Ohio Valley Conference

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PEORIA, Ill. - Tennessee Tech used a six-run fourth inning in Wednesday's Ohio Valley Conference Softball Championship opener to erase memories of last season's loss to Tennessee State in the tournament, piling on for a six-inning, 10-2 run-rule victory.

Moving into double-elimination play, the Golden Eagles had a tough outing in the second game as the defending OVC champs topped Tech (20-34) 6-0.

Tech will now get a 24-hour break as it waits to see who it will play in the consolation bracket at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. The Golden Eagles will take on the loser of top-seeded Eastern Illinois against the winner of Southern Indiana/Lindenwood.

Abbee Klinefelter and Jailynn Paderez each got two hits in the opener, while Alina Schlageter drove in three and Sydney Kirby two.

Emily York improved to 10-9 on the season as she put together a strong performance against the Tigers (23-22), allowing two runs on six hits as she walked none and struck out four.

Reina Castillo took the loss for the Tigers, allowing eight runs in 3 2/3 innings – four earned – on eight hits, one walk and one strikeout. Olivia Calderone threw a third of an inning with three walks, while Tianna Salcido pitched the final two frames, allowing two unearned runs on one hit, walking one and striking out another.

The Golden Eagles wasted no time in the top of the first. With Klinefelter standing on base, Kirby stood in and blasted a two-run shot to left field to take a 2-0 lead. Tennessee State halved the Tech advantage as Onnika Spencer hit an RBI double down the left field line.

After the second and third innings went quietly, the Golden Eagles burst open the flood gates, striking for six runs in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Schlageter hit a triple to left center, bringing in pinch runner Bailee Stack, Makayli Harris and Ella Bishop. Abby Shoulders picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly, bringing in Schlageter and moving Sofia Carroll to third on a throwing error.

Olivia Evans knocked Carroll in with a single down the left field line, then Klinefelter doubled in Evans with a hit to left field.

TSU added a single run as JaKeyla McDaniel collected an RBI single to make it 8-2 in the fifth, but the Golden Eagles forced the run rule in the sixth inning as a throwing error on Klinefelter's ball to the third baseman brought in Evans, then Paderez hit a single up the middle to drive in Hailey Stewart.

Tech took out State 1-2-3 with two flyouts to right and one to center to end the contest in six frames.

In the game against the Redhawks, Elliott Stinson held the Golden Eagles to three hits in the game as she went the distance, walking two and striking out three. Paderez had two of the hits, while Evans collected the other.

Payton Wagner took the loss, allowing five runs – four earned – on seven hits. Lainey Fitzgerald came in and pitched the remainder, allowing one run on one hit, walking one and striking out one.

SEMO scored four runs in the bottom of the first with a two-run single, an RBI double to right and a grounder to second to drive in a run. The Redhawks added a single run in the third on a fielding error in the outfield, then a run in the sixth on a single to right field.

#5 LINDENWOOD 5, #8 UT MARTIN 0
PEORIA, Ill. - No. 5 Lindenwood softball (24-23, 14-12 OVC) defeated No. 8 UT Martin (16-31, 8-17 OVC) to start the Ohio Valley Conference Championships by a final score of 5-0. The win marked the first in program history at the OVC Championships as the Lions move on to the double elimination portion of the bracket.

Wapp had one of her best performances in her career after tossing her seventh complete game of the season allowing a career-low one hit through seven innings. Wapp had her second most strikeouts in a game this season after tossing eight in the opening game of the OVC Championships.

Lindenwood put together an all-around effort with five runs on 11 hits while leaving five left on base. UT Martin was held to a single hit with five left on base. It marked eighth time this season the Lions collected double-digit hits.

After Wapp finished off the first inning, Hatton started the game with a lead-off home run to center field as the Lions led 1-0 after one. Johanning then had the first of her three hits in the second inning with a double to deep left field scoring Noll from third.

UT Martin did not record their first hit until the fourth inning of the game off of Wapp, but she stranded the runner keeping the Lions lead. Lindenwood's offense added another three runs in the bottom of the sixth to increase their lead. With the bases loaded, Pelton delivered in a pinch-hit situation with a single down the right field line scoring all three runners.

