Ohio Valley Conference

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Morehead State softball team climbed out of a 7-0 hole by scoring eight unanswered runs, capped off by two in the seventh courtesy of singles from redshirt sophomore left fielder Marie Perdew, junior first baseman Noemye Letendre and junior second baseman Sage VanDemark, as MSU topped Lamar 8-7 in the first meeting between the two schools in the opening game of the Eagle Hub City Classic at the Southern Miss Softball Complex in Hattiesburg, Miss.
 
VanDemark's walk off shot down the third baseline gave the Eagles their first win of the season and snapped a streak of defeats away from home that stretched back to mid-February of 2025.
 
It was the largest deficit Morehead State (1-10) had overcome at the start of the game to pull out a win in well over a decade.
 
The Eagles came right back in the very next game and despite battling down to the wire fell to Jackson State (8-5) 2-1. It marked the third straight outing and the fifth time this season that MSU played a game decided by one run.

JSU scored once in the second and both teams scored a run in the fifth.

Morehead State got on the board after a run-scoring double by junior center fielder Maddy Christopher.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, UC RIVERSIDE 0
#24 ARIZONA STATE 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5
TEMPE, Ariz. - Eastern Illinois threatened to upset No. 24 Arizona State on Friday afternoon before the Sun Devils rallied late to beat EIU 9-5.  That loss sent EIU to a 1-1 record to open play at the ASU/GCU Tournament after the Panthers shut out UC Riverside in the opener, 2-0.  EIU is now 5-13 and plays the next two days at the Grand Canyon portion of the event.

EIU 2, UC Riverside 0
Eastern Illinois pitchers Karlie McKenzie and Rylan Gick combined for a two-hit shutout as the Panthers opened the ASU/GCU Invite with a 2-0 win over UC Riverside.
 
McKenzie started the game in the circle working into the sixth allowing just one hit with three strike outs.  She exited in the sixth with the game scoreless.  Gick closed the final two innings allowing one Highlanders hit with two strike outs to improve to 2-2 on the season.
 
EIU's offense came in the bottom of the sixth with Lexie Griffin reaching on an error and Abbi Hatton drawing a walk. Following a sacrifice bunt by Alisha Frederick to move the runners up, Lizzie Stiverson delivered a two-run triple scoring pinch runners Emily Konkel and Adysen Rios.  
 
Stiverson had two hits with the triple and a double earlier in the game.  Chloe Wamboldt went 3-for-3 at the plate.
 
UC Riverside's two hits came off the bats of Gabriella Garcia and Leilani Juan as the Highlanders fell to 1-10 on the season.   Alina Ortiz (0-2) took the loss in relief.
 
No. 24 Arizona State 9, EIU 5
Eastern Illinois jumped out to an early 5-0 lead against No. 24 Arizona State before the Sun Devils had a late rally to avoid the Panthers upset, 9-5.

Lexie Griffin helped EIU jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run homer, her third of the season.   Griffin added a third RBI in the game with a based load walk in the third.

The Panthers extended the lead to 5-0 in the top of the third with a bases loaded walk drawn by Abbi Hatton and single to left by Alisha Frederick.

ASU chipped away at the EIU lead in the bottom of the third scoring two unearned runs against EIU starter Rylan Gick.  Gick pitched 3.2 innings allowing the two unearned runs but did not factor in the decision.

The Sun Devils broke through for a big inning in the bottom of the fifth scoring six runs to take the lead.  Tanya Windle and Ashleigh Mejia had the big hits of the inning with both connecting for two run singles.  Windle and Samantha Swan each had three hits to lead the ASU offense.

Meika Lauppe (4-0) picked up the win with five innings of scoreless relief as ASU improved to 15-3.

Bryanna French fell to 2-4 with the loss in relief.  Frederick led EIU's offense with three hits.  Chloe Wamboldt and Brooklyn Groppel each had two hits.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, UT MARTIN 3
UT MARTIN 3, AKRON 1
MUREFREESBORO, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team dropped its opening game of the Blue Raider Classic at Blue Raider Softball Field in Murfreesboro Friday to host Middle Tennessee, 9-3, but rebounded in the nightcap with a 3-1 win over Akron.

In game one, the Skyhawks struck first, scoring two runs on an error and a sacrifice fly from Avary Makarewicz. However, in the bottom of the first, the Blue Raiders exploded for eight runs on seven hits to take a commanding lead. In the top of the sixth, Karena Recrosio scored on a passed ball, but it was not enough as the Skyhawks fell, 9-3.

Gia Recrosio went 2-for-2 in the game, while Karena Recrosio was 1-for-3 with two runs. Jordyn Hustey also had a hit in the game with Makarewicz earning the sole RBI.

In the second game, UT Martin was first on the scoreboard again with Karena Recrosio scoring Kennedy Brown, who singled to lead off the game, on a sacrifice bunt. In the fifth, Carly Ward singled and was brought home during the next at-bat on a triple by Kennedy Brown. Kennedy was then scored in the following at bat on a single from Gia Recrosio. Akron scored one run in the seventh, but UT Martin was able to hold on for the 3-1 win

Kennedy Brown finished the game at 2-for-4 with two runs, a triple and an RBI, while Carly Ward was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored. Ashtyn Green picked up the win for the Skyhawks by allowing no runs on three hits with two strikeouts over five complete innings. Hustey pitched the sixth inning and allowed only one hit and was followed by Joleanna Fox, who earned the save by giving up just one run on two hits in the seventh.

