SUNDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee Tech 8, @College of Charleston 3
Southern Indiana 3, Green Bay 2
@Evansville 7,
Southern Indiana 6 (9)
Tulsa 8,
SIUE 3
Morehead State 5, UNC Wilmington 2 (8)
@UNC Greensboro 7,
Morehead State 2
Eastern Illinois 3, Grambling State 0
Kansas City 8,
UT Martin 7
Green Bay 2,
UT Martin 0
Bradley 8,
@Tennessee State 5
@Tennessee State 11, Alabama A&M 1
Southeast Missouri 10, @Saint Louis 9 (10)
Southeast Missouri 7, @Saint louis 4
Ball State 10,
Lindenwood 1 (5)
TENNESSEE TECH 8, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Abby Shoulders picked up three of Tennessee Tech's five RBI and Callie Piper put together a strong outing as the Golden Eagles picked up the first victory in the Danielle Penner era, topping College of Charleston 8-3 on Sunday.
Piper picked up her first career victory in the circle as she went five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. She walked one and struck out two. Kaylan Cole came on in the final two frames and shut the door, pitching two scoreless innings with two hits and two walks.
In addition to Shoulders' three RBI, Haeli Bryson knocked in two as both Golden Eagles went 3-for-4 at the plate to pace the lineup. Ella Bishop and Jordan Key also had two hits each as Tech collected 13 safeties against the Cougars' battery.
Tech struck first in the opening frame as Bryson collected a two-out single to center, then a wild pitch allowed the Golden Eagle first baseman to move over to second. Carmen Betts hit a ball back to the circle, but a throwing error by the Cougar pitcher allowed Bryson to score.
In the top of the third, Key led off with a ball through the right side. Tristen Head came on as a pinch runner and stole second. Shoulders and Jordynn Shirley put down back-to-back bunt singles to load the bases. Bryson followed through with a single through second and first, plating Head and Shoulders and extending the lead to 3-0.
Charleston threatened in the third as a runner attempted to score from second on a single. Shoulders threw home to catcher Savannah Talley for a 8-2 putout.
Tech gained some insurance in the top of the sixth, tapping four more runs onto the scoreboard as Shoulders hit a two-run double to right center to score Bishop and pinch-runner Bailey Stack, then advanced to third on a pop-up to first base, then scored on a throwing error by the Cougar catcher. Brooklin Richardson, pinch-running for Key, came home to score on a wild pitch.
Charleston picked up three runs in the home half of the sixth inning as a hit batter, a double and a single led to one run, then two walks pushed another across the plate. The third scored on a fielder's choice as Tech erased the runner going to third on a 6-5 putout.
The Golden Eagles added one last run in the top of the seventh as Shoulders drove in Sydney Dukes on a sacrifice fly to right.
Tech returns to action next week as they compete at the Mercer Bear Invitational, taking on Jacksonville and South Carolina down in Macon, Ga.
TULSA 8, SIUE 3
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Tulsa scored six runs in the second inning and defeated SIUE softball 8-3.
Sunday's contest concluded the Golden Eagle Invitational. SIUE will return home to Illinois for its next event. The Cougars will head to Carbondale next Friday through Sunday for the Coach B Classic where they will face DePaul twice as well as Northern Kentucky and host SIU Carbondale once.
Despite falling behind, SIUE's offense was grinding in the late innings.
Madisyn Webster provided an RBI for SIUE's first run of the game in the fifth inning. Piper Montgomery and Sherri Mason had RBIs as SIUE finished off the seventh inning.
Tulsa starter Kylee Nash benefited from a six-run second for her second win of the season. The Cougars pushed out reliever Riley Grant in the seventh before Maura Moore collected the final three outs.
Sydney Baalman took the loss for the Cougars. Kelsey Ray threw the final 5 1/3 innings and struck out four. All 10 of Tulsa's hits were singles.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, GRAMBLING STATE 0
BATON ROUGE, La. - Eastern Illinois pitching staff turned in another gem to close weekend play at the Mardi Gras Classic as EIU shutout Grambling State 3-0 to win the event with a 5-0 record.
Tieghan Morio and Alexa Rehmeier combined for the three-hit shutout in the circle. Morio (1-0) went four innings scattering three hits. Rehmeier closed out the final three innings with no hits and six strikeouts to pick up the save as EIU moved to 5-5 on the year.
Kendall Grover provided EIU all the offense it would need in the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.
EIU added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh. Briana Gonzalez doubled and came around to score in the sixth. Macey McElravey had a solo home run in the seventh.
