Ohio Valley Conference

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State softball received contributions from every part of its lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Tigers put seven runs on the board and defeat Tennessee Tech 7-2 Sunday.

Castillo (9-3) got the win for Tennessee State (10-7, 2-1). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits, allowing one walk and striking out four.

The Tigers got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Tennessee State scored twice, with one run coming across on Spencer's single.

The Tigers then held the Golden Eagles scoreless before expanding their lead in the third inning. which brought the Tigers lead to 5-0.

Tennessee Tech narrowed Tennessee State's lead to 5-2 before the Tigers stretched the advantage to 7-2 in the seventh inning. The Tigers added two runs when a single from Blackburn scored Baker-Rowell and Hunt. The score remained 7-2 for the rest of the game, as Tennessee State coasted to the win.

WESTERN ILLINOIS 4, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Western Illinois secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Southern Indiana in Ohio Valley Conference play on Sunday afternoon at the USI Softball Field. The Leathernecks jumped out to an early lead and held on late to improve to 6-13 on the season and 2-1 in conference play.

Western Illinois came out swinging, plating two runs in the top of the first inning before adding single runs in the second and third frames. Senior Kaylee Ketcherside led the charge offensively, collecting three hits and scoring a run, while Lillie Wools delivered two RBIs, including a key sacrifice fly. Maria Luna also contributed with an RBI double.

Southern Indiana (4-13, 1-2 OVC) responded with a three-run second inning, capitalizing on a pair of hits and a walk to even the game. However, the Leathernecks' pitching staff took control from there, shutting out the Screaming Eagles over the final five innings.

After starter Kaitlyn Green allowed three earned runs in 1.1 innings, Libby Spaulding came in to provide stability. The freshman tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out four while surrendering just one hit. Wools then closed the door, earning a two-inning save while allowing only one base runner.

Defensively, the Leathernecks played solidly behind their pitchers, committing just one error and recording eight assists. Cynthia Hull anchored the infield with five putouts and two assists, while Luna was steady at first base with six putouts.

UT MARTIN 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team halted a late rally by Southeast Missouri State Saturday to win the Ohio Valley Conference opening series finale between the two teams, 6-5, at the Southeast Softball Complex in Cape Girardeau.

The Skyhawks erupted for five runs in the first two innings of Sunday's contest to take an early lead in the game. Kyla Harley and Kennedy Brown both stole home to score, in the first and second, respectively, and were part of UT Martin's season-high seven stolen bases on the day.

Dylan Scott drove one run in the second, while two more Skyhawks scored on an error by Southeast Missouri later in the frame. Jordyn Hustey drove in the sixth and final run of the day for UT Martin, when she doubled to score Dylan Scott in the fifth.

However, in the sixth inning, the Redhawks began their rally with a two-run homerun from Gracie Luna. In the seventh, Brookly Saysoff drove in two more runs on a single for Southeast Missouri and then scored on an error by UT Martin during Luna's at-bat, to bring the Redhawks within one at 6-5.

Despite the late run by Saysoff, Ashtyn Green who re-entered the game with one out in the seventh, got the final two outs to seal the win and stop the SEMO rally. Green, who started the day for UT Martin in the circle, picked up the save by allowing no runs, hits, or walks over the first inning of the game and the final two-thirds of the seventh.

Natalie Kreuziger nabbed her first collegiate win Sunday by giving up only two runs on three hits with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Offensively, Carly Ward was a perfect 3-for-3 in the finale, while Harley stole a team season-high three bases.

SIUE 12, MOREHEAD STATE 8
SIUE 10, MOREHEAD STATE 3
MOREHEAD, Ky. - SIUE softball collected in a season-high 16 hits in both games of the doubleheader Sunday in a sweep at Morehead State.

The Cougars took game one 12-8 and followed that up with a 10-3 victory in the nightcap.

SIUE improved to 10-9 for the season and a 3-0 record in the Ohio Valley Conference. Morehead State dropped to 1-21 overall and 0-3 in the OVC.

In game one, SIUE starter Emma Henderson not only collected the win in the circle she also blasted a two-run homer to get the offense started in the first inning.

The Eagles would move ahead 3-2 with two runs in the first and an RBI single in the third inning.

Emma Henderson gave the Cougars the lead for good in the fourth. Her third and fourth RBI of the game came on a single to left that scored Kaylin Fahy and Raegan Duncan.

SIUE exploded for six runs in the sixth, powered by the bat of Piper Montgomery. She ripped a three-run, opposite-field home run that brought home Jenna Little and Emma Henderson.

The Cougars tagged on two more runs in the top of the seventh with a two-run double by Lauren Yslava.

In game two, Avery Arwood went the distance while striking out five. She evened her season record to 4-4.

Like the Sunday opener, SIUE's bats were hot. Emma Henderson collected four more RBIs on a single in the third and a three-run homer in the fourth.

Montgomery went 4 for 4 for the Cougars and hit .667 for the weekend. While catching game two, she had RBI singles in the third and fourth innings. It was SIUE's first four-hit game of the season.

Anna Henderson capped off the scoring in the sixth with a solo home run, her fourth home run of the season. That trails only Emma Henderson and Lauryn Yslava with five homers each.

SIUE picked up multi-hit games from Yslava, Emma Henderson, Anna Henderson, Montgomery and Juztyne Torres.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, LINDENWOOD 0
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - McKenzie Oslanzi allowed just one hit on Sunday as she tossed her second complete game shutout of the weekend leading Eastern Illinois to a 5-0 win over Lindenwood.

The Panthers won the weekend series improving to 10-13 overall, 2-1 in the OVC.  Lindenwood dropped to 10-9, 1-2 in the OVC.

Irelynn West had the lone hit of the game for Lindenwood with a single up the middle in the third.  Oslanzi would issue three walks over the course of the game with Jolie McMinn reaching second base in the opening inning as the lone base runner to reach scoring position.

Eastern Illinois scored the only run it needed in the contest in the fourth with Karson Davey reaching on a single.  She eventually came around to score when Kira Manganello was hit by a pitch with bases loaded.  It was the 12th time this season Manganello has been hit by a pitch.

EIU tacked on four insurance runs in the top of the seventh to clinch the OVC opening series.  Abbey Crain led off the inning with a single as she was the lone EIU player with multiple hits in the game going 2-for-4. 

The next three EIU batters reached on a free pass with Kendall Grover drawing her fourth walk of the day, two of them intentional walks.  Briana Gonzalez drove in the first run of the inning while Abbi Hatton and Oslanzi also drove home runs.

Oslanzi improved to 7-7 in the circle.  Ryleigh Owens took the loss, falling to 4-3.