SUNDAY'S SCORES
UT Martin 7, Siena 4
Samford 5,
Southern Indiana 2
North Alabama 4,
Southern Indiana 1
Western Michigan 6,
Eastern Illinois 1
Southeast Missouri 9, Akron 5
@Georgia State 5,
Tennessee State 4
Western Illinois 9,
@Lindenwood 6
@Lindenwood 13, Western Illinois 0
South Carolina 10,
Tennessee Tech 2
SIUE 8, Northern Kentucky 0
@Southern Illinois 4,
SIUE 3
SOUTH CAROLINA 10, TENNESSEE TECH 2
MERCER, Ga. - Tristen Head went 2-for-2 at the plate and drove in both runs for the Tennessee Tech softball team on Sunday as the Golden Eagles closed out the Mercer Bear Invitational with a 10-2 loss to South Carolina in six innings.
Tech scored its two runs in the fifth inning as Jordan Key hit a two-out double to right center, then Brooklyn Stewart roped a single up the middle, sending Key’s pinch-runner, Brooklin Richardson, to third. Head came through with a single to left, bringing in Richardson, while a throwing error by the left fielder allowed Stewart to score, cutting the Gamecocks’ lead to 8-2.
South Carolina scored four runs in the bottom of the first as the Gamecocks collected four hits with two singles and two doubles. They added a runs in the second and third on home runs, then a throwing error and a single brought two more runs in during the third.
The Gamecocks added runs in each of the fifth and sixth on RBI singles, the latter forcing the run rule.
Callie Piper was charged with the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in the opening frame, while Avery Flatford threw the next two innings, walking two and striking out one as she allowed four runs – two earned – on four hits. Gracelyn Woollen threw the final two and two-thirds with a walk and allowing two runs on four hits.
The Golden Eagles (1-10) will return to action next week as they travel to the Jane B. Moore Memorial Tournament at Auburn. There, Tech will face Bowling Green and South Alabama for two games and see the host Tigers once in the field.
SAMFORD 5, SOUTHERN INDIANA 2; NORTH ALABAMA 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - University of Southern Indiana Softball finished the weekend at the Samford University Bulldog Classic with a 5-2 loss against Samford and a 4-1 loss against North Alabama.
The Screaming Eagles (3-5) had a tough day in the circle, giving up a total of 17 hits between the two games. However, USI kept each contest close by limiting crooked numbers on the scoreboard, as North Alabama (9-1) had the only crooked number of the day with only two runs in the bottom of the second innings in the afternoon game.
In the first game against Samford (5-9), Southern Indiana struck first with a walk, back-to-back singles, and a Samford error that allowed junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) to score. Samford went on to score a run in the next five home innings, including a home run in the fourth. USI got one back in the top of the sixth to make it a two-run game at the time, but that was all USI could manage to get across to score from then on.
Offensively, USI's senior designated player and pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) had a solid game at the plate, going 3-for-3. Goodin also pitched three innings of relief behind sophomore starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana), who also pitched three innings but was dealt the loss. Her record moved to 2-3.
Samford's freshman pitcher Lainey Baker went four innings, allowing one unearned in the win, and freshman pitcher Chloe Poss tossed the last three innings for a save, giving up one unearned run.
In the second game against North Alabama, the Screaming Eagles scored the game's first tally in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout by sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) that allowed junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) to score.
The Lions answered with a run in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the second, including one on a solo home run. North Alabama tacked on one more in the fourth on a sac fly.
At the plate, Bedrick and Goodin each had a hit for the Screaming Eagles. Goodin also started the game for USI, surrendering four runs in three innings, and was charged with her second loss of the season. Sophomore pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
For North Alabama, freshman pitcher Hannah Price picked up the win after going the full seven innings, allowing one run off two hits with five strikeouts.
USI Softball returns to action starting Saturday with eight games across five days, March 4-8, at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida. USI will face Holy Cross and Yale University next Saturday, as well as Central Michigan University and Bethune-Cookman University next Sunday. Monday will be an off day before USI gets back on the field next Tuesday against Central Michigan and Creighton University. The Screaming Eagles will conclude their stint at The Spring Games next Wednesday with a pair of games against Long Island University.
GEORGIA STATE 5, TENNESSEE STATE 4
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Tennessee State Tigers (8-6) fell 5-4 in an eight-inning matchup with the Georgia State Panthers Sunday. Freshman Holly Ayala was a bright spot for the Tigers, starting the ballgame and throwing six innings, giving up two runs, all earned, on six hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. Caitlyn Manus (6-3) took the loss in relief. Offensively, the Tigers were led by freshman Onnika Spencer, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a home run and two RBI. Sophomore Mikayla Duke also compiled a standout performance at the dish, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Sophomore Ryla Traylor also helped for TSU, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding two doubles.
