Ohio Valley Conference

NASHVILLE - After coming back to tie the game in the sixth inning, University of Southern Indiana Softball came up just shy in a 5-4, seventh-inning heartbreaker against Central Michigan University on Sunday.
 
USI Softball (3-14) returned to Clarksville, Tennessee, on Sunday morning to conclude the weekend in Tennessee as part of the Governors Classic against Central Michigan.
 
Following two scoreless innings, the Screaming Eagles broke the 0-0 deadlock in the top of the third inning when freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx tripled to score sophomore first baseman Lilly Brown. Marx scored in the next at-bat to double the USI lead to 2-0 on a sacrifice by junior infielder Sydney Long.
 
However, Central Michigan got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs to tie the game and then scored twice more in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead, 4-2.
 
USI fought back in the top of the sixth inning. Following a pair of one-out walks, freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley singled in a run to cut the deficit down to one, 4-3. In the next at-bat, junior outfielder Angelia Davis put the ball in play and drove in the game-tying run to even the score, 4-4.
 
Despite USI's comeback effort in the sixth, Central Michigan loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning and won the game on a wild pitch.
 
Sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus made the start in the circle and went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs – only two earned – with a pair of strikeouts in the no-decision. Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (1-5) suffered the hard-luck loss after tossing 1.2 innings in relief.
 
For Central Michigan, starting pitcher Brooklyn Compau hurled 5.1 innings and surrendered four runs off four hits and struck out eight in a no-decision. Cierra Laska (1-0) finished off the game with 1.2 innings of work toward the win.
 

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Morehead State softball team's stay at Southern Mississippi's Eagle Hub City Classic ended on Sunday after dropping a 6-2 decision with Lamar at the Southern Miss Softball Complex in Hattiesburg, Miss.

MSU got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the opening inning, but from there Lamar (10-10) did most of the rest of the damage, scoring twice in both the second and third and once in both the fifth and sixth.
 
Morehead State (1-13) added a run in the bottom of the fifth. It was the Eagles' lone game of the weekend that was not decided by one run.
 
Junior shortstop Sela Pickford hit a two-out single to left field and scored when senior right field Taikibrea Campbell doubled down the right-field line to score Pickford.
 
Lamar's Cala Wilson hit a leadoff home run to right-center field to start the second inning. After an infield single, an error and a ground out, the Cardinals added a second run.
 
LU, the visiting team on the scoreboard, had back-to-back singles to lead off the third with the latter one driving in a run. Three batters later a double scored the second.
 
The two squads combined for one hit over the next inning and a half, before the Cardinals were able to plate a run after drawing two walks and then getting a two-out RBI single.
 
The Eagles got a run back in the bottom of the fifth after redshirt sophomore left fielder Marie Perdew doubled to left-center field and junior designated player Sage VanDemark singled through the left side.
 
However, Lamar capitalized after a leadoff triple and a sacrifice fly to send the score to 6-2. It put two runners on base in the top of the seventh, before a strikeout ended the inning.
 
Despite using a pair of pinch hitters to spice up the offense, MSU was unable to get anyone on base.
 
The Eagles finished with five hits, an error and left four runners on base. The Cardinals knocked out nine hits, with no errors and left eight stranded.
 
Morehead State scattered its hits throughout the lineup, with five different players each registering one. VanDemark and Campbell recorded the RBI, and Pickford and Perdew scored the runs.
 
Riley Whitley and Kamaryn Radford each had two hits for Lamar. Isabella Flores added two RBI. Six different Cardinals scored.
 
The Eagles used three different pitchers in an effort to change their fortunes, but to no avail. Freshman Allicen Harris took the loss to drop to 0-4. She allowed four runs (three earned), six hits in four innings and did not record a strikeout or walk. Senior Emma Solis saw action for two-thirds of an inning, giving up one (earned) run on one hit. She walked three but did not strike out a batter. Junior Ainsley Stubbs threw the final two and one-third innings, giving up one (earned) run on two hits and a walk. She finished with four strikeouts.
 
Reagan Smith went the distance for Lamar to improve to 5-1. She yielded two runs on five hits, with eight strikeouts and a walk.

COLUMBIA 5, TENNESSEE STATE 2
MERCER 5, TENNESSEE STATE 4
MACON, Ga. - The Tennessee State softball team wrapped up play at the MUSB Invitational II with two competitive contests against Columbia and Mercer. The Tigers fell 5-2 to the Lions and 5-4 to the Bears, moving to 0-10 on the season.

Tianna Salcido made her fourth start of the season, tossing 0.1 innings. Miriam Gordon provided steady relief with 2.2 scoreless frames, allowing just one hit and recording a strikeout. Chelsi Ervin closed out the game with 3.0 innings in the circle, striking out two while surrendering two runs on two hits.

Defensively, Kailyn Jean-Baptiste and Mariyah Brown combined for 13 putouts to anchor the Tigers. Jace Jackson and Jean-Baptiste each drove in a run, while Alexis Woods and Hailey Hunt added hits.

Tennessee State struck first in the top of the opening inning. Woods drew a leadoff walk, and Hunt reached on a fielder's choice to keep the pressure on. Jackson delivered a double to plate the game's first run, and a well-placed bunt by Jean-Baptiste brought Jackson home to give TSU a 2-0 advantage.

