SATURDAY'S SCORES
*Tennessee Tech 7, @Tennessee State 4
*Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State -
RAINED OUT
*Southern Indiana 5, @Western Illinois 1
*Morehead State 3, @SIUE 1 (10)
*@UT Martin 6, Southeast Missouri 3
*@Eastern Illinois 2, Lindenwood 1
*@Eastern Illinois 12, Lindenwood 0 (5)
TENNESSEE TECH 7, TENNESSEE STATE 4
NASHVILLE - Weather was not kind at Tennessee State's field on the weekend. After Saturday's games were washed out and rescheduled as a doubleheader on Sunday morning, Tech and TSU got the day's opener in with the Golden Eagles emerging victorious 7-4.
Tech also worked its way to a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning of game two before rain fell once more. With the field unable to hold any more water, the game was called, erasing everything that had transpired in the previous four and a half innings.
The Golden Eagles (22-22, 12-13 OVC) take the series, winning the only game played, and hold on to their seventh-place standing in the conference tournament this week. Tech will play No. 6-seed Lindenwood (25-23, 13-13 OVC) on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in a single-elimination game. The winner will face No. 3-seed Tennessee State later that afternoon for the right to enter the double-elimination portion of the event.
The erasure of the two games in the series did not change Tech's matchup in the field as the results – at best case -- would have given the Golden Eagles the No. 6-seed and flip-flopped with the Lions. Tennessee State (24-23, 15-10 OVC), however, takes advantage of the second game Sunday not being recorded as a loss as the lack of a result put them over Southern Indiana (22-20, 16-11 OVC) for the No. 3-seed in the tournament by virtue of .007 winning percentage points.
In the game that did count, Emily York collected her eighth victory of the season, coming on in relief of Payton Wagner. York threw four scoreless frames, walking one and striking out three. Wagner had three innings of work in the start, allowing four runs on six hits.
The Golden Eagles scored three runs in the first inning, putting pressure on TSU starter Caitlyn Manus as Tech scored three runs on three hits. Mac Fitzgerald got the first of her three hits with a single up the middle, stole second, then took third on a fielding error. Abby Shoulders drew a four-pitch walk, then claimed second as well. With the two runners getting a head start, Carmen Betts ripped a two-run double down the right field line.
TSU tied the game in the bottom of the second with a fielder's choice, a sacrifice fly and a double to right plating a trio, then the Tigers claimed the lead with a single run in the third on a fielding error in the outfield off of a double.
Tech powered ahead in the fifth with a four-run frame and never looked back. With one down, Fitzgerald reached on an error at short, then a Shoulders double and Betts single loaded the bases. A wild pitch moved up the runners with Fitzgerald tying the game at four.
Sydney Kirby followed up with a single to left to drive in Shoulders, then Sofia Carroll sealed the deal with a double, scoring pinch-runners Brooklin Richardson and Bailee Stack.
Manus took the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out three.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 5, WESTERN ILLINOIS 1
MACOMB, Ill. - University of Southern Indiana Softball concluded the 2024 regular season with a 5-1 win at Western Illinois University on Sunday afternoon, giving the Screaming Eagles their seventh series victory in Ohio Valley Conference play.
After two quiet frames to start the contest, Southern Indiana broke through first with two runs in the third inning. Senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) began the scoring with an RBI double before freshman infielder Sydney Long (Haubstadt, Indiana) brought home a run on a sacrifice.
The Screaming Eagles added on to grab a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. With two outs, Fair launched a three-run home run to left field, her second of the season. Throughout the series at Western Illinois, Southern Indiana totaled 11 runs scored in the fourth inning.
Western Illinois got one run in the bottom of the fourth, but USI junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and the Leathernecks' senior pitcher Emily Price shut out the offenses the rest of the way in the final three innings.
With the win, Newman moved to 19-8 on the year after allowing just one run with five strikeouts in the game. Newman tossed her 27th complete game out of 28 starts in the regular season.
WIU's Price allowed five runs with six strikeouts in seven innings, taking the loss to drop to 9-19.
At the plate, Fair led USI by going 2-4 with the double and home run, totaling four RBIs. Senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) walked three times to come within one of USI's all-time mark of 99 career walks.
Following Sunday's game, Southern Indiana finished the regular season 22-20 overall and 16-11 in Ohio Valley Conference play, surpassing its overall and OVC win totals from 2023. USI already clinched its berth in this week's Ohio Valley Conference tournament and will be the 4-seed. Western Illinois moved to 16-34 overall and 5-22 in OVC play. WIU was previously eliminated from postseason contention.
MOREHEAD STATE 3, SIUE 1 (10)
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Recap coming soon.
