Ohio Valley Conference

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Lauryn Yslava scored from second base on a sacrifice fly to deep right field by Emma Henderson as SIUE softball defeated Tennessee Tech 10-9 in a 14-inning contest at Cougar Field.

The 4-hour, 11-minute game equaled the longest game in Division I this season, matching a Louisville-Notre Dame held last Sunday.

SIUE is now off to a league-leading 6-0 start in the Ohio Valley Conference and holds a 15-10 record overall. Tennessee Tech dropped to 7-18 overall and 1-15 in the OVC.

The two teams combined for 34 hits with the Golden Eagles holding an 18-16 edge.

After neither team had scored since the sixth innings, Tennessee Tech tallied two runs in the top of the 14th on RBI hits by Sydney Kirby and Ashley Capelouto.

The Cougars wasted little time in the bottom of the 14th with a base hit by Kaylin Fahy to right field. Madison Kearns stepped up as a pinch hitter and delivered a double down the left field line off the Tennnessee Tech third baseman's glove. With runners at second and third, Yslava ripped her fifth hit of the game, a two-run single to right field off reliever Hannah Lange. Kaylynn Salyars then drew a walk.

With no one out, Yslava stood at second and Salyars was at first.

Emma Henderson launched a ball to deep right field for the first out. Instead of settling for advancing from second to third, Yslava never stopped running until she slid into home for the game winner.

McKayla Anderson started the game and was the winner but after a re-entry in the 14th inning. Anderson had been lifted as the starter and replaced by Kiana Villa who threw more than 140 pitches over nine innings of relief. Anderson re-entered in the 14th and picked up the final two outs of the inning.

Eight different Cougars accounted for the 16 SIUE hits. Yslava led SIUE with a career-high five. Salyars had four and Fahy finished with two.

After six games in six days in which the Cougars went 5-1.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, MOREHEAD STATE 3
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois softball opened its 2025 home schedule picking up a 7-3 win over Morehead State on a frigid Sunday afternoon at Williams Field.
 
Marybeth Dyson drove home the first EIU run of the game with an RBI ground out in the second as the Panthers scored a single run in the second, third and fourth innings.
 
Kendall Grover scored on a wild pitch in the third while McKenzie Oslanzi hit a solo home run in the fourth. 
 
The Panthers were on the verge of picking up a run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth when they led 7-0 and had the bases loaded with two outs.  Kendra Lewis ended the Panthers rally and helped spark Morehead State's three run sixth inning.
 
In the Panthers four-run fifth inning, Abbi Hatton, Dyson and Abbey Crain all drove home runs.  Dyson ended the day with two RBI.  Sophia Olman and Karson Davey led the Panthers with two hits each.
 
Morehead State opened the sixth with Victoria Spencer reaching on an error.  The next four Eagles batters all collected hits with three of them hitting doubles to left.  Lewis drove home two of the three runs after her defensive play to end the fifth.
 
Sela Pickford had the other RBI in the inning as she led MSU with two hits.  Riley Burney (0-11) took the loss for Morehead State as they fell to 1-23 overall, 0-4 in the OVC.
 
EIU improved to 11-13 overall, 3-1 in the OVC.  Oslanzi (8-7) picked up the win with Karlie McKenzie collecting the save.

LINDENWOOD 10, UT MARTIN 5
MARTIN, Tenn. - Lindenwood softball (11-11, 2-2 OVC) takes the first game of a three game series on the road at UT Martin (9-12, 1-3 OVC) by a final score of 10-5 on Sunday afternoon. The Lions' 10 runs mark their second most in a single game this season and most since February 8th.

Lindenwood's offense exploded for 10 runs on Sunday on eight hits with no errors while the UT Martin Skyhawks scored five runs on seven hits with one error. Wapp started the game on the mound after tossing the first 3.2 innings allowing three runs on four hits while posting five strikeouts. Owens came in relief of Wapp, picking up the win, and threw the final 3.1 innings allowing two runs on three hits with five strikeouts.

The Lions got off to a hot start on Sunday scoring two in the top of the first inning. After two quick outs, Irelynn West, McMinn and Emily Geary all reached safely. Hatton then delivered a two RBI double to left field to get the Lions going on offense. Wapp followed that offensive performance with two strikeouts in the bottom of the first for a scoreless inning.

Lindenwood's offense continued to score runs in the second inning after putting up four runs on three hits. Teryn Brown started the inning with a double and was moved over to third. Nicole Henson then hit her home with an RBI single. After a West walk, McMinn delivered a three-run home run to put the Lions ahead 6-0.

UT Martin finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning after scoring three runs on four hits. The Skyhawks got the inning started with three hits including an RBI double to left field. Wapp then allowed a two RBI double to left center before being relieved by Owens to finish off the inning. Lindenwood still led 6-3 after four.

Each team added a run in the fifth inning to keep the Lions up three. Darnell added an RBI single into left field to score Hanna Johanning. UT Martin added their third double of the day in the bottom half of the fifth to bring home a run. McMinn and Hatton both added an RBI in the sixth inning to put Lindenwood ahead 9-4.

McMinn brought home her fifth RBI of the day in the top of the seventh on a fielder's choice while the Skyhawks made it interesting in the seventh but Owens surrendered only on run keeping the final score at 10-5. Lindenwood now evens their Ohio Valley Conference record at 2-2.