Ohio Valley Conference

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Emma Henderson blasted her 12th home run of the season, but SIUE softball dropped a 7-5 contest at Purdue.

Henderson's home run tied SIUE's Division I era best set by Grace Lueke in 2022. She also tied the Division I era best in RBIs with 43 during her third inning two-run homer.

The Cougar senior was Wednesday's starter at Bittinger Stadium and tossed four innings. She took the loss and is 5-5 for the season. Kiana Villa threw the final two innings for the Cougars.

SIUE, now 27-20 this season, slugged with the Boilermakers, collecting 10 hits. Four of those hits were extra-base hits, including Henderson's blast.

Purdue, also 27-20, scored twice in the first inning and never trailed.

The Cougars cut the lead in half in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Raegan Duncan.

After Purdue scored two more in the bottom of the second, Emma Henderson homered with Salyars on base, cutting the Purdue lead to 4-3.

Purdue's big inning came in the fourth with three runs. Kyndall Bailey hit a sacrifice fly, and Julia Gossett doubled home a pair of runs.

SIUE closed the gap to 7-5 on a pinch hit two-RBI double by Harley Limberger in the sixth inning.

CHATTANOOGA 2, TENNESSEE TECH 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Once again, the Tennessee Tech softball team battled with Chattanooga, the top team in the Southern Conference, as both teams went through the first five innings with nothing doing.
 
But the host Mocs scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and UTC was able to hold on to win 2-0 on Wednesday.
 
The Golden Eagles (16-33) return to action on Saturday as they begin their final regular-season series of the year with a three-game set against Morehead State. Admission at Tech Softball Field is free.
 
Chattanooga (37-12) got seven hits off of Emily York, who had a good outing in the circle as she allowed just the two runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three. Taylor Long went 5 1/3 innings and yielding all four Golden Eagle hits, while she walked one and struck out six. Peja Goold threw the final inning and two-thirds, striking out three as she earned her 22nd win of the season.
 
Abby Shoulders had three of Tech's four hits as she went 3-for-3 on the day. Abbe Klinefelter had the other hit in the contest.
 
Acelynn Sellers and Jayce Purdy both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
 
The Golden Eagles loaded the bases in the top of the first inning as Shoulders and Klinefelter singled to right and Sydney Kirby drew a walk, but a strikeout and a grounder ended the inning with nothing doing. 
 
As inning by inning drew past with no score, Chattanooga broke the drought in the sixth inning as Baileigh Pitts drove in Camryn Cernuto with a sacrifice fly to right for the first run. Purdy doubled to center field, bringing in Sellars for the second run.
 
In the top of the seventh, UTC ended the Tech threat quickly with a liner to third and two swinging strikeouts.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 4, ILLINOIS 3 (9)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Eastern Illinois played its third Big Ten team of the season and on Wednesday night the Panthers came away with a win beating Illinois 4-3 in nine innings.

EIU improved to 28-19 overall beating the Illini for the first time since May 2, 2017.  EIU had lost an extra inning game at home earlier this season to Washington and lost on the road at Purdue.

Illinois falls to 21-26.

Both teams starting pitchers held the opponent in check until the sixth inning.  In the sixth Abbey Crain singled and Kendall Grover walked, placing runners on with one out.  Alisha Frederick hammered a double to straight away center scoring both Crain and Grover.

Illinois answered in the bottom of the inning with Delaney Mosely connecting for a two-run double to left center.   Mosley ended the game 3-for-3 for the Illini, the only Illinois player with multiple hits.

Karlie McKenzie worked three innings in relief picking up the win to improve to 9-3.  McKenzie Oslanzi, who started the game in the circle, came back to close the ninth for her third save of the year allowing one unearned run in six total innings.

Danika Frazier (0-4) suffered the loss allowing two unearned runs in the top of the ninth as EIU took advantage of a bases loaded error in the top of the inning.

Frederick put the ball in play that resulted in the Illinois error scoring Abbi Hatton and Marybeth Dyson in the top of the ninth.

Eileen Donahue had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth accounting for the final run for Illinois.

Crain was the lone Panther with multiple hits with two.