SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 8, SIUE 1
@Belmont 8, SIUE 4
@Tennessee Tech 5, Southeast Missouri 3
@Tennessee Tech 5, Southeast Missouri 4 (10)
@Murray State 5, UT Martin 1
@Murray State 4, UT Martin 2
Austin Peay 5, @Morehead State 2
@Tennessee State 2, Eastern Illinois 1
@Tennessee State 4, Eastern Illinois 3
BELMONT 8, SIUE 1; BELMONT 8, SIUE 4
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Belmont University Softball put on a show today at E.S. Rose Park won both contests against the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars. The Bruins defeated the Cougars by a landslide 8-1 in the first of the day and 8-4 in the second.
The Bruins are having a fantastic start to conference play going 5-0 to start, looking to break a seven game Ohio Valley Conference starting streak posted in 2018.
Game One, 8-1:
Belmont tallied six of their eight runs in the first three innings. Green ripped a 1 RBI double to left center field to start the Bruins scoring. Audrey Lyle blasted her first home run of the season in the second, scoring herself and Emma Barnes, 2 RBI.
The Cougars scored their sole run of the matchup in the third, King flew out to center field, Herron tagged up to score.
Bottom of the third Bruins added to the board. Veltri with a single and RBI to bring in Green. Emily Cockrill with her third double of the season and two RBI hit to score Emma Barnes and Alicia Veltri.
The Bruins added a single run in both the third and fourth innings to secure the 8-1 victory over the Cougars. Enisio reached first on an error, Cavanaugh scored on the throw. Barnes also reached on an error, scoring Elison Ollinger.
Pitcher Emma Summers only allowed seven hits tallying six strikeouts.
The Bruins finished the first game recording eight runs on 12 hits with one error.
Game Two, 8-4:
The Cougars tested the Bruins in the second game but the Bruins came out victorious after seven innings.
Belmont started their scoring with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. A hectic inning in the field for the Cougars. Emma Barnes singled, Cougar errors led to both Barnes scoring and Ollinger who was previously on base earning a run as well. Ensio reached first on a fielder's choice, ultimately being called out at second but was able to score Lyle. Ollinger roped a double to score Alicia Veltri, 4-0.
After a hitless three innings for pitcher Alicia Veltri, the Cougars got on the board with four runs in the fourth. A single RBI and a three run homerun for the SIUE.
An Abi Ledbetter single and Cavanaugh's speed added a run for the Bruins, 5-4.
The Bruins added insurance to the score in the fifth. Both Cavanugh and Baie Ensio singled to bring in the single runners in scoring position.
Pitchers Alica Veltri and Alex Clesi only allowed five hits totalling seven strikeouts.
Cheyenne Cavanaugh closed out the final game of the day with a stunning diving catch in center field to secure the win. This was her second stellar diving catch of the game, Cavanugh has come to play this conference season.
TENNESSEE TECH 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3; TENNESSEE TECH 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4 (10)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - After a tough weekend at UT Martin last week, the Tennessee Tech softball team rebounded in a big way on Saturday, taking both ends of the doubleheader against defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Southeast Missouri, claiming both games in dramatic fashion.
After all, there’s nothing more dramatic than a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. Carmen Betts did just that, facing an 0-2 count with two down – a pitch away from going to another extra frame. The solo shot gave the Golden Eagles (19-9, 2-3 OVC) a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.
Alyssa Arden also completed the 10-inning marathon, throwing 178 pitches to pick up her league-leading 10th victory of the season in the full-game effort.
Tech held on in game one with Tyler Erwin in the circle to take a 5-3 win.
SEMO falls to 14-12 on the season, 3-2 in league play thus far. The three-game series concludes on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. Dylan Vazzano will have the call on ESPN+ (subscription required).
Rachel Rook, one of the Redhawks’ most prolific pitchers and the reigning OVC Pitcher of the Year, took both losses, despite solid efforts in the circle. In game one, she allowed just one earned run out of four yielded, scattering three hits and four walks while striking out five to add to her SEMO career-leading total. Marisa Davis came on in relief in the fourth and threw the final three innings, allowing one run on two hits as she walked three and struck out two.
Tyler Erwin pitched all seven frames for the complete-game victory, walking one and striking out two as she allowed three runs – two earned – on four hits.
Tech drew first blood in the bottom of the first on an unfortunate play for the Redhawks. As the SEMO catcher overthrew shortstop Alyson Tucker attempting to throw out Betts and Tucker was injured on the attempt, Haeli Bryson was able to score from third.
The Golden Eagles added three more runs in the bottom of the third as an error at short allowed Mackenzie Fitzgerald to score. Sydney Love-Baker loaded the bases on a five-pitch walk, then Kaylan Cole laid down a bunt. The play was unable to get anyone as Betts scored on the fielder’s choice. Sydney Dukes then forced across Abby Buettner on a five-pitch walk.
SEMO cut the deficit in the fourth and fifth innings as Kaylee Anderson hit a solo homer in the fourth, then a fielding error at second allowed pinch-runner Kileigh Grissom to score from second.
Tech added an insurance run in the sixth as Brooklin Richardson stole home in tandem with Bryson’s swipe of second.
The Redhawks made it interesting in the seventh as Paige Halliwill hit a solo homer to right, but a foul pop to the catcher Savannah Talley, a swinging strikeout and a grounder to Sydney Love-Baker at short ended the game with Erwin claiming the victory.
