SATURDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 3, Boston College 2
@FGCU 2,
Belmont 1
Indiana State 3,
Tennessee Tech 2
Tennessee Tech 4, Chattanooga 1
North Dakota State 10,
UT Martin 0 (5)
UT Martin 12, @Georgia Southern 4
Indiana State 7,
SIUE 5
SIUE 5, Northwestern State 4 (8)
Bradley 13,
Tennessee State 4
Tennessee State 4, Miami (Ohio) 3
@East Tennessee State 10,
Morehead State 5
@Gardner Webb 9,
Morehead State 8 (8)
Southeast Missouri 4, @Western Kentucky 3 (8)
Southeast Missouri 12, Central Michigan 4
Murray State 7, Toledo 1
Murray State 9, UAB 0
Austin Peay 9, Memphis 6
Austin Peay 3, @FGCU 1
Eastern Illinois 3, Alcorn State 2
Eastern Illinois 5, Jackson State 1
BELMONT 3, BOSTON COLLEGE 2; FGCU 2, BELMONT
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Belmont University Softball took on Boston College at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational. A close game this afternoon but the Bruins came out on top 3-2.
A slower start for the Bruins compared to their early runs in both of yesterday's games. After a scoreless three innings the Bruins got the bats going in the top of the fourth. Mykayla Spurlin started off the inning singling to center field. Followed by Abi Ledbetter singling to left field. Audrey Lyle sent in an infield fly advancing Spurlin to second. Emily Cockrill got on base for the Bruin's due to a fielder's choice catching Spurlin out at home. Cockrill then stole second. Ollinger singled to third base to bring in Abi Ledbetter 1-0. After an Alicia Veltri Single to left field, Cockrill made it home, 2-0.
Top five, Boston College countered, scoring a run themselves off of a double to left field 2-1. Alex Clesi came in to relieve Emma Summers in the circle. An additional Eagle run was scored in the fifth 2-2.
Belmont held Boston College to two runs in the top of the sixth. Cavanaugh reached first due to a fielder's choice then stole second. A Baie Ensio double sent Cavanaugh home to lead 3-2.
The Bruins held their lead in the bottom of the sixth and seventh to complete the game. Belmont tallied nine hits, 3 runs, and 3 RBI this matchup.
Pitcher Summers earned her first career start for the Bruins, tallying three strikeouts facing 20 batters. Clesi earns her first win of the 2022 season.
Belmont University Softball falls to Florida Gulf Coast in second meeting 2-1. In both competitions with FGCU the Bruins came within a single run. Both games showed off the remarkable talent the Bruins are bringing to the field this season.
The Bruins started off strong with lead off hitter Cheyenne Cavanaugh singling to left field. Belmont was unable to bring Cavanaugh in for FGCU was able to score one in the first 1-0.
In the second Abi Ledbetter singled to left field. Savannah Haltermann entered the game to pinch run for Ledbetter and successfully stole second. Alicia Veltri came in with a fantastic hit to right field. Halterman's speed led her to home plate, 1-1.
The Bruins held the 1-1 tie in the third and fourth.
The top of the fifth the Bruins were able to get two on base but were unsuccessful in getting either home.
Bottom of the fifth the Eagles opened with a homerun. The Bruins held the 2-1 score in the sixth bringing in Delayna Bryant for Alicia Veltri.
Belmont was unable to score in the seventh making the final 2-1. The Bruins tallied seven hits, one run, and one RBI. Cheyenne Cavanaugh led the Bruins with three of the seven hits tonight.
Defensively the Bruins were sound tonight. Making all of the right plays with no errors on the stat sheet.
Both days at the FGCU Invitational so far the Bruins have went 1-2. Looking to come out of the weekend with a winning record the Bruins will face Boston College tomorrow morning.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, ALCORN STATE 2; EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, JACKSON STATE 1
VICKSBURG, Miss. - Eastern Illinois softball won the first of two on Saturday afternoon beating Alcorn State, 3-2, at the River City Classic II Tournament. EIU was scheduled to face Jackson State later on Saturday.
Riley Dittmar drove home two of the Panthers three runs in the contest going 1-for-3 at the plate. Hannah Cravens delivered the other RBI as she had a double in the contest.
Tieghan Morio had the start in the circle with Alexa Rehmeier coming in to close out the game and pick up her third win of the season.
Morgan Lewis led EIU at the plate with a 2-for-4 including two runs scored.
Jackson State scored its lone run of the game with a lead off home run by Laurent Stewart in the first. Stewart would collect two of the JSU hits in the game as Rachel Kaufman has a strong start in the circle throwing 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. Kaitlyn Riefsteck closed out the final 1.2 innings allowing one hit.
