambling State 0
BOT 2ND: Ryla Traylor laced a lead-off double for TSU and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. After a hit-by-pitch, Traylor scored on a fielder's choice groundball back to the pitcher. || TSU, 1-0
BOT 3RD: With two outs, Mikayla Duke reached on a fielding error by the first basemen and advanced to second as the ball skipped away. Anayah Baker logged an infield double on a popup that fell in between the pitcher and third basemen. The Tigers' baserunners hustled on the play as Duke scored from second and Baker switched places. || TSU 2-0
BOT 6TH: Traylor, a true freshman from Barnesville, Ga., roped a ground-rule double to jumpstart the sixth inning. After a walk to Ivory Jones, the Tigers put on a successful double steal to increase the lead. Tennessee State extended the advantage with an RBI single from Jordan Turner. Lauren Farias notched a double for the second straight game. TSU pinch-ran for Turner with Lauryn Kinkle, and the freshman scored on a fielder's choice. || TSU, 5-0
Ryla Traylor recorded two doubles and scored two runs in her second career start.
Caitlyn Manus started in the circle for TSU; the right-hander tossed a complete game shutout, allowed four hits, walked two and struck out four.
Jordan Turner, a junior from Thousand Oaks, California, drove in two runs in her first appearance of the year.
Lauren Farias reached base in all three at-bats, as she went 2-for-2 with a walk.
Manus, in her first career start, notched the second complete game shutout of the season for the TSU pitching staff.
The Tigers open the season with three straight victories for the first time since 2011.
TSU's defeated Grambling in five straight meetings, outscoring GSU by a sizable margin, 28-10.
Final: Jackson State 8, Tennessee State 0
BOT 2ND: Jackson State's Taylor led off the inning with a double. JSU tallied the first run of the game on a throwing error by TSU's pitcher, Loveless. || JSU, 1-0
BOT 3RD: JSU's Stewart led off with a base knock up the middle. After an error on a fielder's choice, the Tigers were threatening with two runners on. Isabel Gusman belted an RBI double to deep right center field to extend the advantage. Taylor followed up with a two-run double of her own. She came around to score after a groundout and wild pitch. || JSU, 5-0
BOT 4TH: Samiyyah Huckabee singled on a bunt and advanced to third after a fielding error on the pitcher. Huckabee scored on a groundout from Zoey Keyes to increase the lead to six. || JSU, 6-0
BOT 5TH: Gusman led off the sixth inning with a home run to right center field. || JSU, 7-0
BOT 6TH: Huckabee singled with one out and stole second immediately. The freshman advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundball. || JSU, 8-0
True freshman, Jasmine Brown, logged the lone hit of the game for TSU.
Jackson State had three players with two hits and two runs each.
JSU's Isabel Gusman and Isis Taylor registered identical stat lines: 2-for-3, two runs scored and two RBI. Both players recorded a double while Gusman tallied a home run as well.
Tennessee State will end the road trip with a rematch against Jackson State at 11:00am on Sunday morning.
LOUISIANA-MONROE 9, SIUE 4; SYRACUSE 12, SIUE 9
MONROE, La. – SIUE softball hit five home runs in what turned out to be a cold day at the Best on the Bayou Classic day two, but the Cougars fell twice.
Host Louisiana-Monroe bested the Cougars 9-4 in the opening day of the game. SIUE dropped a 12-9 contest to Syracuse in the nightcap.
Grace Bretveld blasted her first home run of the season in the opener.
Lauren Yslava, Lexi King, Mia Haynes, and Grace Lueke all homered against Syracuse.
The Cougars have one more game left in the tournament, facing Evansville in a 9 a.m. contest Sunday.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 13, NICHOLLS 5; SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
HAMMOND, La. – Southeast Missouri (2-2) split two games during the second day of action at the Lion Classic Saturday. The Redhawks beat Nicholls (1-2), 13-5, and dropped a close 6-5 decision to Southeastern Louisiana (2-0).
SEMO sent 13 hitters to the plate and scored 10 runs in the first inning to key its victory over Nicholls. The 10 runs were the Redhawks most in an inning since they scored 14 during the second inning of a 21-3 win over Grambling on Feb. 11, 2012.
For the second time in four games, the Redhawks knocked out an opposing starting pitcher in the first inning of play.
Jillian Anderson singled to third, Paige Halliwill reached on an infield hit and Kaylee Anderson walked to quickly load the bases. Kat Sackett followed with a bases clearing double to center. Aubrie Shore walked and Sackett scored on a single by Chelsy Pena. J.Anderson came up for the second time and ripped a two-RBI double down the right field line. K. Anderson then knocked in two runs on single to right. Two more runs scored with the help of an error giving the Redhawks a quick 10-0 advantage.
Tatum Gerwitz scored J. Anderson when she grounded out in the third and Kynzie Wrigley delivered a two-RBI single in the fourth inning to polish off SEMO's second shortened five-inning victory of the young season.
Freshman Delaney Kell made her first career start in the circle. Kell struck out one, walked four and gave up four runs on four hits. K. Anderson (1-0) wound up getting the win in relief, working the final two innings with one strikeout.
Taryn Westbrook (0-1) suffered the loss. Westbrook scattered four hits, allowed seven runs, walked three and struck out one in only two-thirds of an inning.
J. Anderson paced SEMO by going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and two RBI.
Southeastern Louisiana overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Redhawks for the second time.
Down, 4-0, the Lions scored twice in the second and used a three-run fourth inning to get by SEMO.
Four of SEMO's five runs came in the top of the second inning.
Wrigley smacked a two-RBI single, J. Anderson scored Alyson Tucker on a sacrifice fly and K. Anderson singled home Wrigley on a base hit down the left field line.
Pena's two-out single made it a one-run game in the top of the seventh, but Heather Zumo got Sydney Dennis to fly out to center.
Zumo (2-0) recorded four strikeouts and gave up one run on six hits in 5.1 innings out of the bullpen after beating SEMO in her first start Friday.
Rachel Rook (1-1) fell to her first loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in four innings. Rook struck out one and walked one, as well.
SEMO outhit the Lions, 12-11, with 12 different players getting a hit.
The Redhawks wrap up Lion Classic play with an 11 a.m., CT matchup with Nicholls Sunday.
BOWLING GREEN 5, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Hannah Cravens delivered a pair of solo home runs for Eastern Illinois softball on Saturday morning but the Panthers could only generate one additional run in a 5-3 loss to Bowling Green to close out the Rosemont Dome Tournament.
EIU fell to 1-3 on the season. Bowling Green moved to 3-0 on the year.
Bowling Green took advantage of an EIU error in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Reagan Williamson delivered the first run with a sacrifice fly while Bailey Sample had an RBI double.
Cravens first home run came leading off the second inning cutting the Falcons lead in half.
Williamson drove in two more runs in the bottom of the second as she finished 2-for-3 with the three RBI for Bowling Green, one of two Falcons players with multiple hits. Peyton Dolejs was also 2-for-3.
EIU took advantage of an error in the top of the fifth as Maddie Swart reached and pinch runner Katie Nicholson came around to score on an RBI double by Riley Dittmar. Morgan Lewis would add a triple in the inning but was left at third base as BGSU starter Payton Gottshall (2-0) worked out of the jam.
Cravens second solo blast came leading off the sixth inning. Kiara Hurley would be called to the circle for Bowling Green and scattered two hits to pick up her second save of the year.
Cravens and Kendall Fields both had two hits for EIU. Rachel Kaufman (0-1) took the loss for EIU.