SATURDAY'S SCORES
UT Martin 7, @Morehead State 2
UT Martin 4, @Morehead State 2 (8)
Eastern Illinois 3, @Tennesee Tech 2
Eastern Illinois 7, @Tennessee Tech 2
SIUE 4, @Southern Indiana 3 (10)
Southeast Missouri 5, @Lindenwood 3
UT MARTIN 7, MOREHEAD STATE 2; UT MARTIN 4, MOREHEAD STATE 2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Eagles received a stellar effort in the circle and a dramatic home run late, but it wasn't enough against UT Martin, falling in the first game 7-2 and in the second in extras, 4-2.
Jessie Begley shined in the second game, tossing 5.2 innings and keeping a high powered UT Martin offense scoreless through five innings, while adding a career-high five strikeouts. Lennon Spicer added 5.1 innings over the two games, allowing only two earned runs.
The Eagles struggled offensively at times, but did receive three hits from Peyton Jordan, RBIs from Taylor Rhea and Madeline Gailor, and a pair of historic home runs. Trinity Spear stroked her first career home run in the second game and Emily Williams broke the single season program record for home runs by a freshman, drilling her ninth long ball of the year.
Lennon Spicer shut down the Skyhawks in the top of the first and Trinity Spear, after drawing a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball, but was stranded to keep the game scoreless.
The teams traded scoreless half innings in the second before UT Martin got on the board in the third with a solo home run. They then added another pair of runs in the fourth on another home run.
The Skyhawks added runs in the sixth and seventh to take a 7-0 lead before the Eagles finally got on the board, after the inning began with a double from Peyton Jordan and a single from Kirya Kingery. Taylor Rhea brought home Jordan on an RBI groundout and Madeline Gailor scored Kingery with an RBI single, but the Eagles couldn't get any closer, falling 7-2.
Jessie Begley struck out a pair of Skyhawks in the top of the first and Trinity Spear led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo blast off the top of the left field fence to give the Eagles the early 1-0 lead.
The Skyhawks threatened with back-to-back singles to open the third, but Begley retired the next three batters to escape trouble. UT Martin again got a pair of runners on in the fourth, but again, were held off the board due to Begley.
UT Martin finally broke through with four consecutive singles in the sixth to take a 2-1 lead, but Lennon Spicer came on to limit the damage and shut the Skyhawks down in the seventh to keep the lead at one.
Emily Williams opened the bottom of the seventh by breaking a streak of 16 straight Eagles retired by Skyhawks pitching with a game tying solon blast to right center, but the next three Eagles were sat down, sending the game to extras.
The Skyhawks took advantage of a two out error to put up a pair of unearned runs in the extra frame, and the Eagles couldn't respond in the bottom half, ending the game at 4-2.
SIUE 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Piper Montgomery laid down a successful safety squeeze bunt in the top of the 10th inning Saturday as SIUE defeated Southern Indiana 4-3 at USI Softball Field.
Montgomery's bunt sacrifice scored Micah Arps who singled with one out and advanced from first to third on a wild pitch.
Sydney Baalman earned her eighth win of the season with 4 1/3 innings in relief of Rylie Pindel. Baalman allowed just one hit, struck out one and did not walk a Southern Indiana batter.
Sorden highlighted the SIUE outfield being especially strong for the weekend. It included a spectacular game-ending catch by Arps in the bottom of the 10th.
Arps, who had scored SIUE's first run of the day, also scored the last when she recorded an infield hit with one out in the 10th.
The 10-inning contest really was a back and forth game as SIUE began the scoring in the second inning on an infield out by Madisyn Webster.
Southern Indiana, now 9-8 in the OVC and 16-19 overall, tied it in the third on a single tally. Both teams scored twice in the sixth before SIUE broke through with the eventual game-winner in the 10th.
The Cougars outhit the Screaming Eagles 10-8.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2; EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -Recap coming soon.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5, LINDENWOOD 3
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Recap coming soon.