MOREHEAD STATE 5, UNC WILMINGTON 2; UNC GREENSBORO 7, MOREHEAD STATE 2
GREENSBORO, N. C. - Trailing by two runs in their final at-bat, the Eagles slugged out three consecutive doubles to tie the game, as part of a dramatic late inning rally to seal a victory over UNC Wilmington in the opening game of the day. The hot hitting from the Eagles continued into the extra inning, where they put up three runs to put away the Seahawks.
Sophomore Madi Ogden dominated on Sunday, striking out eight UNCW hitters over eight innings. Ogden bounced back after allowing two first inning runs to toss seven scoreless through the rest of the afternoon.
Freshman Emily Williams led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with a double and three RBI. Junior Kaytlyn Cripps furnished a standout effort as well, going 1-for-4, including the game tying RBI double in the seventh. Junior Peyton Jordan also contributed, going 1-for-3 for Morehead State with a double and an RBI.
The Eagles fell in their second game of the day against UNC Greensboro, 7-2. Taylor Rhea led the way for the Eagles offense, going 2-3 at the plate with a double, while Taikibrea Campbell and Emily Williams brought home the two runs for the Eagles.
(GAME 1)
UNCW opened the scoring with two-run single in the first inning to jump out to the early lead.
Both sides remained scoreless, with the Eagles not recording their first hit until a Taylor Rhea single to lead off the sixth.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the seventh when Peyton Jordan led off the frame with a double. Emily Williams followed with an RBI double of her own and Kaytlyn Cripps tied the game with the team's third straight double.
The Seahawks threatened in the bottom of the seventh, getting the winning run to second base, but Ogden's sixth strikeout of the afternoon sent the game to extras.
Trinity Spear beat out a bunt single to advance Jessie Begley to third at the start of the inning and after an error loaded the bases, Peyton Jordan drove a sacrifice fly to center to break the tie. Williams then broke the game open with a two RBI single, running the score to 5-2.
The Seahawks brought the tying run to the plate with no outs in the bottom half of the frame, but Ogden recorded back-to-back strikeouts and induced a lineout to end the game.
(GAME 2)
The Eagles got out to a fast start with a one out double from Kirya Kingery in the top of the first. After stealing third, Kingery was brought home on a run scoring error off the bat of Emily Williams.
UNCG knotted the game back up in the bottom half of the frame with a run scoring groundout, but Lennon Spicer stranded the go-ahead run on third.
The Spartans loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Spicer again navigated out of trouble, forcing a pop out and a fielders choice to end the threat.
UNCG broke through in the fourth with a two RBI double, and the attempt from the Eagles to cut into that lead in the fifth was stifled when Taikibrea Campbell was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Taylor Rhea double.
Home runs in the fifth and sixth stretched the UNCG lead to 7-1, with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Campbell in the seventh giving the game its final score.
The Eagles are back in action next weekend at the Battle at the Bay, where they will take on Central Connecticut and Hampton Friday, before matching up with Norfolk State and Stony Brook Saturday.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 10, SAINT LOUIS 9; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7, SAINT LOUIS 4
SAINT LOUIS, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (2-3) picked up its first wins of the season with a 10-9, 7-4, doubleheader sweep of Saint Louis (2-5) Sunday. Mark Redburn collected his 300th career NCAA Division I win with the Redhawks game one extra inning victory.
SEMO overcame a four-run deficit to edge SLU in game one.
Down to their final out in the seventh, Jillian Anderson scored the tying run on an infield single by Aubrie Shore making it a 4-4 ballgame.
With the international tiebreaker rule in effect to start the 10th inning, Shore was placed on second base and went to third on a bunt single by Zoe Schulte. Schulte stole second and Sydney Dennis followed with a single to score Shore for the go-ahead run. On the next play, Tatum Gerwitz reached on a bunt single. Schulte then scored on a groundout by Paige Halliwill. Alyson Tucker's single to left knocked in Dennis.
After a pitching change, Kynzie Wrigley walked with the bases loaded and Gerwitz scored. Another hit, this time by Kat Sackett, drove in Anderson to complete SEMO's six-run 10th-inning rally.
SLU made things interesting scoring five runs of its own in the bottom of the 10th before dropping its fourth one-run loss of the season.
In the bottom of the first inning, Natalie Sullivan reached on a leadoff walk and went to second on an error. Jane Kaniecki singled and Sullivan scored. Cami Newbanks and Chloe Rhine walked, and Kelsey Etling scored. With two outs, Kendall Johnson knocked in two runs on an infield single to give the Billikens an early 4-0 lead.
