Ohio Valley Conference

MOREHEAD, Ky. - It finally all came together for the Morehead State softball team in Friday's opening game of its home series with Southern Indiana. The Eagles hit, pitched and fielded well en route to a 9-0, five-inning victory at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead, Ky. It was the Eagles' first win since February 15.

The biggest story of the day was the play of Burney (1-12), who went the distance to earn the win. She allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out three in her first shutout as a Division I pitcher. Things were going so well she even thwarted a Screaming Eagle threat by starting a double play in the fourth inning. The junior transfer from Lake Land (Ill.) College allowed the fewest walks in a game this season in which she pitched at least five innings.

Listen to Burney talk about the game and her performance on MSU's YouTube channel.

Morehead State (2-25/1-6) used a nine-tun third inning to separate itself from the Screaming Eagles. Although no official records are kept on runs in an inning, MSU has only scored nine runs once this year and in that game the most it tallied in an inning was five. In the last 10 years, it has scored nine or more runs in 31 contests.

One of the team's big bats in the third inning came from senior center fielder Darlene Montoya.

Watch Montoya discuss the game on MSU's YouTube channel.

MSU sent 13 runners to the plate in that frame, generating nine hits and benefitting from two errors. Sophomore left fielder Maddy Christopher led off with a bunt and then stole second. Junior first baseman Jordan Donato followed with a single and junior right fielder Taikibrea Campbell drove both runners home with a double that rolled just inside the first base line. Then sophomore shortstop Sela Pickford singled, freshman second baseman Victoria Spencer singled before Montoya blasted her shot over the center-field fence.

Southern Indiana picked up its first out and then freshman designated player Nyla Doiron doubled to left field with a shot that bounced off the fence. Senior catcher Ilencia Lightbody singled, Christopher moved everyone up on a sacrifice bunt and then Donato singled to left-center field to score two. Campbell struck out, but reached on a passed ball and Donato was able to come home on a throwing error during that play. The inning finally ended with a ground out.

Southern Indiana (5-16/2-4) had its best chance to get on the board in the fourth, when it loaded the bases, but a line drive to Burney, who threw over to sophomore Kendra Lewis at third base for a double play. Burney then completed the inning with a strikeout.

The Eagles had hits in three of their four innings and only stranded three base runners all game.

Caroline Stapleton collected a single in the top of the fifth, but she was the Screaming Eagles' lone baserunner in the frame.

For the second straight weekend, MSU roughed up one of the top pitchers in the Ohio Valley Conference as it sent reigning Pitcher of the Year Josie Newman to her 10th defeat of the season (against three wins). Newman went the distance but surrendered nine runs on 12 hits. She had five strikeouts and no walks.

Morehead State's 12 hits were its second most of the season. All nine Eagles that came to the plate got at least one hit and eight of the nine scored. Donato (2-for-2, with two runs and two RBI), Lewis (2-for-3) and Spencer (2-for-3, with one run and one RBI) led the way. Montoya had a game high three RB. Pickford (1-for-3, one run), Doiron (1-for-3, one run), Lightbody (1-for-3, one run), Christopher (1-for -1, one run) and Campbell (1-for-2, one run, one RBI) also generated offense.

Stapleton paced the visitors with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

USI fell to 2-6 away from home this season. It was the Eagles' first home win since Mar. 23, 2024. Southern Indiana leads the all-time series 7-5, but MSU is ahead 4-2 in games in Morehead. The victory also snapped a four-game skid to USI.

UT MARTIN 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team opened its Ohio Valley Conference series with Eastern Illinois Friday by defeating the Panthers, 6-3, at Bettye Giles Field in Martin.

The Skyhawks got off to a fast start in the game when Alli Robinson hit her third home run of the season in the top of the first to give her team the early 3-0 advantage. Ava Scott scored later in the inning on a throwing error by the Panthers during a successful steal attempt by Jordyn Hustey. UT Martin tacked on a fifth run in the bottom of the third on a single up the middle by Ava Scott that scored Kyla Harley, who led off the inning with a double.

