FRIDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville 8,
Tennessee Tech 0
Belmont 12,
Tennessee Tech 2
Morehead State 1, Central Connecticut 0
Hampton 7,
Morehead State 6 (10)
Eastern Illinois 9, Memphis 6
UNLV 5,
Southeast Missouri 1
Tennessee State 3, Western Carolina 0
Tennessee State 5, @Georgia State 2
Southern Indiana 1, Samford 0
Notre Dame 8,
UT Martin 7
Dartmouth 6,
UT Martin 4
DePaul 9,
SIUE 5
JACKSONVILLE 8, TENNESSEE TECH 0; BELMONT 12, TENNESSEE TECH 2
MACON, Ga. - The long ball wasn’t Tennessee Tech’s friend on Friday as Belmont and Jacksonville combined for five home runs – after allowing just one in the first seven games – as the Golden Eagles fell twice on the opening day of the Mercer Bear Invitational.
Belmont won the day’s opener 12-2, then Jacksonville won the second game 8-0 in five innings.
Tech (1-8) continues its play in the tournament on Saturday and Sunday with both games scheduled against Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., while Sunday’s contest is at 11:30 a.m.
The Golden Eagles held Belmont at arm’s length as neither team scored through the first four frames. Callie Piper, off the victory on Sunday against College of Charleston, held the Bruins to one hit through the first four, only for Belmont to strike for five runs in the fifth to end her day.
Piper allowed five runs on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Gracelyn Woollen came on in relief to throw the next inning and two thirds, but Belmont collected six runs on six hits – including two home runs – with two walks and a strikeout. Avery Flatford threw the final two-thirds, yielding an unearned run with a walk and a strikeout.
Tech was held to two hits in the contest as Abby Shoulders and Ella Bishop each picked safeties. Both of the Golden Eagles’ runs scored in the sixth inning as Shoulders drove in Bishop with a single to right center, then Haeli Bryson drove in Makayli Harris with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Belmont walked three Golden Eagles and struck out four.
The Golden Eagles were shut out in the second game as the Tech offense was held to just one hit as Jordynn Shirley avoided the no-hit bid in the third inning with a ball through short.
Kaylan Cole took the loss as she allowed eight runs on five hits across an inning and two-thirds, walking one and striking out another. Woollen threw the final two-and-a-third to close out the contest as she allowed just two hits and kept the Dolphins from scoring another run.
Jacksonville scored five runs in the first inning, including a two-run home run, then JU scored three more runs in the bottom of the second with a two-run round-tripper and a solo shot before the Golden Eagles were able to contain the field from further damage.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, MEMPHIS 6
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois softball won its sixth consecutive game as the Panthers were powered by three early home runs during a 9-6 win over Memphis in the opening game of the Frost Classic. EIU’s second game of the day scheduled against Western Michigan was canceled due to rain in the area.
Lindy Milkowski connected for her fifth home run of the season to open the scoring in the top of the first as she was 1-for-2 with two runs scored for the day. The home run came off Memphis starter Halli Siems (1-6) who went the distance for the Tigers in the circle.
In the third EIU loaded the bases with Briana Gonzalez being hit by a pitch followed by back-to-back walks to Jaylen Prichard and Milkowski. Rachel Kaufman cleared the bases with a grand slam, her third home run this season, to lift EIU to a 6-0 lead.
Memphis would score two in the bottom of the third against EIU starter Olivia Price (2-1). Kendall Lee had a two-run double to drive in both Memphis runs as Lee went 2-for-4, the lone Tigers player with multiple hits. She tacked on a solo home run in the fifth.
Kendall Grover joined the home run party in the top of the fifth pushing EIU’s lead to 9-2 at the time. Grover’s three-run shot came after Milkowski and Kaufman both reached on walks.
Morgan Lewis was the lone EIU player with multiple hits in the game going 2-for-4 as EIU had only six hits but took advantage of three walks and three hit batters by Memphis pitchers.
Memphis scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Alexa Rehmeier closed out the seventh in the circle for EIU striking out the side.
UNLV 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Cleanup hitter Ariana Martinez hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to help lift UNLV (9-5) to a 5-1 win over Southeast Missouri (2-4) Friday at the Chattanooga Frost Classic.