INDIANA STATE 4, LINDENWOOD 1
VALPARAISO 4, LINDENWOOD 1
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lindenwood Softball team (6-10, 0-0 OVC) wrapped up day two of their home tournament with a pair of 4-1 losses to Indiana State and Valparaiso on Friday. Emily Geary and Madisen Noll delivered an RBI for the Lions, with Geary picking up an RBI against the Sycamores and Noll collecting one against the Beacons. Lindenwood collected eight hits across both games and were led offensively by Karter Skillman, who collected a hit in each game today. 

Indiana State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning behind an RBI single up the middle. The Lions responded in the bottom of the third as Madisen Noll and Kylee Crowder led off the inning with back-to-back walks and was followed by a Tori Hatton SAC bunt to advance both runners to second and third with one out in the inning. Emily Geary evened the score as she drove in Noll to tie the game at one. Lindenwood left two runners on base to end the inning as the score remained tied at one through three innings of play. Ryleigh Owens limited the damage over the next three innings by allowing three hits and getting a lot of ground ball outs to keep the Sycamores off the scoreboard after six innings of play. However, the Lions left two more runners on base in the bottom of the fifth inning and couldn't bring in the go-ahead run as the game stayed knotted at one heading to the last inning of play. 

Indiana State took the lead back in the top of the seventh inning behind three runs on a bases loaded single that scored two and a single up the middle that scored one to make it 4-1 with the Lions still having a chance in the bottom of inning number seven. However, the Lions did not put a runner on base as Indiana State went on to defeat the Lions 4-1. 

Similar to game one, the Beacons grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly. After giving up the SAC fly, Freshman pitcher Ava Risum didn't allow a run over the next two innings as she limited Valpo to three hits and struck out one. Valparaiso extended the lead in the top of the fifth after the Beacons recorded a two-out double to left center followed by an RBI single to left center to extend their lead to 2-0 after 4.5 innings of play. The Lions wasted no time getting a run back as Anna Sanders led off the inning with a double to center field and Dallis Darnell followed the double by Sanders by putting the ball and play and reaching on an error to immediately threaten to push across a run. Madisen Noll pushed the Lions first run of the game across with an RBI ground out that scored Sanders, but that was all Lindenwood was able to get as they cut the deficit in half by a score of 2-1 with two innings to go. Valparaiso added a run in both the sixth and seventh innings and limited the Lions to two hits over the last two innings to take the game by a score of 4-1.

AUSTIN PEAY 8, SOUTHERN INDIANA 0  (5)
OHIO 8, SOUTHERN INDIANA 0  (5)
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - University of Southern Indiana Softball fell in its first two games of the Governors Classic in Tennessee on Friday, dropping a pair of 8-0 decisions against Austin Peay State University and Ohio University.
 
USI (3-11) struggled to get the ball to find green grass in the first game against Austin Peay (9-8), while the Governors struck early with runs in each of the first three innings and scored in four of the five innings played.
 
The Governors totaled 11 hits, as the Screaming Eagles tallied one off the bat of freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley.
 
Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (1-4), who pitched one inning in the start, and sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus were each tagged for four runs by the Governors' offense. Witthaus pitched 3.2 innings in relief.
 
Austin Peay's starting pitcher Alanah Jones (5-3) struck out four in five innings of work.
 
In Friday's second game against Ohio (11-5), the Bobcats came out swinging with five runs in the opening frame, three of which came on back-to-back home runs. Ohio added three more runs in the second inning.
 
Despite some solid contact and quality at-bats as the game settled in, USI could not get anything to string together. Senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton and sophomore designated player Grace Huffman each had a hit.
 
Following the first two innings, Ohio was shut out the rest of the way. The Bobcats posted seven hits.
 
Freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (1-4) went 1.1 innings, giving up only three earned runs. Witthaus came on once again to toss 3.2 innings in relief, striking out two with no runs allowed.
 
Ohio starting pitcher Skipp Miller (5-1) hurled four shutout innings with four strikeouts toward the winning effort.

#21 OKLAHOMA STATE 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0  (5)
#21 OKLAHOMA STATE 9, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1  (5)
STILLWATER, Okla. - #21 Oklahoma State (14-4) swept Southeast Missouri (3-12), 8-0, 9-1, in a doubleheader Friday.
 
OSU scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning to key its game one victory.
 
RyLee Crandall (6-0) threw a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts. Crandall also walked one, as well.
 
Maddie Carney (1-5) allowed seven runs on seven hits and walked two in three innings.
 
Kamden Hutton and Madison Winkler each had a hit for the Redhawks.
 
SEMO scored its only run of the twin bill in the top of the sixth inning during game two.
 
Pinch-hitter Lily Delmain knocked in Winkler on a two-out single.
 
The Cowgirls responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to walk off for their six-inning win.
 
Preslee Downing (4-0) worked six innings giving up only one run on five hits and striking out three.
 
Elliott Stinson (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits, struck out two and walked three in three innings.

PITTSBURGH 10 SIUE 0  (6)
RICHMOND, Ky. - Pitt scored seven runs in the sixth inning Friday and defeated SIUE softball 10-0 in the opener at the Colonel Classic.

SIUE dropped to 6-10 overall while Pitt upped its record to 10-6.

Mia Volpert, now 4-4, took the loss for the Cougars. Bekah Duck fanned five in going the distance for the Panthers and improved her season record to 3-2.

The Cougars put runners in scoring position but were unable to capitalize against the Duck and the Panthers. SIUE right fielder Gretchen Trello drew a pair of walks.