In the top of the fifth, Eastern Illinois finally found its way onto the scoreboard on a single from Alisha Frederick and an error by UT Martin, cutting the lead to 5-2. However, the Skyhawks got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame on a single from Carly Ward that allowed pinch runner Morea Hodge to cross the plate.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning, but the Panthers began the seventh with three straight hits culminating in an RBI-single from Sophia Olman to make it 6-3. With no outs and two runners in scoring position, Natalie Kreuziger worked herself out of the jam by retiring the next three batters, including one by strikeout, as the Skyhawks held on for the win.

Ashtyn Green improved to 7-4 on the year with the win, after allowing just one earned run with one strikeout over 4.0 innings of work. Kreuziger picked up her second save of the season Friday by also allowing only one earned run and striking out five over the final 3.0 innings of the game.

Robinson and Ava Scott both went 2-for-3 and scored a run Friday, with Robinson tallying three RBIs and Scott adding one. Kyrsten Brown also went 2-for-3 in the contest and was one of five Skyhawks to steal a base against the Panthers, while Harley went 1-for-2 with a double, two runs and a walk.

LINDENWOOD 6, TENNESSEE STATE 5 (10)
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Lindenwood softball (13-13, 4-3 OVC) went the distance on Friday afternoon playing a 10 inning game against Ohio Valley Conference opponent Tennessee State (12-9, 3-3 OVC) ending in walk-off fashion for the Lions as the won by a final score of 6-5. This win also marked the first ever for Lindenwood over Tennessee State.

In what was a wild afternoon, the Lions finished with 12 hits on the day scoring six runs with one error. Tennessee State scored five runs on seven hits with four errors. Wapp started on the mound for the Lions throwing the first 5.0 innings allowing four runs on five hits with six strikeouts. Owens came in relief of Wapp throwing the final 5.0 innings allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts.

After a scoreless first inning by both teams, TSU scored the first runs of the afternoon in the second inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Wapp allowed back to back hits down the left field line allowing two runs to cross home as the Lions found themselves trailing early.

It took until the fifth inning for the Lions to plate a run as they scored two tying the game. After a Noll walk and single by Bethany, Henson put down a sac bunt moving the runner over into scoring position. McMinn then singled into left field scoring one while the left field had an error resulting in the second run scoring. 

Tennessee State did not take long to reclaim the lead after scoring three in the fifth. Wapp walked the first two batters on the inning and was replaced by Owens. Lindenwood's defense with the bases loaded got a strikeout and a force out at home making it two down in the sixth. Jace Jackson for the Tigers delivered a bases clearing three RBI triple to put TSU ahead 5-2.

Lindenwood did not back down in the bottom half of the sixth tying the game at 5-5. Kylee Crowder singled to start the inning and was moved over to third with one out. With the bases loaded, Bethany was walked to bring home the first run. Henson (RBI single) and Irelynn West (sac fly) drove home the next two runs as the Lions managed to tie the game.

Heading into extra innings, Lindenwood had the bases loaded in the bottom of the eight but could not bring home the game winner. It took until the 10th inning for the Lions to come out with the win. Noll reached on an error and was moved to third after a double by Mya Bethany to left field. Henson then hit into a ground-out at second base by Noll scored from third ending the game with a final of 6-5.

SIUE 9, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - SIUE softball extended its best season-opening Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to seven games Friday with a 9-4 victory at Southeast Missouri.

The Cougars lead the OVC and are now 16-10 overall. It continues to be SIUE's best start in OVC play having previously started 4-0 in both 2014 and 2018. SEMO dropped to 12-10 overall and 5-2 in the OVC. The two teams play a noon doubleheader Saturday at Southeast Softball Complex to close out a three-game series.

SEMO struck early for all four of its runs in the second inning against Emma Henderson, who improved to 4-2 for the season. A two-run double by SEMO's Sydney Dennis highlighted the inning.

SIUE placed its first run on the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Juztyne Torres singled home Piper Montgomery to make it 4-1.

The offense kept picking up steam in the fifth when Kaylynn Salyars launched her third home run of this season. Her two-run homer with Danielle Shuey on board put the Cougars within one run at 4-3.

Kaylin Fahy reached on an error in the sixth. That error scored Montgomery and tied the game 4-4. Shuey then stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run homer that put the Cougars ahead for good.

SIUE scored for the fourth consecutive inning in the top of the seventh. This time, the long ball came from Madison Kearns, a three-run shot that brought home Montgomery and Abby Harvell.

The Cougars outhit SEMO 9-8 as Montgomery led SIUE with three hits. Shuey added two.