SEMO cut the Billikens' lead in half during the top of the third, where Halliwill led off with a double and scored on a single by Wrigley. Anderson, who reached on an error after Halliwill's extra base hit, later scored an unearned run to narrow SLU's lead to 4-2.
The Redhawks pulled within a run in the sixth before tying things up in the seventh.
Kat Sackett reached on a leadoff double for the second time in the game and scored on a one-out double by Marissa Peek to make it a 4-3 game in the sixth.
Delaney Kell (1-1) picked up the first win of her career. Kell tossed seven-straight scoreless innings before giving up five runs in the 10th. She also struck out four, walked four and gave up three hits in 7.1 frames.
SEMO outhit SLU, 19-7. Six of the Redhawk hits were doubles.
Sackett, Halliwill and Dennis paved the way with three hits apiece. Sackett went 3-for-5 with a run scored, two doubles and three RBI. Halliwill finished at 3-for-5 with a run scored, double and one RBI, while Dennis was 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI.
Tucker, Wrigley and Shore followed close behind with two hits each.
Paytience Holman was credited with a save after getting the final two outs.
Chloe Wendling (1-3) suffered the loss. Wendling allowed 10 runs on 18 hits, struck out eight and walked four in 9.1 innings.
The Redhawks and Billikens combined to score 11 runs in the wild decisive 10th inning.
A five-run second inning fueled SEMO's victory in the nightcap.
Down, 2-1, Shore led off the second with a walk and went to second on a one-out single by Marissa Peek. Abigail Rickermann reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases and Anderson followed with a two-RBI single. Halliwill stepped in and hit a three-run home run to left center giving the Redhawks a 6-2 advantage. Halliwill hit the first round-tripper for SEMO in 2023.
Peek had another hit in the third, this time an RBI-double that scored Shore to put SEMO ahead, 7-2.
The Billikens added one run in the third and another in the fifth, but that was as close as they would get.
Peek and Anderson each had two hits. Anderson also scored two runs and had two RBI.
Holman (1-1) earned her first win of the season. Holman went the distance with eight strikeouts in seven innings. She scattered seven hits and allowed four runs, as well.
The Redhawks beat the Billikens in eight-straight games.
SEMO returns to action at the Chattanooga Frost Classic Feb. 24-26.
KANSAS CITY 8, UT MARTIN 7; GREEN BAY 2, UT MARTIN 0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Junior outfielder Kaci Fuller had a big day with four hits – including a pair of home runs – for the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team on the final day of the Evansville Invitational. Despite the big day offensively, the Skyhawks could not get back in the win column, dropping both contests to Kansas City (8-7) and Green Bay (2-0).
UT Martin (1-4) battled throughout both contests, but its opponents found the game-winning runs in their final offensive at-bats of the day to pull away a pair of victory out of the Skyhawks grasp.
After being named OVC Player of the Week last week, Fuller looked for a chance to repeat after tallying yet another big day. The junior went 4-for-7 on the day while blasting a pair of home runs in the first game of the day against Kansas City. The contest marked the first multi-home run game of the two-time All-OVC recipient’s career.
Joining in the action with multiple base hits for the Skyhawks was Annie Gutierrez, Kaitlyn Kelley, Kyrsten Brown and Kallie Pickens. Gutierrez tallied three hits on the day while Kyrsten Brown had two hits and two RBIs. Katie Dreiling and Kelley also notched RBIs in the opener.
Four pitchers saw action in the circle for the Skyhawks with Brooklynn Linneman posting a quality start with six strikeouts and two earned runs in six innings of work. Meanwhile, the trio of Emily Brown, Ashtyn Green and Dreiling pitched two innings each.
Game 4: Kansas City 8, UT Martin 7
UT Martin jumped out to an early lead in its first game of the day as Fuller bashed her first home run of the game with an opposite field shot to left center on the third pitch of the game. The innings continued with Dreiling drawing a four-pitch walk before later coming around to score on a RBI-double by Kelley to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 advantage.
Kansas City cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the second inning when four walks in the inning resulted in a run for the Roos on a free pass awarded to Katherine Karnatz.
The Skyhawks answered back in the top of the third inning when Fuller led off the frame with another solo blast, this one to right field, for her second of the game.
The two teams kept exchanging runs as Kansas City plated another run in the top of the fourth inning on a wild pitch to bring the score to 3-2.
Keeping with a theme of solo home runs, Dreiling launched her first home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning with an opposite field homer to left field.
The game then took a turn in the bottom of the fifth when Kansas City exploded for five runs on three hits. Amelia Fitzgerald drove in two runs on a double before Lauren Parker singled to left field to give the Roos their first lead of the day at 5-4. The following play then saw Kansas City add to their margin as a fielding error led to two unearned runs crossing the plate while giving the squad a three-run advantage.
