Ohio Valley Conference

MOREHEAD, Ky. - Lindenwood softball (20-20, 11-10 OVC) earned back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference wins on Friday over Morehead State (5-38, 3-17 OVC) to claim their fourth OVC series win of the season. The Lions have now evened their record at 20-20 this season and have an 11-10 record in the conference, good for fifth in the league.

Lindenwood overcame a two-run first inning by the Eagles as they claimed their first victory of the series in game two by a final score of 8-4. Avery Wapp (W, 8-6) picked up the win in the circle after throwing a complete game allowing four runs on 10 hits while striking out four.

Irelynn West and Dallis Darnell both had multiple hits in game one while Jolie McMinn and Mya Bethany provided some pop at the plate as they both hit three-run home runs to help the Lions pick up the game to victory.

After the Eagles scored two off of Wapp in the bottom of the first inning, the Lions stormed back in the top of the fourth to tie the game scoring two runs. Darnell plated the first run with an RBI single up the middle to score Danielle Franz. Lauren Pelton delivered an RBI to third base scoring Bethany to tie the game.

Lindenwood's offense kept it going after Bethany and McMinn delivered back-to-back three-run home runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 8-2 lead. Morehead State would score two runs in the sixth and seventh but it was too late as the Lions held on to tie the series.

It was another high scoring affair for Lindenwood to wrap up the series at Morehead State, but the Lions prevailed by a final score of 12-7 in game three of the series. West continued her excellent weekend with a four RBI performance to lead to way offensively. Tori Hatton joined West as both players had three hits in the contest.

Ryleigh Owens (W, 10-7) picked up the win on the mound for the Lions after throwing 5.0 innings allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits while striking out five. Wapp returned to the mound to pick up her fourth save the season ending the game allowing a single hit over the final two innings while striking out two.

The Lions' offense started the game with a 3-0 start in the top of the second inning after Madisen Noll, Nicole Henson and West all drove in an RBI to put the Lions on top early. The momentum continued in the third as the Lions' took an 8-0 lead after scoring five runs. Bethany and Darnell had back-to-back RBI before West cleared the bases with a three RBI double.

Morehead State scored seven straight runs between the third and fifth innings off of Owens cutting the Lions lead to 8-7. Wapp then entered the game and pitching two scoreless innings to keep the Lions' ahead. Hatton and Danielle Franz both homered in the sixth inning while Hatton also hit an RBI double in the seventh as the Lions ended the game winning 12-7.

SOUTHERN INDIANA 2, UT MARTIN 0
SOUTHERN INDIANA 6, UT MARTIN 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Softball corralled its second series sweep of the season on Friday when the Screaming Eagles defeated the University of Tennessee at Martin in a doubleheader, 2-0 and 6-2, at USI Softball Field.
 
Southern Indiana's (13-21, 10-9 OVC) sweep over UT Martin (14-26, 6-14 OVC) was also its second at home, as USI's first sweep this season came at home in late March against Tennessee Tech University. The sweep also moved the Screaming Eagles up to fifth and a half game back of fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings through Friday's slate of games.
 
Game one on Friday began with an interesting first inning, as both teams threatened with runners in scoring position but were kept off the scoreboard. After the opening frame, the contest became a pitcher's duel like Thursday's series opener.
 
After a quick first-inning pitching change for UT Martin, Skyhawks freshman pitcher Natalie Kreuziger and USI freshman Kylie Witthaus battled to keep the game scoreless into the fifth inning.
 
Southern Indiana tallied the first run on the heels of consecutive passed balls in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Screaming Eagles doubled their lead to 2-0 later in the frame on a sac fly by freshman Grace Huffman.
 
Although UT Martin threatened in the top of the seventh inning and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate, Witthaus locked down the series-clinching win and her third shutout of Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
Witthaus (5-7) struck out four in the stout outing in the pitching circle. At the plate, USI collected five hits, including a two-hit game by junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton. Senior outfielder Kennedy Nalley had a hit and scored a run.
 
