SATURDAY'S SCORES
Western Kentucky 2,
Eastern Illinois 0 (Statesboro, Ga.)
UT Martin 4, Indiana State 2 (DeLand, Fla.)
Murray State 5,
Southern Indiana 3 (Montgomery, Ala.)
@Alabama State 10,
Southern Indiana 2 (6)
Dayton 9,
Morehead State 3 (Clinton, S.C.)
@Presbyterian 3,
Morehead State 2
Idaho State 8,
SIUE 0 (5) (Fresno, Calif.)
@DePaul 8,
Western Illinois 2
Western Illinois 9, Detroit Mercy 8 (Rosemont, Ill.)
@Southern Mississippi 5,
Southeast Missouri 2
WESTERN KENTUCKY 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - Western Kentucky scored the only two runs of the game in the second inning as they beat Eastern Illinois, 2-0, on the final day of the Battle in the Boro season opening tournament.
Maci Masters hit a solo home run in the second against EIU starter Karlie McKenzie (0-2) with WKU adding a second run in the inning on an RBI single by Katie Murphy.
EIU put runners on in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but the Panthers were unable to manufacture a run.
In the fifth Mo Hance advanced to second on a single by Marybeth Dyson with one out. WKU starter Erica Houge (2-0) pitched out of the jam.
In the sixth EIU was able to move Alisha Frederick to second base with just one out, before Hilltoppers relief pitcher Rylan Smith pitched out of the jam and closed a scoreless seventh for the save moving WKU to 4-1 on the year.
Bryanna French pitched three scoreless innings in relief as the EIU ended the weekend at 2-3. Dyson had a one out single in the seventh but was left at first base. Dyson went 2-for-3 for the day.
Kendle White was the lone WKU player with multiple hits going 2-for-3.
UT MARTIN 4, INDIANA STATE 2
DELAND, Fla. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team won its third-straight game by taking down Indiana State Sunday, 4-2, on the final day of Stetson's Frank Griffin Classic at Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand, Florida.
Jordyn Hustey put UT Martin in front early when she homered to deep left field in the second, scoring Ava Scott, who reached on a single, in the process to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead. In the third, Indiana State cut the lead in half on an RBI single from Madison Poulson and then tied the game on a solo home run from Mallory Chavez in the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Avary Makewicz led off the inning with a triple and was driven home on a RBI groundout two batters later by Ava Scott to make it 3-2. After reaching base on a walk earlier in the inning, Dylan Scott made it 4-2 when she scored after being driven home on a single down the left field line by Kennedy Brown. In the top of the seventh, the Skyhawks took care of business and allowed no hits or walks to retire the side and capture the win.
Kennedy Brown finished the game at 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Karena Recrosio went 2-for-4. In the circle, Ashtyn Green picked up her first win of the season by tossing the final five innings and allowing just one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Sam Scholtz got the star for UT Martin and struck out three, giving up just one run on two hits in the first two innings.
MURRAY STATE 5, SOUTHERN INDIANA 3
ALABAMA STATE 10, SOUTHERN INDIANA 2 (6)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - University of Southern Indiana Softball wrapped up play at the Alabama State University Stinger Classic in Montgomery, Alabama, on Sunday afternoon, falling 5-3 against Murray State University and 10-2 in six innings against Alabama State to conclude the opening weekend schedule.
The Screaming Eagles (0-4) began the day with an early morning start against Murray State (2-2). The Racers jumped out early with a 3-0 lead through two innings.
USI cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning, as senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton recorded an RBI single and junior infielder Sydney Long had a sac fly to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
After Murray State tacked on a run for a 4-2 advantage through the fifth inning, USI answered on a solo home run from junior outfielder Kate Satkoski, USI's first home run of the season, to pull back within one.
However, the Racers regained a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and closed out the game from there, despite USI bringing the potential game-winning run to the plate in the top of the seventh.
USI totaled seven hits, as Satkoski had two hits and two runs scored. Sophomore first baseman Grace Huffman also notched two hits in the game. In the pitching circle, freshman hurler Anna Kemp (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing five runs – three earned – in a full six innings and striking out eight batters.
For the Racers, sophomore pitcher Karlye Graber (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing one run in 3.2 innings of work. Sophomore pitcher Emily Siurek took a no-decision in the start, going 3.1 innings and giving up two runs – one earned.