In game two, the Golden Eagles jumped on starter Paytience Holman early as Fitzgerald led off with a single, then stole second. Bryson laid down a bunt for a single as she beat out the throw, then Betts drew a walk to load the bases. Buettner put a two-run single into center field to drive in Fitzgerald and Bryson, then Love-Baker’s sacrifice bunt moved Betts to third. Kaylan Cole repeated the same play, driving in Betts on the suicide squeeze.
SEMO made it 3-1 Tech in the third as Halliwill hit a single to right to drive in Kynzie Wrigley, then tied the game with two runs in the fourth – Sydney Dennis driving in Kat Sackett and Grisham on a hard-hit shot through short.
Holman lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out one. Rook came on in relief and pitched the remainder of the contest.
Betts had an RBI single to second to drive in Richardson to retake the lead in the fourth, but SEMO tied the game once more in the sixth as Dennis drove in Kelby Robinson on a single to third.
Nothing was doing for either side in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. The Golden Eagles stranded two in the seventh, then ended a SEMO rally in the eighth with an Arden-to-Betts-to-Bryson double play. Tech stranded two more in the ninth, then after allowing a lead-off single, Bryson went vertical for a lineout and Arden coaxed a foul pop to Talley and a flyout to Cole.
Arden finished the game allowing four runs on 11 hits, walking and striking out three.
In the 10th frame, Fitzgerald grounded back to the circle on the first pitch, then Bryson flied out to center field. Betts stood in, looked at strike one then fouled off the next two before driving the final pitch down the left field line, staying just fair to end the contest.
Rook took the loss, throwing five innings of relief ball, yielding one run on two hits, walking four and striking out six.
MURRAY STATE 5, UT MARTIN 1; MURRAY STATE 4, UT MARTIN 2
MURRAY, Ky. - Recap coming soon.
AUSTIN PEAY 5, MOREHEAD STATE 2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Lexi Osowski reached base all four times for Austin Peay State University versus Morehead State, Saturday afternoon at University Field, including hitting her team-leading seventh home run of the season, as the Governors defeated the Eagles, 5-2, for their first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season.
The Governors (14-14, 1-3 OVC) were down 1-0 heading into the top of the third inning, but Osowski got things going by being hit by a pitch, followed by Brooke Pfefferle double, to put runners at second and third with one out.
Pfefferle, along with Megan Hodum, would finish the game with three hits each.
Kylie Campbell then followed with a double, scoring Osowski to tie the game, with Pfefferle also scoring on a throwing error by the Eagles (1-19, 0-4 OVC) left fielder.
After an infield out moved Campbell to third, she would score on a single by Kendyl Weinzapfel to give the Govs a 3-1 lead.
That would be all the runs that Govs starter Harley Mullins (3-2) would need, as she picked up the complete-game victory, giving up two runs on six hits, while striking out a season-high seven batters.
Austin Peay would extend its lead in the fourth with Hodum reaching on a two-out single, followed by a long home run over the center field fence by Osowski to put the Govs up 5-1.
Morehead State would add on a run in the bottom of the sixth for the 5-2 final.
TENNESSEE STATE 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1; TENNESSEE STATE 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State softball team swept the OVC doubleheader against Eastern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee State 2, Eastern Illinois 1
BOT 5TH: To lead off the inning, Anayah Baker worked a free-pass for TSU's first lead-off baserunner of the contest. After back-to-back strikeouts, Marisa Mauroschadt laced an RBI triple down the left field line to score Baker from first base. With Mauroschadt at third and two outs, Jasmine Brown laid down a bunt single to extend the lead. || TSU, 2-0
TOP 7TH: EIU manufactured a baserunner as Andrea Sampson reached on a throwing error to begin the inning. Megan Burton cut the deficit in half with an RBI single down the right field line. || TSU, 2-1
Caitlyn Manus made her 18th appearance in the circle; the freshman tossed 4.1 scoreless innings, allowed four hits, two walks and struck out five.
Peyton Fointno went 2-for-3, including her team-leading sixth double of the year.
Marisa Mauroschadt logged the go-ahead RBI, her first RBI of the season.
Fointno's recorded five multi-hit games as she leads the team in batting average.
The Tigers snapped EIU's nine-game winning
TSU handed the Panthers their first conference loss of the season.
Tennessee State 4 , Eastern Illinois 3
TOP 1ST: With one out, EIU's Jaylen Prichard reached on a free-pass and advanced into scoring position after a double from Hannah Cravens. Lindy Milkowski laced an RBI single down the right field line. || EIU, 1-0
BOT 4TH: Peyton Fointno walked to begin the inning and scored on a two-run homer from Anayah Baker. Baker clubbed her second home run of the season to left-center field through a 20mph wind gust. || TSU, 2-1
TOP 5TH: Prichard singled with one out and advanced to second after a fielding error by TSU's shortstop. After a pitching change, Milkowski logged an RBI single to left field. Following a fielder's choice, Cravens scored on a passed ball to regain the lead. || EIU, 3-2
BOT 5TH: EIU recorded the first two outs of the inning before Jasmine Brown slapped a single to left field. Lauren Farias hit a cue-shot in between first and second for an infield single. Farias stole second in an attempt to score the runner. With two runners in scoring position, Fointno sliced a two-run triple down the right field line. || TSU, 4-3
Peyton Fointno went 1-for-2 with two RBI, a triple and a walk.
Jasmine Brown recorded her seventh multi-hit game of the season.
Anayah Baker blasted her second homer of the season.
It was the first time TSU's swept an OVC doubleheader since April 26, 2019.
Brown leads the team with 22 hits, while Fointno leads the team in batting average (.273, 21-for-77)
Fointno leads the Tigers with 14 RBI in 28 games.