Kreuziger (4-5) was charged with the loss after tossing 4.1 innings in long relief, allowing two runs and striking out six.
 
Southern Indiana wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in game two, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore outfielder Kate Satkoski doubled to the left-center gap to drive home senior infielder Whitley Hunter and Nalley.
 
USI's bats continue to click in the second inning, as a two-RBI hit by sophomore infielder Sydney Long doubled the Eagles' advantage to 4-0.
 
UT Martin notched a run in the third and another in the fourth to cut USI's lead in half, but Southern Indiana held the Skyhawks right there for their only runs of the game.
 
The Screaming Eagles added insurance in the home half of the sixth inning when Long doubled down the right-field line to score two more runs to build USI's advantage back up to four, 6-2, and help secure the win and series sweep.
 
Long led USI's offense in game two with two hits and four RBIs. Sophomore catcher Alyssa Mumaw also had a two-hit game and scored twice. Satkoski finished with the other two RBIs. Collectively, the Eagles posted 10 hits.
 
On the pitching side, senior pitcher Josie Newman (8-13) picked up her second win of the series behind another complete game. The right-hander held UT Martin to two runs off six hits and struck out six batters.
 
After UT Martin's junior pitcher Ashtyn Green (7-9) nearly matched Newman in Thursday's series-opening pitcher's duel, the Screaming Eagles knocked Green out early in Friday's series finale. Green was charged with the loss after giving up four runs in 1.2 innings.

SIUE 5, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
SIUE 16, WSETERN ILLINOIS 1 (5)
MACOMB, Ill. - SIUE softball grabbed a pair of road victories Friday at Western Illinois, defeating the Leathernecks 5-2 in the opener and 16-1 (five innings) in the nightcap.

With Friday's sweep, the Cougars have secured the series win with one more game left to play in the three-game set. Game three of the series is set for noon Saturday at Mary Ellen McKee Field.

SIUE, 25-17 overall and 15-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference, set the tone in game one when Lauryn Yslava launched a two-run homer in the first inning over the left field fence.

Western Illinois, 10-31 overall and 6-14 in the OVC, tied the score in third inning, but the Cougars would soon regain the lead in the fifth.

Anna Henderson, who was on base for Yslava's home run in the first inning, singled home Kaylynn Salyars in the fifth. She also rapped an RBI single in the seventh as an insurance run. Yslava added a sacrifice fly to close out the scoring in the seventh.

Avery Arwood, the OVC Pitcher of the Week, struck out three and went the distance. She allowed three hits and improved her season record to 10-7. Lillie Wools took the loss and is now 5-12.

In game two, Kiana Villa went four innings for the win in the circle to improve to 5-0. Reese Ray threw the final inning for the Cougars.

The Cougars grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when a WIU error allowed Yslava and Anna Henderson to score.

The second inning provided the most fireworks when SIUE sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs.

Danielle Shuey opened the scoring in the inning with her third home run of the season. Emma Henderson then added her team-leading 11th home run of the season. Kaylin Fahy ripped a two-run double in the inning. The Cougars also added RBIs from Raegan Duncan, Salyars and another Shuey RBI on a second at-bat in the inning.

Yslava poked her seventh home run of the season to put the Cougars ahead 12-0 in the third inning.

Gretchen Trello came off the bench in the fourth for a two-RBI double to the gap in left center in the fourth.

Harley Limberger and Piper Montgomery added RBIs in the fifth inning.

In all, SIUE finished with 16 hits in game two, matching the season high set three previous times in 2025.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, TENNESSEE TECH 3
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -  Brooklyn Saysoff went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, three doubles and four RBI to lead Southeast Missouri (21-13, 14-5) to a 6-3, 3-2, doubleheader sweep of Tennessee Tech (15-28, 7-13) Friday.
 
Saysoff extended her hitting streak to 11 games as SEMO claimed its fifth series win of the season.
 
The Redhawks, now on a seven-game winning streak, scored seven of their nine runs in the first inning. 
 
