SATURDAY'S SCORES
*@Morehead State 4, Tennessee Tech 2
*Tennessee Tech 7, @Morehead State 2
*Tennessee State 4, @Southeast Missouri 3
*@Southeast Missouri 11, Tennessee State 2 (5)
*@UT Martin 4, SIUE 3
*SIUE 6, @UT Martin 2
*@Eastern Illinois 3, Western Illinois 2
*Southern Indiana 3, @Lindenwood 2 (9)
MOREHEAD STATE 4, TENNESSEE TECH 2; TENNESSEE TECH 7, MOREHEAD STATE 2
MOREHEAD, Ky. - In 108 previous meetings spanning 35 years against Tennessee Tech, Morehead State had never strung together four consecutive wins.
Until Saturday, when coupled with a three-game road sweep last season, the Eagles took down the Golden Eagles 4-2 courtesy of a three-run double from sophomore Taikibrea Campbell in the third inning that put MSU ahead for good.
The win also raised the team's record to 4-2 at home this season and snapped a seven-game skid.
The Morehead State Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and never trailed from there on the way to a 4-2 win against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday.
Freshman Addie Stem (4-9) started in the circle and picked up the win for Morehead State (8-12, 2-5). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits, allowing four walks and striking out five.
The Eagles put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Morehead State plated a run on a based-loaded walk by junior Darlene Montoya.
After the Golden Eagles rallied to tie the ballgame at one, the Eagles came back to retake the lead in the third inning. Sophomore Taikibrea Campbell's bases-clearing double was the offense in a three-run inning for Morehead State, which brought the score to 4-1 in favor of the Eagles. Tennessee Tech put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Morehead State still held on for the 4-2 win.
Morehead State could not carry its game-one success against Tennessee Tech over to the nightcap as the Eagles fell to the Golden Eagles 7-2 on Saturday at the University Field. The Eagles collected nine hits from seven different players, guided by the efforts of junior Samantha Cervantes, who went 2-for-4 with a double, but could not overcome the pitching of former MSU hurler Lennon Spicer or the four errors they committed, in dropping the second contest.
Morehead State did make a late rally, scoring twice in the sixth, the first on a sacrifice fly from senior Kaytlyn Cripps and the second courtesy of an RBI single from freshman Sela Pickford, but it was not enough.
Sophomore Jessie Begley (4-3) started and took the loss in the circle for Morehead State (8-13, 2-6).
In the batter's box, the Eagles were led by Cervantes, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double. Freshman Sela Pickford compiled a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Ilencia Lightbody also chipped in for Morehead State, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a double.
The Eagles were trailing 7-0 in the sixth inning when they first put runs on the board. Morehead State scored twice, with one run coming across on Pickford's single. The Eagles were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.
TENNESSEE STATE 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, TENNESSEE STATE 2 (5)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (10-18, 5-3) pounded out 24 hits in a doubleheader split with Tennessee State (15-13, 6-2) Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex. TSU won game one, 4-3, before SEMO took the nightcap, 11-2, in five innings.
Marissa Peek hit a walk-off three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Redhawks their run-rule victory.
Peek, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week, capped a five-run inning with her third home run of the season.
SEMO put up four runs to take an early lead in the bottom of the first inning and later added two more in the fourth and five in the fifth.
Sydney Dennis started off the fifth inning with a walk and Tatum Gerwitz reached on an error. With runners on second and third and one out, Abigail Rickermann knocked in two runs on a single to left. Peek then ended the game when she smashed a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall.
Peek went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and four RBI as one of six Redhawks with multiple hits. Rickermann paved the way going 3-for-4 with two runs, a double and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Shore, Paige Halliwill, Dennis and Gerwitz followed with two hits apiece.
SEMO outhit TSU, 14-4, with its 14 hits marking a new season-high.
Paytience Holman (6-6) pitched a complete game victory allowing just two runs on four hits. Holman struck out three and retired the last 10 hitters she faced to polish off her strong outing.
Holly Ayala (3-5) suffered the loss. Ayala gave up four runs and five hits in just two-thirds of an inning. She faced only seven hitters prior to exiting the game.
Down, 2-0, TSU used a decisive four-run fifth inning to edge SEMO in game one.
Reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week Caitlyn Manus went the distance giving up three runs on 10 hits. Manus, now 8-5 this season, also struck out three and walked two.
Maddie Carney (1-4) took the loss in relief. Carney scattered four hits and allowed two runs to go along with two strikeouts and three walks in three innings.
The Redhawks had 10 hits with Dennis going 3-for-3 with two runs. Dennis' three hits matched a career-high.
Kynzie Wrigley contributed two hits as SEMO's other multi-hit performer in game one.
UT MARTIN 4, SIUE 3; SIUE 6, UT MARTIN 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - A clutch two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning by Kaci Fuller lifted the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team to a 4-3 comeback victory against Ohio Valley Conference rival SIUE before falling in the second half of the twinbill by a 6-2 margin.
Fuller had a big day for the Skyhawks as she not only cranked her third home run of the season to lift the squad to a walk-off victory, but also went 3-for-4 in Game 2 to enjoy a four-hit afternoon. Along with her work in the batter's box, she also scored three runs for the home squad.
Also enjoying a nice day at the plate was senior Katie Dreiling who went 3-for-6 in the box with a double and a RBI while Alli Robinson also tallied a pair of base knocks in the split.