In the second game of the day and final contest of the weekend, another slow start plagued the Screaming Eagles. Alabama State got off to a fast start with a 7-0 lead through three innings.
USI tried to fight back in the sixth inning, as Satkoski and Huffman delivered at the plate again. Huffman came through with an RBI double, while Satkoski got an RBI knock to bring USI within five, 7-2. However, the Hornets got out of the inning and scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.
The Eagles scattered five hits among five players at the plate. Inside the circle, freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (0-2) took the loss after allowing seven runs in 2.1 innings pitched. Sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus went 2.2 innings in relief and surrendered three runs.
Alabama State's freshman pitcher Amanda Cintron (1-0) got the win and went the distance with two runs allowed.
DAYTON 9, MOREHEAD STATE 3
PRESBYTERIAN 3, MOREHEAD STATE 2
CLINTON, S.C. - After surrendering 35 runs over its first two games of the Blue Hose Invitational, the Morehead State softball team received improved pitching and defensive performances on Sunday's Day 2 of the tournament at the PC Softball Complex in Clinton, S.C.
The results were still not what MSU coach Megan Griffith wanted, but she was impressed by the team's growth from Saturday to Sunday.
Morehead State (0-4) played toe-to-toe with defending Atlantic 10 regular season champion Dayton (3-1) for the first three-and-a-half innings, before the Flyers broke free with a five-run fourth en route to a 9-3 victory. In the second game against Presbyterian, a fourth-inning solo home run proved to be the difference for the host Blue Hose as they won 3-2.
In the opener, both teams scored twice in the first. MSU's first three batters, junior center fielder Maddy Christopher (infield single), junior designated player Sage VanDemark (double to center field) and junior shortstop Sela Pickford (single to center), reached base on hits, with Christopher and VanDemark scoring on separate errors.
UD tallied its runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double, but the inning ended with Katelin Goodwin being thrown out at home plate by Christopher in center field.
MSU added a run in the third. Pickford hit a double to center field and eventually scored on an infield fielding error. The Eagles held that lead until the bottom of the fourth, when UD plated five. The sequence began with Goodwin's leadoff triple to left field. The Flyers added a pair of singles, before a two-out three-run double to left-center broke the score open. The Eagles made a change in the circle and Dayton added one final run before the inning ended.
Dayton collected two more runs in the bottom of the fifth and Morehead State could only get one more baserunner over the final two innings.
MSU finished with seven hits, with two apiece from Christopher, Pickford and sophomore third baseman Victoria Spencer. VanDemark added the other hit. VanDemark, Pickford and senior first baseman Jordan Donato each recorded RBI; while Christopher, VanDemark and Pickford tallied the runs.
UD registered nine hits, with Katelin Goodwin, Juliana Gonzalez and Izzy Calinski each contributing two. Four players also scored twice. Pinch hitter Soseh Broglin led the way with three RBI.
Junior Ainsley Stubbs (0-2) got the start and went 3.2 innings, allowing seven runs, six earned runs on six hits in suffering the loss. She struck out two and walked three. Senior Rylie Burney finished the final 2.1 innings, giving up two unearned runs on three hits, with four strikeouts and three walks.
C. Craig got the start, pitching 2.1 innings with no decision. She surrendered three unearned runs on five hits with no strikeouts or walks. Kate Kastelic picked up the victory in four and two-thirds innings of shutout work. She yielded two hits and a walk, and struck out two.
For the first time on the weekend, Morehead State did not score first in its game with Presbyterian. Instead, the Blue Hose got on the board with two runs off of four straight hits in the bottom of the second.
MSU got one back in the third. Junior Kylie Mann hit a leadoff double to right-center field. And eventually scored on a Christopher single to left field. The Eagles had two runners on with one out but could not get either across home plate.
Presbyterian added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth off a home run by Hali Duke. Her two-out shot cleared the fence in center field.
Senior right fielder Taikibrea Campbell nearly equaled the feat in the top of the fifth, but Morgan Farthing caught the ball at the wall while falling into the padding at the left-field wall.
The Eagles did get a run across in the top of the sixth after Mann scored from second on an error, but the visitors could not put another runner in scoring position the rest of the way.
