Ohio Valley Conference

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Softball began its final regular-season series on Saturday with a 3-2 series-opening victory against Lindenwood University at USI Softball Field.
 
Saturday's win helped Southern Indiana (15-23, 12-11 OVC) inch closer to Lindenwood (23-22, 14-11 OVC) in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, as seeding for the coming week's OVC tournament is still to be determined. The Lions are in fourth place with USI right behind in fifth.
 
After a leadoff strikeout to begin Saturday's game, Lindenwood scored the first run of the day on a solo home run to lead 1-0 through one inning.
 
Southern Indiana answered the Lions' early tally with a crooked number in the bottom of the third inning. The first two Eagles reached to begin the inning before senior outfielder Kennedy Nalley drove in the tying run with an RBI single. Two batters later, freshman infielder Jordan Mackey doubled to the left-center alley to score a pair of runs and give USI a 3-1 advantage.
 
Meanwhile, senior pitcher Josie Newman was in a groove, settling in after the first couple of innings. The right-hander struck out seven Lions through the first four innings of play.
 
The Lions made it a one-run ballgame with an unearned run in the top of the fifth, but that is all they would get as Newman and the Screaming Eagles locked down the series-opening win from there.
 
Newman (9-15) tossed a complete, allowing two runs – one unearned – and only three hits, while striking out 10. Newman had three innings with two outs coming via the strikeout.
 
Offensively, USI totaled five hits with sophomore infielder Sydney Long recording two hits. Nalley had one RBI, and Mackey collected two RBIs.
 
For Lindenwood, junior pitcher Ryleigh Owens (11-8) was dealt the loss after surrendering three runs in four innings of work with three strikeouts. Fellow junior hurler Avery Wapp finished the last two innings with five strikeouts and no hits or runs allowed.
 
With two scheduled games remaining, USI would need to complete a series sweep of Lindenwood to jump the Lions for the fourth spot by conference win percentage. The fourth seed would avoid the single-elimination round of the OVC tournament. USI could also end up as a fifth seed or sixth seed, depending on how results play out across the conference the rest of the weekend.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 8, WESTERN ILLINOIS 2
EASTERN ILLINOIS 6, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
MACOMB, Ill. - Eastern Illinois scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to win the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Western Illinois.

The win gave the Panthers a doubleheader sweep but also locked up the outright Ohio Valley Conference Championship, EIU's second straight and fourth overall title.

EIU won the opener over WIU 8-2 before coming back to win 6-3 in the second game.

The win was No. 30 of the regular season for EIU and the 20th OVC win as the Panthers are 30-19 overall, 20-5 in the OVC.

Western Illinois was eliminated from the OVC Tournament picture falling to 11-36 overall, 7-19 in the OVC.

Eastern Illinois jumped out to an early lead and closed the door with runs in the fourth, fifth and six innings of an 8-2 game one victory.

McKenzie Oslanzi (17-12) allowed one run in five innings to pick up her first win of the day in the circle scattering five hits.  Bryanna French closed out the final two innings in relief.

Abbi Hatton opened the Panthers scoring in the second with an infield RBI single.  She added two more RBI in the fifth going 2-for-3 in the game.

EIU added RBI singles by Sophie Cerveny and Abbey Crain in the fourth with Briana Gonzalez delivering a two-run home run in the sixth.  Gonzalez joined Kendall Grover with two hits for EIU while Karson Davey led the Panthers with three hits.

Maria Luna hit a solo home run in the fifth to put the Leathernecks on the board and added an RBI single in the sixth picking up two of WIU's hits. 

Payton Brown, Lilli Wools and Megan Leonard also finished with two hits each in the game for WIU.  Wools (5-13) was the losing pitcher leaving the game after 1.1 innings in the circle.

EIU scored four times in the top of the seventh inning as the Panthers rallied to pick up a 6-3 win over Western Illinois.

Kendall Grover opened the seventh inning with a single to center advancing to third base with no outs.  Morgan Hance beat out a two-out infield single to score Grover and tie the game at 3-3.  Sophia Olman followed with a two-run double with Abbi Hatton adding an RBI double to close out the big seventh inning.

McKenzie Oslanzi (18-12) allowed no hits over the final two innings in relief to collect her second win of the day.  Kaitlyn Green (2-5) suffered the loss for WIU in a complete game effort.

The Leathernecks built a 2-0 lead in the game starting their scoring with a two-run, bases loaded single in the third by Sophia Sanchez.  Payton Brown extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI triple in the fifth.  Brown was 2-for-2 in the game as WIU was held to four hits in the game.

EIU cut into the lead in the top of the sixth with an RBI double by Hatton and RBI single by Abbey Crain. 

Hatton and Sophie Cerveny each had three hits in the second game for the Panthers with Hance adding two hits.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5, TENNESSEE STATE 2
NASHVILLE - Southeast Missouri (24-15, 17-7) scored the final five runs in a 5-2 comeback win over Tennessee State (21-21, 11-13) in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. Game two was suspended in the top of the second inning due to inclement weather with TSU leading, 4-0.
 
SEMO and TSU will resume game two at 1 p.m., CT Sunday before their series finale.
 
The Redhawks wiped out a two-run deficit to pull off their come-from-behind win.
 
Down, 2-0, SEMO scored once in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the contest.
 
Tatum Gerwitz reached on an error in the top of the fifth and scored when Sydney Dennis hit into a fielder's choice to make it a one-run ballgame.
 
In the sixth, Sydney Melton led off with a double and scored the tying run on an error.
 
The Redhawks took the lead for good when they added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Brittany Affolter drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on yet another TSU error. Madison Winkler scored Affolter for the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. Gerwitz later touched home on a fielder's choice and Melton knocked in pinch-runner Selby Patberg on her second double of the game to give SEMO a 5-2 advantage.
 
Delaney Kell (9-3) went the distance for her team-high sixth complete game. Kell allowed just two runs on five hits, walked one and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts.
 
Melton and Dennis paved the way with two hits apiece.
 
SEMO outhit TSU, 8-5. Defensively, the Tigers committed three errors. 
 
All eight teams are now set for next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Eastern Illinois clinched the OVC regular-season title and #1 seed. SIU Edwardsville, SEMO, Lindenwood, Southern Indiana, TSU, UT Martin and Tennessee Tech complete the eight-team field.

TENNESSEE TECH 10, MOREHEAD STATE 2 (5)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Recap coming soon.