Facing a deficit for the first time in the contest, UT Martin looked to knot the game back up in the top of the sixth. A pair of hits by Kallie Pickens and Gutierrez set up the frame before Kyrsten Brown drove in the duo with a single up the middle. With a runner still in scoring position, Fuller tallied her third big hit of the contests by ripping a single down the right field line to tie the game at 7-7.
The score would remain the same until the bottom of the seventh inning when Kansas City led off the inning with a two-strike single by Parker to set up Kiki McCrea for a game-winning double.
Game 5: Green Bay 2, UT Martin 0
The second game of the day set up to be a pitcher duel. Linneman had a strong start in the circle, holding the Phoenix hitless for the five innings. During that stretch, the junior newcomer struck out six batters while holding the shutout.
Green Bay finally burst through in the bottom of the sixth inning after stringing together four two-out hits. Back-to-back singles set up Jadin Justman for a scoring opportunity as she stroked a double into left center to score the game’s first run. With one run on the board, the Phoenix added a second run on a single up the middle by Samantha Saloun to give the squad a 2-0 advantage.
After scattering five hits over the first six innings, the Skyhawks could not find the offensive firepower down the stretch to tie the game up in the seventh inning, dropping the tightly contested matchup.
UT Martin will return to action next weekend when competing in The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla.
BRADLEY 8, TENNESSEE STATE 5; TENNESSEE STATE 11, ALABAMA A&M 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State Tiger softball team earned a split for the second straight day to finish the weekend 2-2 in the Roar City Classic. After falling to the Bradley Braves 8-5, the Tigers got a big game from freshman Holly Ayala in the circle and from the plate to five run rule the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 11-1. This season, TSU (6-2) is now 6-0 against HBCU foes.
TSU 5 Bradley 8
An outstanding offensive output was not enough for Tennessee State on Sunday. The Tigers tallied five runs but could not hold the Bradley Braves at bay and were defeated 8-5. Freshman Holly Ayala (3-1) took the loss relief of Caitlin Manus for Tennessee State. Nahtali Simpson led the way offensively for the Tigers, going 2-for-3 in the ballgame with a home run and two RBI. Laila Armstrong also put together a standout day at the dish, going 2-for-4.
The Tigers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Tennessee State picked up a pair of unearned runs when Kailyn Jean Baptiste reached on an error scoring Simpson and Marisa Mauroschadt.
The Braves then rallied to score five runs and take a 5-2 lead in the third inning before the Tigers cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by Simpson. Tennessee State kept the Braves off the board before rallying to tie it up at five in the fourth when Anayah Baker-Rowell scored on a passed ball. Bradley scored three times over the remaining three innings to break the tie and grab the 8-5 win.
TSU 11 Alabama A&M 1 (five innings)
Tennessee State received contributions from every part of its lineup. All nine starters reached base safely, helping the Tigers put 11 runs on the board and defeat the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 11-1 Sunday. Holly Ayala (3-1) started in the circle and picked up the complete game win for Tennessee State (6-2). The right-hander went five innings, giving up one run on five hits, allowing one walk, and striking out four.
In the batter's box, the Tigers were led by Anayah Baker-Rowell, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a double, a triple, and three RBI. Peyton Fointno put together a standout performance, going 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. Marisa Mauroschadt also helped out for Tennessee State, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding a triple, a walk, and an RBI.
The Tigers put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Tennessee State plated two runs off of Alabama A&M pitching, one of which was driven in on a run-scoring double by Ayala. In the third inning, Tennessee State got run-scoring doubles from Nahtali Simpson and Shelby Shepherd to stretch the lead to 4-1; Alabama A&M narrowed Tennessee State's lead to 4-1, pushing across a run in the top of the fourth inning. The Tiger bats got hot in the bottom of the inning as they scored four runs. Peyton Fointno singled to drive in Laila Armstrong and Anayah Baker-Rowell, Marisa Mauroschadt's triple knocked in Fointno, and she also scored on an error on the same play.
Baker-Rowell finished the game with a walk-off triple with the bases loaded, scoring Mikayla Duke, Ayala, and Shelby Shepherd.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 3, GREEN BAY 2; EVANSVILLE 7, SOUTHERN INDIANA 6
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Softball split its two games on Sunday to conclude its opening weekend, winning 3-2 against the University of Wisconsin Green Bay in the morning before falling 7-6 in extra innings against the University of Evansville Sunday evening.