The Tigers put runs on the scoreboard first, scoring three runs in the third inning. Marisa Mauroschadt's sacrifice fly scored Nahtali Simpson to get the Tigers on the board. A two-run homer from Spencer finished the scoring for the Tigers in the inning.
The Panthers chipped away at the lead, finally tying it on a solo home run by Abby Brown in the seventh inning. Tennessee State pushed across a run on Duke's two-out RBI double, which brought the Tigers' lead to 4-3. The Tigers could not hold the lead, as Georgia State scored two times on a two-run walk-off homer by Bailee Richardson in the bottom half of the eighth.
The Tigers will travel to Austin, Texas, for the Longhorn Invitational this Friday through Sunday.
UT MARTIN 7, SIENA 4
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team capped off its stay at The Spring Games with a wire-to-wire victory over Siena by racking up 17 base hits on the way to a 7-4 neutral site win.
The Skyhawks (3-7) finished the tournament with back-to-back wins after jumping out to a lead in the first inning and never looking back. Seven players tallied multi-hit efforts in the tournament finale with Kiersten Nixon leading the way with a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Joining Nixon in the hit parade was Kaci Fuller, Annie Gutierrez, Maddi Long, Kallie Pickens, Kaitlyn Kelley and Anna Hazlewood with two hits each.
While the hits were coming in bunches, UT Martin put seven runs on the board. Long paced the team with two RBIs on the day while Avry Blume, Nixon, Gutierrez and Hazlewood also drove in runs.
In the pitching circle, Nixon got the start and allowed one earned run in two innings of work. Katie Dreiling (2-2) entered in relief and earned the victory after tossing 4.1 innings. Freshman Ashtyn Green also got the call out of the pen and came in to get her first career save.
The scoring got started in the top of the first inning when Nixon and Gutierrez tallied back-to-back two-out singles to mount a rally. Long then got the Skyhawks on the board with a single to score Nixon and take an early advantage.
The Skyhawks then added to their lead in the top of the third inning as the bases became loaded by a walk and two singles. With a prime opportunity at hand, Hazlewood came through with a RBI single while Pickens scampered home to score the inning’s second run on a throwing error to give the squad a 3-0 cushion.
Siena (7-2) looked to mount a comeback in the bottom half of the third inning with a pair of runs. The Saints scored their first run on a five-pitch walk to Angelina Stile before Shannon Bonewit cut the margin down to one run on a sacrifice fly.
The margin would stay the same until the top of the sixth inning when UT Martin added some breathing room with two RBIs. Fuller scored the team’s first run of the inning on a RBI single by Gutierrez before pinch runner Anna Blanton later scored from second on a single by Long to push the margin out to 5-2.
The Saints wouldn’t go quietly however as McKenzie Swinson trimmed the deficit back to two runs on a RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth.
The Skyhawks got back to work in the top of the seventh as Blume and Nixon tallied back-to-back RBI singles to take a four-run lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Needing just three outs for a victory, the Skyhawks gave up a quick run to the Saints following back-to-back walks and a RBI-double by Stile bring the score to 7-4. With still two runners on and one out on the board, Green entered the game and made quick work off Siena by forcing a double-play to end the game and record her first career save.
SIUE 8, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0; SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 4, SIUE 3
CARBONDALE, Ill. - SIUE softball closed out the Coach B Classic Sunday with a split, defeating Northern Kentucky 8-3 and dropping a 4-3 contest to host SIU Carbondale.
SIUE, which hit .348 for the weekend and doubled the number of its opponent's hits, opened the day with an impressive victory over Northern Kentucky, avenging a loss from Saturday.
Paige Rocha and Lexi King combined for five hits in the 1-2 spot in the lineup, propelling the offense that had 10 hits overall.
Abby Braundmeier, who now leads the team having reached base in seven consecutive games, was 2 for 2 and collected four RBIs.
Sydney Baalman earned her second win in as many days while Rylie Pindel earned a save in relief. Baalman fanned six and walked just one batter.
The Rocha-King duo collected three of the team's four hits in the nightcap against SIU Carbondale.
Down 2-0, the middle of the lineup picked up the pace in the fourth inning. Lauren Yslava drew a leadoff walk off SIU Carbondale reliever Hannah Hockerman. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emma Neuman and scored on a hit by Braundemeier.
Moving to third during the hit on an outfield error, Braundmeier scored from third on a successful squeeze bunt by Sherri Mason, tying the score 2-2.
A two-RBI double in the sixth from Jenna Christenson put the Saluki up 4-2.
SIUE made a final charge in the seventh and scored once on a two-out double from King before the Salukis would close out the game.
SIUE, 3-10,has one more tournament scheduled this spring. The Cougars travel to Memphis, Tennessee, for the Blue City Classic. SIUE takes on Drake twice as well as North Dakota State, UTSA and host Memphis.