Columbia answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. After three scoreless innings, the Lions added two more in the fourth to secure the 5-2 decision.

Kristian Holder earned the start in game two, working 3.0 innings while allowing three runs on five hits and striking out two. Ervin returned to the circle in relief, tossing the final 3.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits.

Kyra Taylor and Jean-Baptiste paced the Tigers offensively with two hits apiece. Jean-Baptiste and Woods were also key contributors defensively, accounting for 10 of TSU's 18 outs.

The Tigers once again jumped out to an early lead. JaKeyla McDaniel drew a leadoff walk and swiped second to move into scoring position. An RBI fielder's choice from Jasmine Blackburn brought her home for a 1-0 edge.

In the second inning, a single and a walk set up another scoring opportunity, and Woods drove a ball up the middle to extend the lead to 2-0. After Columbia tied the game in the third, Dani James responded with an RBI to briefly put TSU back in front.

Columbia used a three-run fourth inning to claim a two-run advantage and held off the Tigers down the stretch to earn the 5-4 win.

UT MARTIN 1, AKRON 0

MUREFREESBORO, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team wrapped up play at Blue Raider Classic at Blue Raider Softball Field in Murfreesboro Sunday, by completing a three-game sweep of Akron with a 1-0 shutout win.
Sami Scholtz threw a complete-game shutout for UT Martin Sunday by giving up no runs, on just two hits with five strikeouts and only one walk over seven innings, for her third win of the year.

The lone run of the contest for the Skyhawks, and the eventual game-winning one, came in the top of the third inning. Kennedy Brown led off the inning with a single and was moved to second on a groundout by Karena Recrosio. Gia Recrosio then sent Kennedy Brown to third on a single of her own. Avary Makarewicz doubled to center field, sending Kennedy Brown home, despite being Gia Recrosio being out at third.

Makarewicz finished the game at 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk.

NORTH FLORIDA 7, TENNESSEE TECH 1
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Tennessee Tech softball team closed out the pre-conference slate on Sunday with the final day of the UNF-JU Classic as the Golden Eagles were able to stall North Florida early, but the Ospreys struck in the middle innings to take a 7-1 victory.

The Golden Eagles (2-14) picked up their lone run in the top of the seventh to avoid the shutout as Ella Bishop's single to right center – coupled with a throwing error at second – allowed Skylar Gooden to come home to score the unearned run.

Lainey Fitzgerald started off strong, holding UNF quiet in the first two frames, but the Ospreys put a pair of runs on the board with a two-run single up the middle. Fitzgerald ended the day with 2 2/3 innings of work, allowing two runs on one hit with five walks and a strikeout.

Tech had to use three pitchers in the fourth inning as UNF (19-5) struck for four runs in the fourth, sending Hannah Lange, Ella Wampler and Faith Rush into the circle. The Ospreys scored on a solo home run, a bunt single with a throwing error and a two-run single to right.

UNF scored its final run in the sixth inning with a bases-loaded walk.

Lange went two-thirds, allowing one run on one hit. Wampler went a third with three runs on two hits with two walks. Rush threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with two walks. Addison Abell closed the game, going the final two-thirds with a clean sheet to her credit.

The Golden Eagles collected two hits in the contest with Bishop's single and a triple for Olivia Evans.

#22 GRAND CANYON 4, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Eastern Illinois softball battled right with No. 22 Grand Canyon on Sunday afternoon with the Lopes eventually picking up a 4-0 win over the Panthers.

Rylan Gick (2-3) tossed a complete game against Grand Canyon, surrendering two runs in the second and two runs in the sixth.

The Lopes runs in the second came on RBI doubles by Haley Wilkinson and Raegan Holtorf.  The two runs in the sixth were a two-out, two-run single by Emily Gonzalez as Gick held Grand Canyon to seven hits.

EIU picked up four hits against three different GCU pitchers putting runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings as Lizzie Stiverson had two hits to lead EIU.

In the sixth Lexie Griffin drew a two-out walk with pinch runner Emily Konkel advancing to second on a wild pitch.  Relief pitcher Taryn Batterton pitched out of that jam and the seventh inning scoring chance for her first save.  Oakley Vickers improved to 7-0 with the win.

EIU threatened in the seventh on back-to-back one out singles by Stiverson and Maddux Marshall.  Batterton set down the next two batters to preserve the shutout.  Alisha Frederick joined Stiverson and Maddux as Panthers with hits in the game.

EIU fell to 5-16 on the season and opens Ohio Valley Conference play next weekend.  Grand Canyon ran its record to 22-0.

EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, SIUE 0
RICHMOND, Ky. - SIUE softball completed its play Sunday at the Colonel Classic with a 3-0 loss to host Eastern Kentucky.

The Cougars are now 7-12 and next begin Ohio Valley Conference play next weekend at Tennessee Tech. A three-game series is set for next Saturday and Sunday in Cookeville, Tennessee.

On Sunday, SIUE's fourth appearance at the Colonel Classic ended with the Cougars finishing with hits from Juztyne Torres, Raegan Duncan, Betsy Woodward, and Jesslyn Stairs.

Woodward completed her best offensive weekend of the season, going 5 for 12 (.417 batting average) with three RBIs over the four games.

EKU, 7-10, also had four hits against the SIUE pitching duo of Avery Arwood and McKayla Anderson. Anderson entered in the sixth inning and retired all five batters she faced.