SATURDAY'S SCORES
Southern Indiana 1, Green Bay 0
Belmont4,
Lindenwood 0
Lindenwood 1, Samford 0
Northern Alabama 2, @
Tennessee State 0
@Tennessee State 12, Alabama A&M 0
UNC Greensboro 8,
Morehead State 0 (6)
Morehead State 4, UNC Wilmington 3
Eastern Illinois 10, Jackson State 4
Eastern Illinois 7, Grambling State 3
@Southern Miss 1,
SIUE 0
SIUE 3, Jacksonville State 0
Green Bay 6,
UT Martin 5
Kansas City 3,
UT Martin 2
Canisius 4,
Tennessee Tech 3
@College of Charleston 6,
Tennessee Tech 3
SOUTHERN INDIANA 1, GREEN BAY 0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Senior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) had a two-out, RBI- single in the top of the fifth inning and sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings as University of Southern Indiana Softball claimed a historic 1-0 win over Green Bay Saturday morning at UE's Cooper Stadium.
The victory came in the Screaming Eagles' first-ever NCAA Division I softball game and comes on the heels of a historic 2022 campaign that saw USI win its third NCAA Division II regional title in the last five years.
USI (1-0) broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning after sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) drew a one-out walk. Nalley advanced to second base after senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) grounded out to third base.
Following a two-out walk to junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana), Rager hit the first pitch she saw through the middle of the infield to score Nalley.
In the circle, Newman picked up where she left off a year ago as the 2022 NFCA Division II Freshman of the Year finalist struck out seven batters while allowing just two hits and a walk in a relief appearance to pick up the victory.
Newman (1-0), a preseason Ohio Valley Conference Player to Watch, earned the win after coming into the circle with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom half of the second inning. Senior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) started the game and had a perfect first inning, but a pair of walks helped the Phoenix load the bases with no outs in the second frame.
Goodin got the Eagles in position to get out of the second-inning jam with a strikeout before giving way to Newman, who struck out the first batter she faced before getting a foul out for the third out.
Green Bay (2-4) got just three runners on base the rest of the game, with just one runner reaching second base.
The Eagles return to action Sunday at 9 a.m. when take on Green Bay for the second time. USI finishes its season-opening weekend Sunday at 7 p.m. when it squares off against host University of Evansville for the first time in a regular-season contest since 1992.
BELMONT 4, LINDENWOOD 0; LINDENWOOD 1, SAMFORD 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Lindenwood Lions responded from tied 0-0 in the sixth inning to win in dramatic fashion, securing a 1-0 victory over the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday.
Senior Keighlan Cronin (1-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Lindenwood (2-7). The right-hander went four shutout innings, giving up two hits, two walks and striking out two. Senior Amanda Weyh started the ballgame and went three shutout innings while allowing two hits, walking none and striking out three.
At the plate, the Lions were led by freshman Tori Hatton, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a double and a walk.
The Lions took the lead for good in the seventh, scoring for the first and only time in the inning. Sophomore Lauren Pelton came across to score the lone run of the inning for Lindenwood and get them on the board
he Lindenwood Lions were not able to score a run against Belmont pitcher freshman Giles on Saturday and were shut out 4-0 by the Bruins.
Freshman Avery (0-1) got the ball to start for Lindenwood (1-7) and took the loss.
In the batter's box, the Lions were led by freshman Dallis, who went 1-for-3 on the day.
Lindenwood did not advance a runner past second base in the game. The Lions went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, last placing a runner as far as second in the fourth, when sophomore Mya made it into scoring position with one out.
CANISIUS 4, TENNESSEE TECH 3; COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 6, TENNESSEE TECH 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Callie Piper took a tough-luck loss as she hurled a strong complete-game effort against Canisius on Saturday in the College of Charleston Cougar Classic. The Golden Griffins retook the lead in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-3 victory over the Golden Eagles, then the host Cougars topped Tech 6-3 in the nightcap.
The Golden Eagles fall to 0-6 on the season and will complete the Cougar Classic on Sunday with one more contest against the host College of Charleston at 11 a.m.
Piper, in her second start of the campaign, had a positive showing in the contest, holding Canisius to four total runs, but just one earned as she gave up three hits. Piper also struck out two, while yielding seven walks.
Haeli Bryson and Nicolle Nysted each went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Jordynn Shirley drove in two runs.
Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third as Shirley drove in Makayli Harris with a single up the middle. Canisius tied the game in the top of the fourth, then took a 3-1 lead with two in the fifth.
The Golden Eagles knotted the score at three in the bottom of the sixth as Brooklyn Stewart hit a double to left center, followed by an Abby Shoulders single to right. As Shoulders attempted to steal second, the throw from the catcher went awry, allowing Stewart to score and Shoulder to take third. Shirley then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in the tying run.
Canisius took the lead in the top of the seventh as a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a single through the left side plated the game-winning run.
Charleston and Tech went back and forth early in the second day of the game. The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Golden Eagles tied the game in the second with Ella Bishop’s sacrifice bunt driving pinch runner Bailey Stack in.
The Cougars struck for two in the bottom of the second, then the Golden Eagles got a sacrifice fly from Bryson to drive in Shoulders, then a double from Nysted down the left line to bring home Carmen Betts.
Charleston broke the tie in the bottom of the third with an RBI single, followed by two more runs in the bottom of the fourth with a walk, a triple and a single in succession driving in the insurance runs.
Shoulders and Nysted went 2-for-3 at the plate in the game.
Kaylan Cole took the loss, allowing six runs – five earned – on six hits, walking six and striking out two. Gracelyn Woollen threw the final three frames, walking one and striking out two.
SOUTHERN MISS 1, SIUE 0; SIUE 3, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - SIUE pitcher Kelsey Ray struck out a career-high eight batters in her first career shutout as the Cougars blanked Jacksonville State 3-0 to close out day two of the Golden Eagle Invitational.
Earlier in the day, Southern Mississippi nipped the softball Cougars 1-0.
Ray allowed just two hits for her first win of the season and SIUE's first victory of the season. Jacksonville State had singles in the first and fifth innings. Ray tossed exactly 100 pitches en route to her win.
Paige Rocha gave the Cougars the only run they would need, a second-inning home run to right center field. SIUE added one more run in the second inning as Sherri Mason singled and scored from first on a double by Abby Braundmeier.
The Cougars, 1-6, would add an insurance run in the fifth as Micah Arps singled and scored on a double by Emma Neuman.
In Saturday's game one, Sydney Baalman allowed just one run on four hits against host Southern Mississippi.
Jana Lee took the win for USM, yielding hits to SIUE's Lexi King, Piper Montgomery, Kate Crombar and Rocha.
SIUE closes out the tournament Sunday with a single game against Tulsa. Game time is 9:30 a.m.