UT MARTIN 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team played spoiler this weekend, winning the season series against Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri with a decisive 6-3 victory in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
The Skyhawks conclude the regular season with a 30-21 overall record while finishing 15-12 in the OVC. The victory also marked the program's 30th win of the season as the 2024 squad - under acting head coach Chelsea Farmer – posted just the team's second 30-win season in the last eight campaigns.
UT Martin now enters next week's tournament field as the No. 5 seed. The 2024 OVC Softball Championship will be held May 8-11 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois. It marks the first time the event has been held at the venue and will be the 30th all-time OVC Softball Championship.
The home team played spoiler this weekend as Southeast Missouri entered the series riding a nine-game conference winning streak and just one game out of first place in the program's attempt at back-to-back regular season championships. After the Redhawks took the series opener, the Skyhawks rallied in the final two games to steal the series and ultimately, the team's chance at another league title.
Playing in their final home game at Bettye Giles Field, the team's crop of seniors racked up nine of the team's 10 hits. Anna Blanton led the team with a 3-for-3 afternoon at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs. Anna Hazlewood also played a key role with a 2-for-3 day at the plate while tossing three scoreless innings of relief to pick up her first save of the season.
Senior Kiersten Nixon helped her own cause as she pulled double-duty in the batter's box and in the circle. Along with earning the victory with 4.0 innings of work, she also went 2-for-3 at the dish to rank as the team's third individual to post a multi-hit effort in the victory.
Much like yesterday, SEMO was the first team to jump out after scoring two runs in the opening frame. Back-to-back singles by Kat Sackett and Aubrie Shore plated runs to give the Redhawks an early advantage.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the third when the Skyhawks started their comeback attempt. A leadoff double by Hazlewood kicked off the rally before pinch runner Kyla Harley came home to score one pitch later on a single up the middle by Blanton. With the deficit cut in half, Blanton stayed in motion to by advancing to third on a groundout before scampering home on a wild pitch to knot the score at two runs each.
With a new game at hand, the Skyhawks continued their surge by scoring two more runs in the fourth inning. Two singles by Nixon and Alli Robinson kick-started the inning before back-to-back RBI-singles from Hazlewood and Blanton gave the home squad a 4-2 advantage.
SEMO threatened in the top of the fifth inning with three hits but were limited to just one run while stranding the bases load. A single down the left field line by Marissa Peek cut the Skyhawks lead down to one run before UT Martin's defense flexed its muscles with a putout at the plate and a diving catch by Kaci Fuller to keep the one-run advantage intact.
The Skyhawks found some much-needed insurance in the sixth inning to push their lead out from one run to three. Fuller padded the team's lead with a sacrifice fly to deep center field before a pinch-hit single by Annie Gutierrez brought the team's sixth and final run home to score.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, LINDENWOOD 1 (9); EASTERN ILLINOIS 12, LINDENWOOD 0 (5)
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois went extra innings with reigning OVC Pitcher of the Year Olivia Price looking sharp as the Panthers clinched the outright OVC Championship with a 2-1 win in nine innings in game one against Lindenwood.
EIU then finished off the regular season with an 12-0 win in five innings over the Lions to improve to 38-15 overall, 22-5 in the OVC. EIU will play as the No. 1 seed in the upcoming OVC Tournament at 12:30 pm on Thursday.
Lindenwood ends the regular season at 25-24 overall, 13-14 in the OVC. The Lions open the OVC Tournament on Wednesday morning as the No. 6 seed facing Tennessee Tech.
In the opener EIU had a nine inning gem from Olivia Price (10-9) to pick up the 2-1 win. Price allowed just four hits in the win with Lindenwood scoring just one run in the third inning.
Mya Bethany had a double down the left field line that scored Morgan Gersch. Bethany had two of the four Lindenwood hits.
EIU tied the game in the bottom of the third on a solo home run by Kendall Grover.
The Panthers then walked off the win in the bottom of the ninth as Rachel Kaufman hit her ninth home run this season marking the third time this season she has walked off a game at home with a home run this season.
Kaufman picked up two of the five EIU hits against the combination of Amanda Weyh and Avery Wapp (9-12).
In the second game EIU sent 15 batters to the plate in the opening inning putting up an eight spot as they never looked back in the 12-0 win.
Aryn Henke was 3-for-3 in the game while Rachel Kaufman was 2-for-3 as the only Panthers with multiple hits in the 12-hit, five-inning run rule win.
Karson Davey, Emily Konkel and Sophia Olman all drove in two runs for the Panthers with four EIU players scoring two runs each. Briana Gonzalez had the lone extra base hit of the game with her eighth home run this season.
Karlie McKenzie improved to 4-0 allowing just two Lindenwood hits by Mya Bethany and Morgan Gersch.
Molly Berkey (1-3) took the loss for the Lions.