TUESDAY'S GAMES
Rhode Island 9,
@Tennessee Tech 7
@Tennessee Tech 4, Rhode Island 0
@Southeast Missouri 6, Bradley 2
Bradley 5,
@Southeast Missouri 1
@Kansas City 2,
Western Illinois 0
RHODE ISLAND 9, TENNESSEE TECH 7; TENNESSEE TECH 4, RHODE ISLAND 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It was a battle in the first game, but while Rhode Island took the day's opener, the Tennessee Tech softball team secured a split against the Rams.
The Golden Eagles (10-8) won the second game 4-0, behind a complete-game effort from Payton Wagner in the circle. She yielded just five hits and three walks while striking out two.
In the opener, the two teams combined for 22 hits as Rhode Island claimed a 9-7 victory with leads swapping in the first three innings before the Rams surged forward.
Lennon Spicer took the loss in the opener, allowing four runs – two earned – on five hits while striking out three in three frames. Faith Rush was tagged for three runs with two walks in a third of an inning, while Emily York allowed two runs – one earned – on five hits with a walk and a strikeout in the final 3 2/3 innings.
Cassie Swenson had five RBI for the Rams in the contest as she went 2-for-4. Sofia Carroll led the Golden Eagles with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate in the opener, while Abby Shoulders and Faith Rush each drove in two runs each.
An error at short allowed two runs to score in the first inning, but the Golden Eagles answered back in the bottom half of the frame. Mac Fitzgerald led off with a single up the middle, then stole second and third, scoring on a wild pitch. Carmen Betts then had a stand-up triple and came home on Sydney Kirby's grounder to second.
Tech took the lead in the second as Tristen Head scored on Shoulders' single to center field.
Rhode Island swapped the lead in the top of the third with two runs, then surged further ahead with three runs in the top of the fourth on a bases-loaded triple.
The Golden Eagles got a single run in the fourth as Olivia Evans scored on a sacrifice fly from Shoulders. The Rams scored their final two runs in the fifth and Rush answered in the home half with a two-run blast. Tech's final run scored as Evans hit a two-out single back to the pitcher. With two on and the winning run at the plate, Rhode Island ended the contest with a strikeout.
In the second game, the runs all came for the Golden Eagles. Kirby drove in two of Tech's runs, while Fitzgerald and Betts each picked up an RBI.
After two scoreless frames, Tech came through with a run in the third as Kirby grounded out to short, allowing Shoulders to score. In the fifth, the Golden Eagles picked up two runs as Betts drove in Alina Schlageter with a single to second base, then Kirby eyed a single up the middle to bring in pinch-runner Bailee Stack.
Tech's final run scored in the sixth as Fitzgerald drove in Schlageter with a single to center field.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, BRADLEY 2; BRADLEY 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Sydney Dennis went 2-for-3 with two runs and the go-ahead RBI-double to lead Southeast Missouri (6-17) to a 6-2 win over Bradley (9-12) in game one of a doubleheader Tuesday. BU bounced back to force a split with a 5-1 victory in the nightcap.
Dennis recorded three hits in the Redhawks first midweek action of the season.
SEMO rallied for the final six runs of the opening contest, including four in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Down, 2-0, the Redhawks scored twice during their at-bat in the fifth to tie things up.
Dennis began the inning with a single and went to second when Zoe Schulte ripped a base hit down the left field line. Tatum Gerwitz laid down a bunt and was safe after catcher Jordy van der Werf's throw hit Gerwitz and Dennis scored. Kat Sackett flied out to left field and Schulte scored the tying run.
SEMO then plated four more runs to bury the Braves an inning later.
Paige Halliwill walked and stole second with one out. Brooklyn Saysoff reached on a bases on balls. After Halliwill and Saysoff executed a double steal, Dennis doubled to left and Halliwill touched home to put the Redhawks ahead. Aubrie Shore later delivered a two-RBI single to cap the 6-2 victory.
Paytience Holman (3-6) claimed the win in relief. Holman did not allow a hit in 1.2 scoreless innings. She retired all five of the hitters she faced.
Defensively, SEMO went error free. Kynzie Wrigley was busy at third base recording seven assists in game one.
Dennis and Schulte each led the Redhawks offense with two hits and two runs scored apiece.
Camryn Schaller (0-5) took the loss. Schaller worked 5.1 innings allowing five runs on six hits. She also walked four and struck out six.
The Braves hit three home runs to key its game two win.
Abbott Badgley, Kierston McCoy and Macey Moore each added a round-tripper for BU.
SEMO scored its only run in the bottom of the first inning when Saysoff knocked in Brittany Affolter on a two-out single to left center.
Freshman left-hander Willow Van Haren (1-2) pitched 3.1 innings and matched a season-high four strikeouts. Van Haren gave up two runs on two hits.
Sydney Kennedy (6-4) was the winning pitcher for BU. Kennedy went the distance striking out 10 and walking none. She allowed just one run on seven hits.
Both teams finished with seven hits.
Saysoff led the Redhawks with two hits, while Affolter, Sophie Schupp, Tori Bradley, Abigail Rickermann and Dennis followed close behind with one.
KANSAS CITY 2, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
KANSAS CITY - Western Illinois continued its five-game road trip on Tuesday, taking on Kansas City at their home ballpark, Urban Youth Complex. After losing two of three to open the conference season at UT Martin, the Leathernecks looked to get back on track with a quick turnaround in the Show-Me-State.
Emily Price took the mound for the Leathernecks, following a dominant performance on Sunday in which she struck out six in a complete game win, allowing only one run. In Tuesday's game, Price picked up where she left off, striking out the first two batters she faced, sitting down the Roos in order in the first frame. Bella Alvarez singled to lead off the second, but a double play and a groundout ended the inning. Price coaxed three straight groundouts in the second as she stayed perfect through two.
In the third, the Roos took the lead after a single, an error, and then a two-RBI single, giving the game a score of 2-0 that held until the final pitch. Kansas City only reached base on a single and a fielder's choice in the sixth for the rest of the game. Price pitched five innings with no earned runs, allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out four. Raven Morrison, who pitched the sixth inning, struck out one Kansas City batter while allowing just one hit in her inning of work.
For the Leathernecks, Bella Alvarez went one-for-one at the plate with a single and a walk as no other Western players would reach base in the game. Despite the offensive production, WIU batters put the ball in play on 15 of their 20 at-bats, just not getting any luck on those balls in play.