SATURDAY'S SCORES
Morehead State 6, Valparaiso 2
Morehead State 4, Youngstown State 2
Louisiana Tech 28,
Lindenwood 2 (5 inn)
@Louisiana-Monroe 3,
Lindenwood 1
SIUE 8, @Texas A&M Commerce 3
SIUE 6, @Texas A&M Commerce 3
Syracuse 3,
Southeast Missouri 0
@Southeastern Louisiana 10,
Southeast Missouri 2 (6 inn)
Virginia 3,
Southern Indiana 1
Southern Indiana 4, St. Thomas 1
Colorado State 4,
Eastern Illinois 1
@San Diego 3,
Eastern Illinois 2
MOREHEAD STATE 6, VALPARAISO 4; MOREHEAD STATE 4, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 2
CLINTON, S.C. - The Morehead State softball Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 6-2 victory against the Valparaiso Beacons on Saturday in the Pinnacle PC Invitational at Presbyterian.
Freshman hurler Addie Stem (2-1) got the win for Morehead State (2-1). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up two runs, only one earned, on just four hits, allowing three walks and striking out five. She had a no-hitter through five innings.
Junior Darlene Montoya led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Sophomore Taikibrea Campbell compiled a standout effort as well, going 1-for-3 with a triple, a walk and an RBI. Junior Sam Cervantes also chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
The Eagles got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with three runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Montoya.
The Beacons failed to push any runs across before the Eagles built on their lead in the third inning. Morehead State put up two runs in the frame, punctuated with an RBI triple off the bat of Campbell, which brought the score to 5-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Valparaiso narrowed the Eagles' lead to 5-1 before MSU stretched the advantage to 6-1 in the fifth inning when Campbell scored on a wild pitch. Valparaiso put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, an RBI single in the seventh, but Morehead State still coasted to the 6-2 win.
LOUISIANA TECH 28, LINDENWOOD 2 (5); LOUISIANA-MONROE 3, LINDENWOOD 1
MONROE, La. - Lindenwood softball (2-7) suffered two loses on Saturday at the second day of the Warhawk Invitational by final scores of 28-2 vs. Louisiana Tech and 3-1 at Louisana-Monroe. Lions still looking for their first win this weekend
Lindenwood dropped their first game on Saturday by a final score of 28-2 against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs scored 28 runs on 13 hits with 14 of those runs coming in the first inning. Hannah Johnanning (L, 0-1) allowed 21 runs on eight hits while walking 16 batters in 1.1 innings pitched.
Molly Berkey would come in relief for the Lions throwing the final 3.2 inning allowing seven runs, but only one of them was earned. She also struck out two Bulldogs in the process.
Morgan Gersch blasted the first Lindenwood home run of the season in the second inning to get the Lions on the board. After a Chloe Honcar double after the home run, Izzy Wilcox singled into left field to bring home the games final run.
Lindenwood bounced back after Saturday's early game but fell just short after dropping their second game of the day by a final score of 3-1 vs. the host school Louisiana Monroe. The Lions were limited to just two hits in the ball game.
Amanda Weyh (L, 1-3) pitched a solid game for the Lions in a losing effort. She allowed three runs on five hits while striking out another five batters. Both offenses had multiple chances to score with a total of five errors in the game.
Morgan Brown for ULM started the game off with a home run in the bottom of the first off of Weyh to take the 1-0 lead. Lindenwood would eventually tie the game up in the top of the fourth with an RBI single by Lauren Pelton.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Monroe had back-to-back singles to lead off the game. After a sac bunt moved them into scoring position, Andie Edwards had a sac fly out to bring home the first run followed by an RBI single by Elle Carter to bring home the third and final run to secure the win for the Warhawks.
SYRACUSE 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0; SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 10, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2 (6)
HAMMOND, La. - Aubrie Shore kept her hitting streak intact at eight games and Southeast Missouri (3-5) dropped two at the Lion Classic Saturday. The Redhawks fell to Syracuse (6-3), 3-0, and Southeastern Louisiana (8-1), 10-2.
ACC member Syracuse scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and that was the difference in its shutout victory.
Angel Jasso led things off with a single through the right side and went to second on an ensuing base hit by Taylor Posner. Posner stole second following a strikeout and Kelly Breen doubled home two runs on the next play. Madison Knight's sacrifice fly brought home Breen to give the Orange a 3-0 advantage.
SEMO managed to get one runner in scoring position when Gracie Luna singled and made it to second on an infield hit by Aubrie Shore in the top of the sixth. The Redhawks, however, came up empty.
Syracuse had just four hits. Breen drove in two of her team's runs and scored one herself.
Lindsey Hendrix (4-0) allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked only one in her complete game shutout. Hendrix threw 111 pitches.
Paytience Holman (1-1) fell to her first loss of the season. Holman, too, went the distance. She scattered four hits, gave up three runs, struck out five and walked none in six innings.
In the nightcap, pitcher Ellie DuBois carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning when freshman Brooklyn Saysoff wrecked the bid with a single to third base.
SELA gave DuBois a 7-0 lead to work with when it scored four runs in the second inning, one in the third and two in the fourth.
The Redhawks scored their only runs of the day in the top of the sixth.
Sydney Dennis reached on a leadoff double and advanced to third on a single by Brittany Affolter. Dennis scored when Paige Halliwill grounded out. Shore singled and Affolter scored to cut the Lions lead to 7-2.
SELA completed its run-rule win with three runs after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the sixth.
The Lions outhit the Redhawks, 15-4, and had nine different players get a hit. Chloe Magee led the way going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Maria Detillier finished with three RBI.
DuBois (4-0) gave up two runs and three hits to go along with two strikeouts.
Delaney Kell (1-1) made her first start of the season in the circle. Kell allowed 10 runs on 15 hits and recorded three strikeouts in five innings.