The Panthers would break through and provide Kaufman with all the offense she would need in the top of the fourth. Hannah Cravens led off with a single and Lindy Milkowski followed with a double. Riley Dittmar delivered with a two-run double giving her four RBI on the day after a two RBI effort in the win earlier over Alcorn State. Dittmar would eventually come around to score an unearned run putting EIU up 3-1 in the game.
Megan Burton added two insurance runs in the fifth hitting her second home run of the season with Morgan Lewis scoring on the play.
Cravens was the lone Panther with multiple hits in the game going 2-for-4.
Macie Kuppenbender took the loss for JSU falling to 2-3 on the season.
EIU wraps up tournament action on Sunday facing Alabama A&M and Jackson State.
MURRAY STATE 7, TOLEDO 1; MURRAY STATE 9, UAB 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Murray State softball swept day two at the 2022 Blazer Classic, using early leads to defeat Toledo, 7-1 and host UAB, 9-0, in mercy-rule fashion at Mary Bowers Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Racers offense unloaded for 16 runs led by Logan Braundmeier, who was on fire at the plate, going 5-for-6 with 4 RBI and 3 run scored on the day.
The Murray State pitching staff was no slouch either. Jenna Veber, Kamryn Carcich and Hannah James combined to give up only one run and zero walks throughout the two games.
Game One – Murray State 7, Toledo 1
Braundmeier and Lindsey Carroll each collected two hits and drove in one run in the first game of the second day at the Blazer Classic.
Jensen Striegel opened up the scoring in the first, lacing an RBI single to center to score Braundmeier and Lindsey Carroll made it 2-0 in the second, hitting her first home run of the season over the wall in left.
Toledo got one run back in the top half of the third before Chloe Jacque scored immediately in the bottom half of the inning to keep it a two-run game.
Back-to-back RBI doubles by Braundmeier and Isabella Wilson and a Sierra Gilmore sac fly in the fifth broke the game wide open, as the Racers lead 6-1 heading to the final two innings.
Murray State tacked on one more in the bottom of the sixth when Erin Lackey scored on an error by shortstop.
Jenna Veber earned her third win of the season (3-0, 1.42 ERA) throwing 6.0 innings allowing one run while walking nobody. Kamryn Carcich came one to close the game getting the final three outs in order
Game Two – Murray State 9, UAB 0 (5)
The Racers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead almost batting around in their order before UAB even had their first at-bats. Murray State used RBI singles from Lily Fischer and Gracie Osbron and a Carcich sac fly to grab a 3-0 lead.
The score remained the same until the Murray State bats caught fire in the top of the fifth inning putting up six runs on six hits and two error to go up 9-0. Eight straight batters reached to start the inning and Braundmeier had the biggest knock of the night, clearing the bases with a three-RBI double.
Hannah James (2-2, 2.00 ERA) threw a two-hit, five-inning complete-game to pick up her second win of the season. James faced only one batter over the minimum, striking out two and giving up no free passes.
The Racers have one final game tomorrow at the Blazer Classic. The Racers will play UAB at 12:30 p.m. at Mary Bowers Field in Birmingham. Alabama.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, WESTERN KENTUCKY 4; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 12, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 4
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Southeast Missouri (5-4) pounded out a season-high 14 hits in a commanding 12-4 five-inning win over Central Michigan Saturday at the Hilltopper Classic.
With the win, SEMO advances to face tournament host Western Kentucky (7-1) in the Hilltopper Classic championship game Sunday.
SEMO rallied to score nine two-out runs in the bottom of the first inning to key its second win over the Chippewas in the tournament.
Alyson Tucker, Paige Halliwill and Aubrie Shore each had two-RBI hits for the bulk of the scoring as the Redhawks put up nine or more runs in the first inning for the second time this season.
The Redhawks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third before capping their third run-rule victory with one final tally in the fifth.
Freshmen Aubrie Shore and Tori Bradley combined for six hits out of the three and four spots in SEMO's lineup. Shore went 3-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI, and Bradley was 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Halliwill and Kynzie Wrigley followed with two hits each.
Rachel Rook (4-1) pitched her fourth complete game victory in five starts. Rook struck out eight, walked two and allowed four runs on five hits. She now has 50 strikeouts through nine games.
Earlier in the day, Taylor Sanders hit a one-out walk-off single to give WKU a 4-3 eight-inning win over the Redhawks.
With runners on second and third, Sanders hit Delaney Kell's 1-0 offering to left center and Randi Drinnon touched home to end the contest.
A pair of round-trippers accounted for the first two runs of the game.
Jordan Ridge led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run before Tucker's first home run of the season sailed over the left field wall to tie the game at 1-1 out of the leadoff spot in the third.
The Hilltoppers loaded the bases and quickly regained the lead on a two-out, two-RBI single by Bailey Curry to grab a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the third.
Shore launched her team-high second home run of the season to left center and Tucker posted her second game-tying hit on a double to score Kaylee Anderson bringing the game to a 3-3 deadlock in the top of the fourth inning.