#3 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 6, #7 TENNESSEE TECH 0
PEORIA, Ill. - Gracie Luna and Hailey Burnett each had two hits, and Elliott Stinson pitched a complete game shutout leading #3 Southeast Missouri (25-17) to a 5-0 win over #7 Tennessee Tech (19-34) Wednesday in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
 
Stinson's first career complete game in the circle ended in the first shutout of her career. As a result, SEMO opened an OVC Tournament with a shutout for the first time since 2019 when the Redhawks beat then-#5 Eastern Kentucky, 6-0, in Oxford, Alabama.
 
With Stinson setting the tone, SEMO's offense immediately gave her enough support starting with a four-run first inning.  
 
First-Team All-OVC shortstop Sydney Dennis led things off with a single and went to second on an infield hit by fellow First-Team All-OVC pick Sydney Melton. With one out, Burnett singled to load the bases before Luna, a native of Peoria, singled up the middle to score both Dennis and Melton for the first runs of the game.
 
Freshman Addisyn Martinie kept things going with her first career OVC Tournament hit, an RBI-double to right field. Tatum Gerwitz then brought home Luna on a groundout to get the Redhawks a 4-0 advantage.
 
SEMO added its other run in the bottom of the third when Burnett doubled for her second hit of the game and scored on a single by Luna and error.

A two-out RBI-single by Brittany Affolter capped the 6-0 win in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Luna and Burnett both finished at 2-for-3 with a run scored to pace the Redhawks who outhit the Golden Eagles, 7-3. Additionally, Dennis collected her 150th career hit in her first at-bat of the contest.
 
Stinson (4-2) allowed just three hits, struck out three and walked two in her sparkling performance. She threw 103 pitches with 65 percent of her pitches being strikes.
 
Payton Wagner (3-11) suffered the loss. Wagner gave up five runs on seven hits in three innings.
 
The Redhawks, in their 23rd OVC Tournament appearance in program history, ran their record to 53-34 all-time in OVC Tournament games. SEMO also improved to 4-0 in OVC Tournament games in Peoria.

#4 SOUTHERN INDIANA 5, #5 LINDENWOOD 2
PEORIA, Ill. - University of Southern Indiana Softball began its Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament journey Wednesday evening with a 5-2 victory over Lindenwood University.
 
After No. 5 Lindenwood (24-24, 14-12 OVC) defeated No. 8 University of Tennessee at Martin in the single-elimination round of the tournament early Wednesday, the Lions and Southern Indiana (17-23, 13-11 OVC) clashed in a rematch of last weekend's series to close out the regular season.
 
The Screaming Eagles got going quickly with a run in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI hit up the middle by sophomore infielder Sydney Long that scored senior outfielder Kennedy Nalley from second base.
 
USI added on to its early lead in the bottom of the second. After the first two Eagles reached base, sophomore outfielder Kate Satkoski singled to center to double USI's advantage to 2-0. Later in the frame, Long stepped up again by delivering a two-RBI knock up the middle to make it 4-0 USI. Two batters later, senior infielder Whitley Hunter tacked on another run with an RBI hit to left to score Long and give USI a 5-0 cushion.
 
From there, senior pitcher Josie Newman and the Southern Indiana defense took over to keep the five-run lead intact through five innings. Lindenwood tallied two runs on a home run in the top of the sixth inning, but USI limited the damage and closed out the rest of the game.
 
Southern Indiana totaled eight hits in the contest. Long and junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton each had two hits, with Long leading the team with three RBIs in the game.
 
Newman (11-15) tossed a complete game, allowing two runs off four hits while striking out four.
 
Lindenwood's junior pitcher Ryleigh Owens (11-9) took the loss after lasting an inning with four runs – three earned – given up.
 
With the win, Southern Indiana advanced in the winner's bracket to face the OVC regular-season champion and the No. 1 seed Eastern Illinois University on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in Peoria, Illinois. During the regular season, Eastern Illinois won all three games against USI in Charleston, Illinois. Southern Indiana looks to snap its recent record against the Panthers, seeking its first win against EIU since the 2023 regular season.