Affolter, Shore, Saysoff and Dennis combined for SEMO's hits.
VIRGINIA 3, SOUTHERN INDIANA 1; SOUTHERN INDIANA 4, ST. THOMAS 1
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Southern Indiana Softball picked up its first win of the 2024 season on Saturday following a two-game split on day two of the Easton Bama Bash. The Screaming Eagles fell in their first game of the day against the University of Virginia, 3-1, before seizing a 4-1 victory in the nightcap against the University of St. Thomas.
In the second go-around against Virginia (5-4), Southern Indiana (1-3) trailed the Cavaliers 3-0 midway through Saturday's game. Virginia struck for a single run in three of the first four innings. USI sophomore pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky), who pitched 5.1 scoreless innings of relief in Friday's second game, made the start on Saturday against Virginia and kept crooked numbers off the scoreboard.
Meanwhile, the Screaming Eagles' offense struggled early on, earning its first hit against the Cavaliers in the top of the fourth inning. Then in the fifth inning, freshman infielder Sydney Long (Haubstadt, Indiana) doubled into the right-center gap to drive in a run for the Screaming Eagles, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Later, USI had the potential tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh inning, but a strikeout-throwout double play ended the game.
USI's one run came off four hits. Gibson was dealt the loss with three strikeouts and three runs allowed in four innings. Junior Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) tallied a pair of strikeouts in two scoreless innings of relief. Virginia's Madison Harris was credited the win, coming into the game following an injury to Virginia's starter and tossing 3.2 shutout innings with nine strikeouts.
The Southern Indiana bats came out early in the win against the Tommies (1-8) on Saturday. The first six batters reached base to lead off the top of the first inning. With runners at the corners, senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) put USI on the scoreboard with an opposite-field RBI single. The next hitter, senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana), followed with an RBI double to the centerfield wall. USI added to its 2-0 lead with another run in the second inning.
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was cruising, striking out seven through five innings and maintaining USI's 3-0 advantage. That advantage grew in the top of the sixth. Three consecutive pinch-hit at-bats loaded the bases for the Screaming Eagles on back-to-back walks and a single. Junior outfielder Kennedy Nalley's (Huntingburg, Indiana) sac fly drove in USI's fourth run. St. Thomas got a run back in the seventh, but Newman finished the deal in her first complete game of the season.
Newman struck out 10 total batters in seven innings toward her first win of the season. The right-hander held the Tommies to four hits and one unearned run. St. Thomas' Christina Crawford also went the distance, taking her fourth loss of the year after surrendering four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
Offensively, USI scored four runs on eight hits. Fair had two hits and an RBI, and senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) also recorded a pair of hits.
Southern Indiana concludes the weekend at the Easton Bama Bash on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Screaming Eagles square off against the host team the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is ranked No. 11 in the nation and off to a 9-0 start this season, which includes two wins against Virginia and two against St. Thomas this weekend.
SIUE 8, TEXAS A&M COMMERCE 3; SIUE 6, TEXAS A&M COMMERCE 3
COMMERCE. Texas - SIUE softball captured a doubleheader sweep Saturday, besting Texas A&M Commerce 8-3 and 6-3 at John Cain Family Softball Complex.
SIUE Head Coach Ben Sorden was pleased with his team's pitching performance and noted how he saw offensive production up and down the lineup.
Rylie Pindel also threw the final inning in game two and earned her first save of the season.
SIUE's offense provided big runs all day for its pitchers.
Grace Lueke finished the day 6 for 9 with three hits in both games.
Lauren Yslava hit her second home run of the season, a three-run blast in game one.
In game two, SIUE went scoreless for the first four innings before erupting for five runs in the top of the fifth.
SIUE scored all five runs with two outs, picking up RBIs from Anna Henderson, Piper Montgomery, Yslava and Jenna Herron.
The Cougars added an insurance run in the sixth on a Lueke single that drove home Kaylynn Salyers.
COLORADO STATE 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1; SAN DIEGO 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
SAN DIEGO - Eastern Illinois softball dropped two Saturday games at the San Diego Classic losing for the second time this season to Colorado State and to host San Diego.
CSU scored all of its runs on home runs as the Rams beat Eastern Illinois 4-1.
Jailey Wilson hit the first of her two home runs in the game in the third inning with a solo shot that gave CSU a 1-0 lead.
She staked the Rams to a 3-0 lead in the fourth with a two-run homer.
EIU cut into the margin in the top of the sixth. Mia Mazzola opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a single by Marama Makea. McKenzie Oslanzi delivered the RBI for the Panthers with a pinch-hit single to left that scored Mazzola.
Molly Gates pushed the CSU lead back to three with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Gates and Wilson led the Rams with two hits each.
EIU had threatened one other time in the game loading the bases in the third with two outs before starting pitcher Danielle Serna (4-1) worked out of the jam with a strikeout.
Rachel Kaufman (1-1) went the distance in the circle for EIU. Kendall Grover and Makea each had two hits to lead the Panthers offense.
San Diego scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh as they edged Eastern Illinois 3-2 on Saturday night.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth as Rachel Kaufman had a two-out single. Kaufman came around to score on a double by McKenzie Oslanzi.
Oslanzi had the start in the circle for the Panthers tossing the first five innings allowing one run while picking up six strikeouts.
In the seventh San Diego loaded the bases with two outs and scored two runs on a Panthers error. Olivia Price (2-2) suffered the loss for EIU in relief.
EIU's other run came in the fourth also off the bat of Oslanzi with an RBI double. Oslanzi and Kaufman both had two hits as the Panthers had six total hits in the game.
Emma Giaime had two of the Toreros six hits. Courtney Rose picked up the win in relief.