After WKU pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the sixth, it put Hilltoppers at every base on three singles in the bottom half of the inning. However, Marisa Davis got Taylor Davis to line out and end the threat.
SEMO had another scoring chance with a runner on third in the top of the seventh, but WKU again escaped unscathed.
Marisa Davis worked seven innings, struck out five, walked five and allowed three runs on eight hits in her no-decision. Kell (0-1) suffered the tough luck loss after giving up hits to two of the three hitters she faced.
Tucker went 3-for-4 and fell a triple shy of the cycle. She doubled, homered, singled, scored once and had two RBI. She hit two home runs on the day.
First pitch of Sunday's game is set for 1:30 p.m., CT.
TENNESSEE TECH 3, INDIANA STATE 2; TENNESSEE TECH 4, CHATTANOOGA 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - After a tough-luck outing against Indiana State, the Tennessee Tech softball team bounced back to earn a split on Saturday in the Chattanooga Challenge.
Tech fell 3-2 to the Sycamores in the early game, then scratched out a 4-1 victory against host Chattanooga at Frost Stadium.
The Golden Eagles (7-2) return to action on Sunday to close out the tournament with a 12:30 contest against Radford.
Indiana State jumped on Tech early, collecting three straight singles with two down to send two across. A throwing error in the second allowed another run to score to make it 3-0 Sycamores.
After the rocky start, Alyssa Arden settled in, allowing one hit the rest of the way. She finished the game allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits, walking one and striking out four.
Savannah Talley got the Golden Eagles going in the third with a double to right center, then Mackenzie Fitzgerald hit an infield single, taking second on a throw. Nicolle Nysted also picked up an infield single to short, giving Talley room to score, then Carmen Betts lofted one into left field, sending Fitzgerald home.
Tech had an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the seventh. After Abby Buettner was hit by a pitch, Jordan Key moved her pinch-runner Shelby Penning over on a 5-4 sacrifice bunt. Talley advanced Penning on a grounder to short, but the Sycamores coaxed another grounder to end the scoring attempt and the game.
Things went better for the Golden Eagles in the day’s second game as Arden picked up her third victory of the season, holding Chattanooga to three hits in the complete-game effort, allowing one earned run in the bottom of the third with two walks and six strikeouts.
Tech only collected four hits in the contest, taking advantage of five Chattanooga errors.
Two runs crossed in the top of the third. KaDedra Temple led off with a walk, then Fitzgerald moved her to second on a 2-4 sacrifice bunt. Sydney Love-Baker hit a grounder back to the circle to move Temple to third, then Haeli Bryson extended her team lead in RBI, driving in Temple on a single, then legged it over to second on a fielding error in left field. Carmen Betts made the Mocs pay for the mistake, driving Bryson in on a hit to center field.
The Golden Eagles were able to add some insurance in the sixth inning. Buettner led off with a single to right, then Talley took advantage of a fielding error at short. Pinch-hitter Sydney Dukes came through with an RBI double to center, then a muffed throw at home off of a batted ball by Nysted allowed Talley to score.
INDIANA STATE 7, SIUE 5; SIUE 5, CHATTANOOGA 4
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - SIUE softball split a pair of games at UT Chattanooga on Saturday, opening the day with a narrow loss to Indiana State before needing extra innings to claim a 5-4 victory over Northwestern State.
Game 1 (ISU 7, SIUE 5)
The Sycamores started the scoring early, as a double to left center brought home a pair of runs before ISU closed out the home half of the first with a third run which scored off a fielder's choice.
Despite the early three-run deficit, the Cougars clawed back one inning later thanks to a two-run shot to left field from Lauryn Yslava. The Red & White tied the ballgame in the third inning off an unearned run, before taking a 5-3 lead in the fourth thanks to a pair of Sycamore errors.
However, the SIUE lead would not last - ISU put together a three-run fifth inning that proved decisive and helped the Sycamores claim the 7-5 win.
Game 2 (SIUE 5, NWST 4 [F/8])
While the Cougars' early game was marked with early scoring, the bulk of the scoring in the second contest came in the final three innings of play.
SIUE struck first, as Amber Storer singled to center field to bring home Piper Montgomery to give the Red & White an early 1-0 lead.
Montgomery extended the Cougar lead in the sixth with a three-run bomb to left field, bringing home Yslava and Lueke to build the SIUE lead to four.
With victory nearly in hand, the Demons found life in the seventh inning with a game-tying grand slam that sent the game to extra innings.
However, the game would not extend much longer - Montgomery's stellar outing was capped off with a game-winning double to send home Mia Haynes and give the Cougars their first win at the Chattanooga Challenge.
The Cougars (3-6) will close out their trip to Southeast Tennessee with a game against tournament host Chattanooga. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m. Central.