The Blue and Gold finished with four hits, one each from Christopher, Donato, Mann and Campbell. Christopher and Donato were credited with RBI, while junior catcher Sydney Farmer and Mann scoring the team's runs.
Duke finished the day 2-for-2, while Farthing also recorded two of PC's five hits to lead the hosts.
Freshman Allicen Harris went the distance, allowing three earned runs on five hits, with two strikeouts and a walk. Despite posting MSU's best pitching performance of the season, she suffered the loss to drop to 0-1. Kylie Rast pitched seven innings to gain the win. She surrendered two runs (one earned) on four hits, with two strikeouts and two walks.
IDAHO STATE 8, SIUE 0 (5)
FRESNO, Calif. - SIUE softball concluded its first tournament of the season Sunday with an 8-0 loss to Idaho State.
SIUE finished the three-day tournament with a 1-4 record and next heads to Mardi Gras Mambo in Youngsville, Lousiana, where the Cougars will face off against Northwestern State, Sam Houtson, Southeastern Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Nicholls beginning next Friday.
The Cougars were allowed just one hit Sunday against Idaho State's Kasey Aguinaga.
Abby Harvell recorded a single to left field in the top of the fifth. SIUE also drew five walks in the game.
DEPAUL 8, WESTERN ILLINOIS 2
WESTERN ILLINOIS 9, DETROIT MERCY 8
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Western Illinois softball split a pair of games Sunday at The Dome in Rosemont, IL.
Game 1: DePaul 8, Western Illinois 2
DePaul built an early advantage in the opener, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding three more in the second. Western Illinois responded in the second when Addie McLaughlin drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Maria Luna, then added another run in the third on an RBI groundout by Hannah Simpson that scored Sophia Sanchez.
The Blue Demons extended their lead with two runs in the third inning and went on to claim the 8-2 win. Western Illinois finished with seven hits, highlighted by a 2-for-2 performance from Angie Ortiz. Lillie Wools was steady in relief, tossing three scoreless innings to close the contest.
Game 2: Western Illinois 9, Detroit Mercy 8
Western Illinois put together a resilient comeback in the nightcap, erasing an eight-run deficit to defeat Detroit Mercy 9-8.
After Detroit Mercy built an 8-0 lead through five innings, the Leathernecks began their rally with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and added three more in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-5 heading into the seventh.
Western Illinois completed the comeback in the final inning. Payton Brown opened the frame with a single, followed by a base hit from Kam Utendorf. Sophia Sanchez was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Raegan Boone drove in a run on a groundout to shortstop. Ruby Tarr followed with a clutch single up the middle to score Utendorf and Kennedy Highley, who pinch ran for Sanchez, and advanced to second on the throw home. Maria Luna and Angie Ortiz drew back-to-back walks to reload the bases, setting up Alijah Williams, who delivered the walk-off single up the middle to score Tarr.
The Leathernecks closed the day with momentum after completing the late rally to earn the split in Rosemont.
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 5, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southeast Missouri (0-5) carried a shutout through five innings, but Southern Mississippi (4-1) scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come away with a 5-2 victory on the final day of the Black & Gold Challenge Sunday.
Maddie Carney was strong in the circle keeping USM off the board until she gave way to Willow Van Haren with runners on first and second and no outs in the sixth.
After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Katalina Ybarra hit a pinch-hit double to tie the game. A two-RBI triple by Nealy McManus dropped into center field and Olivia Christian followed with a run-scoring single giving the Golden Eagles a 5-2 advantage.
USM was 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position prior to its late rally.
Kayla Giardina pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh to pick up her first save of the season.
SEMO took an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Gracie Luna in the top of the second. Kinley Wilkins singled before Luna ripped her teams' first home run of the season over the left field wall. For Luna, it was the 11th long ball of her career.
Carney allowed two runs on four hits, struck out two and walked three in five innings.
Van Haren (0-2) gave up three runs and four hits in one-third of an inning out of the bullpen.
Madilyn Graham (1-0) claimed her first win in relief. Graham worked four scoreless innings with one strikeout and two hits allowed.
Five different Redhawks, including Kamden Hutton, Brooklyn Saysoff, Aubrie Shore, Luna and Wilkins had a hit.