WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Saint Louis 10,
Eastern Illinois 2
Bellarmine 8,
@Tennessee Tech 2
@UAB 6,
Tennessee State 4
SAINT LOUIS 10, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
ST. LOUIS - Eastern Illinois softball took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth only to see Saint Louis respond with big innings in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to post a 10-2 win.
EIU trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth inning. In the frame, Lindy Milkowski drove home the tying run with an RBI single to left center scoring Jaylen Prichard. Briana Gonzalez followed with a single to center scoring pinch runner Alexa Rehmeier.
In the bottom of the inning, SLU had two batters hit-by-pitch that came around to score on an RBI double by Abby Mallo. The Billikens extended the lead to 6-2 two batters later with a three-run homerun by Kelsey Etling.
SLU put the game away scoring four in the sixth inning. Mallo and Etling again did the damage with Mallo driving in two runs and Etling providing the game ending hit with a single up the middle. Both players finished with four RBI with Etling going 3-for-4 at the plate.
EIU was led by Prichard and Kendall Grover each with two hits.
Rachel Kaufman (4-4) suffered the loss in relief as EIU fell to 16-13 overall.
BELLARMINE 8, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech softball team battled to take a 3-1 lead over Bellarmine, but the visiting Knights scored seven unanswered runs across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take an 8-3 victory over the Golden Eagles on Wednesday afternoon.
Olivia Bricker went 2-for-3 from the plate, driving in three to lead the Knights (3-26), while Emily O’Dee drove in two.
Tech collected six hits in the contest, three coming in the third inning to produce the Golden Eagles’ three runs.
Gracelyn Woollen had a good effort in the circle, yielding just three runs in the opening three frames before she was lifted for Callie Piper. Following Kaylan Cole, Woollen closed out the contest going 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and striking out five without allowing any further damage.
Piper was tagged with the loss as Bellarmine scored four runs on one hit and four walks in a third of an inning, while Cole allowed a run on no hits and four walks across one inning.
After Bellarmine scored the game’s first run in the top of the second on a Bricker double to plate O’Dee, the Golden Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the third. Jordynn Shirley drove in Cole on a single up the middle, then Haeli Bryson and Carmen Betts had back-to-back grounders leading to RBIs, driving in Abby Shoulders and Shirley.
The Knights evened the game up in the top of the fourth as O’Dee drove in Kayla Bauer on a single to short, then Alyssa Brock came home on a ground ball to short.
Bellarmine scored four runs in the top of the fifth on one hit and five walks, with a bases-loaded free pass driving in one, a Bricker single to left plating two and a fielder’s choice allowing the fourth. The Knights added one last run in the top of the sixth as Megan Konermann drove in Anna Greenwell on a sacrifice fly.
Claire Lehmkuhler claimed the victory, allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits across four innings, walking one and striking out one. Carson Goatley closed out the contest, allowing one hit and two walks as she struck out one in the final three innings.
UAB 6, TENNESSEE STATE 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Tennessee Tiger softball team scored four runs in the final two innings, but it was not enough as they fell to the UAB Blazers 6-4 in nonconference action from Birmingham, Alabama. Sophomore Caitlyn Manus (10-10) got the ball to start for Tennessee State (14-15-1) and took the loss. Two errors in the first two innings gave the Blazers a 6-0 lead, and they held on. Freshman Holly Ayala was a bright spot for the Tigers, keeping TSU in the game out of the bullpen, throwing four scoreless innings, allowing two hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.
The Tigers were held hitless for the first five innings. With two outs in the top of the sixth, graduate student Nahtali Simpson hit a double for the game's first hit. Onnika Spencer led the way offensively for the Tigers, going 1-for-2 in the ballgame with a double, a walk, and two RBI. Laila Armstrong also put together a standout day at the dish, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Trailing 6-0, the Tigers first put runs on the board in the sixth inning. Simpson got on base on a two-out double. A pitch hit Ryla Traylor, and both scored on a two-run double off the bat of Spencer. In the top of the seventh, the Tigers scored twice again. With one out, Mikayla Duke reached on a walk. Anayah Baker-Rowell's single moved Duke to second. Armstrong's single knocked in Duke, and Baker-Rowell scored when Armstrong was thrown out at second. Peyton Fointno singled, making Simpson the tying run at the plate. Simpson popped out to end the game.