Heading into the morning matchup against Green Bay, USI looked to take care of business once again after defeating the Phoenix, 1-0, on Saturday. However, it was the Phoenix who struck first Sunday morning. Green Bay scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning on a bases-loaded fielder's choice.
USI responded to tie the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the second. With a runner in scoring position at second base, senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) fought off multiple 0-2 pitches before rocketing a hit into centerfield to drive in the tying run.
After the first run in the first, sophomore pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) found a nice groove in the second and third frames, retiring the side in order. Then in the fourth inning, Gotshall had an opportunity at the plate to help her own cause to tie the game after giving up a solo home run to Green Bay in the top of the fourth. Gotshall placed one toward the right-center gap for a two-out double that scored Martinez all the way from first to knot the game at 2-2. After a wild pitch allowed Gotshall to advance to third, senior outfielder Emma Tucher (New Palestine, Indiana) delivered with a two-out RBI single that scored Gotshall as the go-ahead run, giving the Screaming Eagles a 3-2 lead.
From that point, freshman pitcher Kylie Eads (Indianapolis, Indiana) took over in the circle and pitched the last three innings for her first save, showing great poise with runners on base in the sixth and seventh innings. Meanwhile, Gotshall picked up her first win of the season after four innings pitched with two runs and a pair of strikeouts. Green Bay's freshman pitcher Paeton Kringel took her second loss of the season.
Going into the night game against Evansville, USI was hopeful to build on its 2-0 start and complete the weekend undefeated. Early indications in the first two innings showed promise for a pitcher's duel, as the game remained scoreless after the two innings of play. Senior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) started the game for USI, striking out three in the first two frames.
Southern Indiana broke the scoreless contest against Evansville's sophomore pitcher Sydney Weatherford in the top of the third inning. With runners on the corners, sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) drilled one to left center for a two-RBI double to put USI up, 2-0. Evansville freshman Taylor Howe tied the game, 2-2, with a home run in the bottom of the third.
Evansville went ahead with two runs in the fourth inning, but Southern Indiana answered in the top of the fifth with three runs. Junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana), who led USI in the game with a three-hit night, singled to lead off the inning. Following an error and a fielder's choice, the bases were loaded for the Screaming Eagles. Another fielder's choice scored a USI run to make it a 4-3 game. Then senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) evened the game back up at 4-4 with an RBI single. A fielder's choice and error allowed another USI run to score and put the Screaming Eagles ahead, 5-4.
The Purple Aces responded with their third straight two-run inning in the bottom of the fifth, as junior infielder Marah Wood went deep for a two-run home run to put UE back in front by one. Southern Indiana was not fazed, knotting the game 6-6 with a run in the top of the sixth off an Evansville error. The game remained deadlocked into extra innings, as USI sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and UE junior pitcher Megan Brenton had taken over in the circle, trying to give their respective teams a chance to win late. Newman came through with clutch strikeouts in the sixth, as UE had a go-ahead runner in scoring position but was left stranded.
At the start of extra innings in the eighth, the international tie-breaker rule took effect with a runner starting the inning at second base. USI was able to get the runner to third but could not score. In the bottom of the eighth, UE had the bases loaded and one out, but once again, Newman picked up a pair of key strikeouts to end the inning.
In the ninth, Southern Indiana advanced the second base runner to third and drew a walk to have runners at the corners with one gone. However, Evansville got out of the threat with an inning-ending double play off a flyout and a throw that was in time to nab USI's runner at home after tagging up. In the bottom half of the ninth, UE placed down a sacrifice bunt to advance the second base runner to third. The next batter, Howe, flew out to center but an errant throw allowed the game-winning run at third to score and end the game.
Besides Bedrick's three hits, Rager also had a multi-hit game with two hits to go along with an RBI. Nalley had a two-RBI game for Southern Indiana. USI tallied six runs on 11 hits. Goodin went 3.2 innings in the circle with four runs and five strikeouts. Newman tossed five innings with three runs – two earned – and seven strikeouts. She was dealt the loss to move her record to 1-1 this season.
Evansville's Weatherford did not factor into the pitching decision after five innings pitched, allowing five runs – two earned. Brenton was credited with her second win of the season, pitching four innings, and allowing one unearned run with four strikeouts. Offensively, the Purple Aces scored seven runs with three hits.
Next up, the Screaming Eagles will carry their 2-1 start to the season to Birmingham, Alabama next weekend at the Bulldog Classic hosted by Samford University. USI will face Samford on Friday, play against the University of North Alabama and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) on Saturday, and take on Samford and North Alabama again on Sunday.