In the first meeting between the teams, Martinez broke a 1-1 tie in the late innings with her team-high fifth home run of the season.
SEMO got on the board first when it loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
Paige Halliwill singled up the middle and stole second. Kat Sackett was hit by a pitch and Aubrie Shore singled through the left side to fill the bases with Redhawks. On the next play, Kynzie Wrigley walked and Halliwill scored to put SEMO ahead, 1-0.
The Rebels tied the game in the top of the fifth when Lauryn Barker scored Skyler Shaw on a sacrifice fly.
In the sixth inning, UNLV had two outs following back-to-back strikeouts when Denise Armendariz singled. Martinez then stepped in and hit a home run over the center field wall.
The Rebels loaded the bases with no outs during their final at-bat in the seventh and tacked on two more runs with a sacrifice fly and SEMO error to widen their lead to 5-1.
Paytience Holman (1-2) retired her first seven hitters of the game and shutout UNLV in the first four innings. Holman worked six innings allowing three runs on six hits. She also struck out seven and walked one.
Jessie Fontes (3-1) picked up the win. Fontes gave up just one run on four hits, struck out four and walked two in her complete game victory.
UNLV edged SEMO, 6-5, in the hit column with six different players getting on hit apiece.
Halliwill went 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Redhawks.
The final three games during day one of the Frost Classic have been canceled due to rain. SEMO will resume action when it faces Western Michigan Saturday at 9 a.m., CT.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 1, SAMFORD 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -Sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched her first shutout of the season on Friday as University of Southern Indiana Softball opened the Samford Bulldog Classic with a 1-0 win against Samford University.
Newman threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts across seven innings. She earned her second win of the 2023 season. The shutout performance on Friday follows six shutouts a season ago during Newman's freshman campaign.
Southern Indiana (3-1) got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. After senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) reached on a fielder's choice, a single by senior designated player Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) and a defensive error by Samford allowed Rager to advance to third.
With runners on the corner and one out, senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) sent one to right field for the RBI knock to bring Rager home and give USI the 1-0 lead.
After that point, Newman had all the run support she needed, as nine of her 10 strikeouts came after the first inning. In fact, Newman struck out the side in order in the third inning. She remained in control for the rest of the game.
Samford (2-8) only had two baserunners reach second base in the game. The Bulldogs had only four total baserunners.
Samford's freshman pitcher Sara Bond was dealt the loss, allowing the unearned run and two hits in 1.1 innings. Sophomore pitcher MacKenzie Newcomb entered the game afterward and nearly matched USI's Newman. Newcomb went 5.2 innings of relief with nine strikeouts and gave up just one hit.
The Screaming Eagles return to action at the Bulldog Classic Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to face an old Division II foe in the University of North Alabama. Later Saturday evening, USI will take on Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) at 6:30 p.m.
DEPAUL 9, SIUE 5
CARBONDALE, Ill. - SIUE softball collected a season-high 14 hits Friday but couldn't keep up with DePaul's big innings in a 9-5 loss in the opening day of the Coach B Classic.
SIUE's offense featured three hits Emma Neuman and two each from Lexi King, Lauren Yslava, Sherri Mason and Piper Montgomery.
The Cougars, 1-8, held the lead early against DePaul, 5-5, by scoring twice in the third inning.
King hit an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Paige Rocha. Yslava singled home King with a rap into center field. Two more hits by Micah Arps and Neuman put the Cougars ahead 2-0.
Kelsey Ray started for the Cougars and threw a perfect game for four innings before DePaul struck hard for five runs in the fifth. Rylie Pindel came in relief of Ray in the fifth, but the Blue Demons added four more runs in the sixth.
A pair of home runs in the fifth by Riley Pool and Tori Meyer provide the firepower DePaul needed.
SIUE made a strong effort late in the contest, adding a three runs in the top of the seventh on RBI hits from Neuman, Hayley Pam and Paige Montgomery.
Brenna Smith picked up the win for DePaul with four innings of relief.
SIUE returns to the Coach B Classic Saturday with two games scheduled. The Cougars face Northern Kentucky at 10:30 a.m. followed by a second matchup against DePaul at 12:45 p.m.