A four-run first inning propelled SEMO to its game one win.
 
Sydney Dennis reached on a two-base error to lead off the game and scored on a one-out double by Saysoff. After Gracie Luna walked, Sydney Melton had the biggest hit of the contest when she slammed a three-run home run over the left field wall to build a 4-0 cushion in the top of the first. For Melton, it was her fifth home run of the season.
 
TTU made it a one-run game in the bottom of the second inning when it scored three unearned tallies on a pair of SEMO errors. Elia Bishop knocked in Makayli Harris and Abby Shoulders hit a two-RBI single to narrow the Redhawks lead to 4-3.
 
Saysoff delivered again, this time when her second double of the game landed in the right center gap to bring home Madison Winkler widening SEMO's margin to 5-3 in the top of the fifth.
 
Another insurance run for the Redhawks came in the top of the seventh when Winkler touched home on a two-out single by Luna.
 
Delaney Kell (7-3) went the distance for her team-high fourth complete game. Kell held TTU scoreless for six innings and allowed just one earned run. She also struck out two and walked none.
 
Emily York (8-7) suffered the loss. York, too, pitched seven innings. She gave up six runs on six hits, struck out three and walked five.
 
Saysoff went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI. Melton finished at 2-for-4 with one run and three RBI. Meanwhile, Winkler added a hit and two runs scored, and Luna singled and scored.
 
With the game one victory, Mark Redburn recorded his 500th career win in 21 years as a head coach between stops at St. Charles Community College, Jefferson College, Evansville and SEMO.
 
Another strong start keyed the Redhawks victory in the nightcap.
 
Dennis hit the second pitch of the game for a single through the right side and stole second to get into scoring position. Winkler moved Dennis to third on an infield single. On the next play, Saysoff doubled to center and went to third on an error. Winkler and Dennis both scored, as well. Saysoff later scored on a groundout by Luna to put SEMO ahead, 3-0, in the top of the first inning.
 
An RBI-double by Brooklyn Stewart and run scoring groundout by nine-hole hitter Alina Schlageter made it a one-run ballgame at 3-2 in the bottom of the second.
 
That was it for the scoring the rest of the way.
 
Maddie Carney (3-4) allowed two runs on five hits in four innings to get the win. Van Haren allowed one hit and struck out one in three scoreless innings to earn her first save of the year.
 
Freshman Lainey Fitzgerald (4-8) took the loss. Fitzgerald gave up three runs on six hits, walked four and struck out five in seven innings.
 
Both teams had six hits. Dennis, Winkler, Saysoff, Luna, Tori Bradley and Addisyn Martinie each had one apiece.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, TENNESSEE STATE 3
NASHVILLE - Eastern Illinois made a defensive play at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Panthers beat Tennessee State 4-3 to open their weekend OVC series in Nashville.
 
EIU held a one run lead in the bottom of the seventh, TSU attempted to score on an infield single with two outs as the ball was hit to back-up second baseman Mia Mazzola who threw home to get the final out at the plate.
 
The Panthers improved to 23-17 overall, 15-3 in the OVC with the win.  TSU fell to 20-15 overall, 10-8 in the OVC.
 
TSU jumped out a 1-0 lead against EIU starter McKenzie Oslanzi (13-10) as Onnika Spencer connected for an RBI single in the first. 
 
Oslanzi would work through the fourth to pick up the win.  Karlie McKenzie closed out the final three innings allowing just two hits and no runs to pick up her league leading fifth save.
 
EIU took the lead in the third as they scored in three straight innings against TSU starter Reina Castillo (14-5).
 
Kendall Grover tied the game with an RBI triple to center and scored the go ahead run on a double steal with Alisha Frederick after Frederick reached on a walk.
 
Sophia Olman drove home a run with a single in the fourth with Frederick driving in the final EIU run in the fifth.  Olman was the lone player in the game with multiple hits going 2-for-3.
 
TSU would score its two additional runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Hailey Hunt and a wild pitch which allowed Mikayla Duke to score.