Four different pitchers saw action in the two games with Brooklynn Linneman starting Game 1. Linneman earned the no-decision after tossing 6.2 innings but leaving with a deficit after allowing a pair of earned runs. Kiersten Nixon got the final out of the seventh inning and later garnered the win following Fuller's late-game heroics. Then in Game 2, Dreiling (5-4) lasted 2.1 innings before making way for Nixon and Jordyn Hustey to finish out the contest.
SIUE jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first inning after a walk followed by a pair of singles by Anna Henderson and Harley Limberger scored the game's first run.
UT Martin responded in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game. A first-pitch double by Dreiling led off the inning before switching places with Anna Hazlewood after a double of her own off the right-center wall.
The Skyhawks took their first lead of the contest in the fifth inning when Annie Gutierrez reached base out of the leadoff spot via a fielding error. Relieved for pinch runner Kyla Harley, the young speedster then made her presence known by swiping second base before advancing to third on a bunt single by Kyrsten Brown. Later in the inning, Anna Blanton brought the go-ahead run on a RBI-groundout to take a 2-1 advantage.
SIUE did got go away quietly however as it tied the game with a single up the middle by Grace Lueke in the sixth inning before a solo home run by Paige Rocha in the top of the seventh put the Cougars up by a run.
Down to their final three outs of the game, the Skyhawks fought back in the bottom of the seventh as Blanton stroked a single down the left field line before Fuller came through with the opposite field home run to left field to give the Skyhawks a walk-off winner.
The second game of the day saw UT Martin jump out to an early lead as Dreiling's opposite field single in the first inning brought Fuller home to score from second.
Then in the following inning, the Cougars took their first lead and ultimately never looked back. A pair of RBI-singles by Lauren Yslava and Rocha gave the Cougars a 2-1 advantage before adding two more runs in the top of the third off a two-run blast by Lueke.
The Skyhawks cut into the margin in the bottom half of the third with another RBI by Hazlewood, but the offense ultimately couldn't cash in a big scoring opportunity as three players were stranded on base.
The margin remained at two scores until the sixth inning when SIUE put the game on ice with a pair of RBI performances by Jenna Herron and Henderson to take the final 6-2 advantage.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Rachel Kaufman hit her OVC leading sixth home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning as the Panthers walked off with a 3-2 win over Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Williams Field.
The Panthers moved to 20-9 on the season, 6-1 in the OVC. Western Illinois fell to 12-17 overall, 2-5 in the OVC.
EIU led 2-0 heading to the top of the seventh inning when the Leathernecks finally broke through against EIU starter McKenzie Oslanzi.
Malia Robertson started the WIU rally with a one out double down the left field line. Regan Morrison followed with a single up the middle and Robertson eventually scored the first run for WIU as the Panthers threw behind the runner.
Morrison herself would come home to score later in the inning as a pinch hit single by Cynthia Hull put Morrison in motion and she scored on a throwing error.
Oslanzi scattered six hits allowing just one earned run in the complete game win as she improved to 12-2. She had seven strikeouts with no walks.
EIU jumped on the board with its first two runs in the bottom of the fourth against WIU starter Emily Price. Sophie Cerveny led off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Briana Gonzalez. A ground out moved Cerveny to third before a two-out single to left by Marama Makea scored the Panthers first run. Aryn Henke followed with an RBI double, one of two hits she had for EIU.
EIU finished with eight hits in the game as Kaufman picked up her second hit of the game with the lead off homer in the seventh against WIU relief pitcher Raven Morrison (4-3).
SOUTHERN INDIANA 3, LINDENWOOD 2 (9)
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - University of Southern Indiana Softball secured a 3-2 series-opening win in nine innings at Lindenwood University on Saturday after the host Lions rallied in the seventh inning to force extra innings.
Southern Indiana (11-11, 5-2 OVC) moved back to .500 on the season with Saturday's win, which was USI's second nine-inning game in the last three contests and third extra-inning game this season for the Screaming Eagles. Plus, the victory extended USI's winning streak to five games. Lindenwood (13-15, 2-5 OVC) suffered its fourth consecutive loss in Ohio Valley Conference play.
After a two-inning stalemate to start the game, both sides made their way onto the scoreboard in the third inning. In the top half of the third, USI freshman Kate Satkoski (Lanesville, Indiana) belted her first home run of the season on a solo shot. Lindenwood responded with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to even the game at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Satkoski barreled up her second extra-base hit of the game with a double. One batter later, junior outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) brought Satkoski home on an RBI single to put the Screaming Eagles back ahead by one.
With Southern Indiana an out away from the win in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lions tied the game with another solo home run to send the game to extra innings.
Following a scoreless eighth, the Screaming Eagles got their opportunity in the ninth. With a runner at first and two outs, senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenfield, Indiana) delivered a go-ahead triple that scored sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) all the way from first base to push USI ahead, 3-2. Southern Indiana held Lindenwood off the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth to seal the series-opening victory.
USI tallied three runs on 10 hits. Three Screaming Eagles registered multi-hit games, combining for seven of the 10 hits. Satkoski went 3-3 with a home run, a double, and two runs. Nalley and junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) had two hits each.
Southern Indiana starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched all nine frames, allowing two runs on five hits with 11 strikeouts. Newman improved to 9-5 with the win.
Lindenwood sophomore pitcher Avery Wapp started the first five innings, giving up two runs. Graduate pitcher Amanda Weyh tossed the last four innings, surrendering the go-ahead run in the ninth. Weyh dropped to 8-7 this season.