BRADLEY 14, TENNESSEE STATE 4; TENNESSEE STATE 4, MIAMI (OHIO) 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State softball spilt on day two of the Roar City Invitational; securing a win over the defending MAC champions, Miami (OH).
Final: Bradley 13, Tennessee State 4
HOW IT HAPPENED:
BOT 1ST: Freshman outfielder, Jasmine Brown, logged a lead-off base hit for TSU and advanced to second on a throwing error. Lauren Farias reached on an error by the shortstop and advanced Brown to third. Peyton Fointno drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to score Brown. || TSU, 1-0
TOP 2ND: Bradley's Samantha Smith poked a single to center field and scored on the next play, as Katie Pederson recorded an RBI double. || TIED, 1-1
BOT 2ND: Mikayla Duke led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on interference on the first basemen. With two runners on, Brown singled to shortstop and Duke's hustle allowed her to score. || TSU, 2-1
TOP 3RD: Bradley's Camryn Monteer singled to the pitcher and advanced to second on a throwing error by King. Grace French drove in an RBI single to tie the game. Jordy van der Werf smacked a line drive to left field and scored two runs to give Bradley its first lead of the game. Smith singled and eluded a tag on the next play at second base. With the bases loaded, Addie Welsh drove in two runs on a single to left field. Monteer reached the plate for the second time in the contest and drove in two runs to extend the lead. || BU, 8-2
TOP 4TH: With two outs in the fourth, Samantha Smith blasted her second home run of the season to left center field. || UB, 9-2
TOP 5TH: Bradley's Bradley singled to left and advanced to second after a walk to Abigail Tyler. With runners at the corners and two outs, the Braves pulled off a double steal to score a run. French drove in her second run of the day with a single to left. After a pitching change for TSU, van der Werf singled and scored alongside French after a two-run double from Smith. || BU, 13-2
BOT 5TH: Lauren Farias led off the fifth with an inside-out double to right center field. Peyton Fointno switched places and logged an RBI with a two-bagger of her own. Fointno scored after an error by the Bradley first basemen. || BU, 13-4
Freshman outfielder, Jasmine Brown, went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Peyton Fointno drove in two runs on a double and sacrifice fly.
Lauren Farias recorded a double, her team-leading fourth extra-base hit.
Final: Tennessee State 4, Miami (OH) 3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
TOP 2ND: The Redhawks clean-up hitter jumpstarted the game with a home run to deep center field. || UM-OH, 1-0
BOT 3RD: With two outs, the Tigers went on a rally beginning with back-to-back walks. Ryla Traylor singled to the pitcher and loaded the bases. Anayah Baker laced a single up the middle and drove in two runs, following a throwing error by the center field. After Meaghan Lewis reached on a dropped third strike, Mikayla Duke lasered a two-run single to left field. || TSU, 4-1
TOP 4TH: Miami (OH)'s Adriana Barlow walked and advanced after a single by Karlee Juarez. The Redhawks' Maggie Murphy singled to right field to trim the deficit and score Barlow. || TSU, 4-2
TOP 5TH: With one out, Karli Spaid singled and stole second. After a groundout, Lily Wilmot logged an RBI single to cut the TSU lead to one. || TSU, 4-3
Raven Loveless went five innings and allowed three runs on six hits, struck out four and walked one. Caitlyn Manus recorded a two-inning save, allowed two hits and struck out one.
Mikayla Duke, a freshman outfielder, went 3-for-3 with two RBI.
Tennessee State will cap off the Roar City Invitational tomorrow afternoon at 3:30pm against IUPUI.
AUSTIN PEAY 9, MEMPHIS 6; AUSTIN PEAY 3, FGCU 1
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Austin Peay swept its two games on Day 2 of the FGCU Invitational, winning a wild 9-6 final versus Memphis before turning away tournament host Florida Gulf Coast in the nightcap, 3-1
In the opener versus Memphis (3-6), the Govs (6-4) never trailed in the contest, pounding out a season-high 16 hits, including three hits each by Megan Hodum, Lexi Osowski and Brooke Pfefferle.
Freshman catcher Mea Clark would lead the Govs with four RBIs, while Pfefferle added three.
Joran Benefiel (3-1) picked up the complete-game victory, giving up nine hit and only two earned runs, while walking two and striking out four.
In Game 2 versus Florida Gulf Coast (5-4), took advantage of a throwing error to score its first run of the game in the top of the second inning, with Florida Gulf Coast tying the game in the bottom of the inning on a home run.
The Govs would retake the lead in the third, scoring twice, the first coming on a throwing error allowing Bailey Shorter, who had opened the inning with a double to score, followed by an RBI single by Osowski to make it 3-1.
Austin Peay starter Samantha Miener (3-2) would take it from there, as the freshman retired 17 of the final 19 batter she faced in picked up the complete-game victory, giving up just five hits and one walk while striking out three.