Ohio Valley Conference

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lindenwood Softball team (10-11, 2-1 OVC) went to extra innings for the second time in the series with the UT Martin Skyhawks on Sunday afternoon, and completed the series with a win on a walk off double down the right field line by Anna Sanders in the bottom of the eighth inning. Senior Pitcher Ryleigh Owens picked up the win in the circle as she threw 3.2 innings out of the bullpen and allowed three hits on one walk and one strikeout to earn her third win of the 2026 season. Avery Wapp started the game for the Lions and struck out a season-high nine batters over 4.1 innings pitched in the contest. 

After Wapp recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the bats came to life in the bottom of the inning as the Lions put up two runs on three hits. Madisen Noll led off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and Anna Sanders walked the next at bat to put pressure on the Skyhawks defense. Tori Hatton then singled to the second baseman that brought home Noll, and was followed by Kylee Crowder's RBI double that scored Sanders. The Lions added on to their lead in the bottom of the third behind Emily Geary's two run home run over the right field fence for her second home run of the weekend to make it a 4-0 game after three innings of play. Wapp continued to limit UTM through the first four innings of the game, as she struck out seven batters over the second, third, and fourth innings to keep the lead in tact for Lindenwood. 

However, in the top of the fifth inning, the Skyhawks rallied back and scored six runs on five hits to take a 6-4 lead. Owens entered in the bottom of the fifth with one out, and the defense kept the deficit at two as they turned a 6-1-2 double play to end the top of the fifth. Lindenwood eventually took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth behind a two-run double from Noll that evened the score at six, followed by an RBI single from Sanders that gave Lindenwood a 7-6 lead with one inning to go.

With UT Martin down to their final out in the top of the seventh, the Skyhawks would tie the game at seven on an RBI triple. The Lions went 1-2-3 in last half of the seventh and the game headed to extras for the second time in the series. In the top of the eighth, UTM recorded back-to-back singles with two outs, but the Lions were able to get out of it as Owens fielded a ground ball that was hit back at her and got the forceout at third. Similar to UTM, the Lions were able to get on base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth after an error was recorded by the UT Martin defense. Madisen Noll followed the error with a walk, and Anna Sanders ended the game on a walk-off double down the right field line to seal the victory for Lindenwood.

SOUTHERN INDIANA 10, TENNESSEE STATE 4
SOUTHERN INDIANA 6, TENNESSEE STATE 5  (9)
EVANVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Softball opened its home and Ohio Valley Conference schedule on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep over Tennessee State University, winning 10-4 in the series opener before a 6-5 walk-off winner in nine innings in the second game at USI Softball Field.
 
USI Softball (5-14, 2-0 OVC) snapped a five-game losing streak with the series-opening win, while Tennessee State (0-12, 0-2 OVC) remained winless after Sunday's games.
 
The Screaming Eagles got rolling early in the series opener, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx, sophomore first baseman Grace Huffman, and junior outfielder Kate Satkoski each recorded RBI hits in the inning, while junior Angelia Davis drove in a run on a sac fly.
 
After Tennessee State answered with three runs in the top of the second to pull back within one, 4-3, USI responded with another four-spot in the bottom of the third. As part of the four-run third, Davis notched an RBI single for her second RBI of the game.
 
Leading 8-3, the Screaming Eagles tacked on another run in the fourth, off Davis' third RBI of the contest, and another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Marx to grab a 10-3 advantage. USI limited the Tigers to one run in the late innings to seal the game-one victory.
 
The Screaming Eagles totaled seven hits in the series opener. Marx led with two hits and also collected a pair of RBIs. Davis finished with a three-RBI performance.
 
In the pitching circle, sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus (2-4) had a solid outing to earn the win, going 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and allowing only two earned runs off eight hits.
 
Tennessee State's Kristian Holder (0-5) suffered the loss in the start for the Tigers, lasting only 2.1 innings and surrendering six runs, five earned.
 
In game two, USI jumped out to a 4-0 lead through five innings of action, and freshman pitcher Anna Kemp made the start for the Eagles and was in cruise control.
 
Kemp and USI faced some adversity in the sixth inning when Tennessee State cut the lead in half, 4-2, with a two-run home run.
 
Then, in the top of the seventh inning, the Tigers continued to rally and scored three runs to go in front, 5-4. However, the Screaming Eagles battled back themselves, scoring the tying run after getting runners on base and crossing home plate on a passed ball. The game went into extra innings for USI's first extra-inning game of the season.
 
After stranding a runner at third in the bottom of the eighth inning, USI capitalized on its opportunity in the bottom of the ninth inning. Following back-to-back one-out singles by freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley and Satkoski, freshman infielder Abbey Booher placed a ball into the left-center gap to score Tinsley from second base and give USI a 6-5 walk-off victory. It was Booher's first career walk-off hit.
 
USI had 11 hits in game two. Huffman, junior catcher Alyssa Mumaw, and Tinsley each had two-hit games at the plate. Tinsley also scored three runs. Satkoski registered a three-hit performance. Booher ended up with two RBIs, including the game-winning RBI knock.
 
Kemp took a no-decision following a strong start, striking out five and allowing only two earned runs in 6.2 innings of work. Freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (2-5), who came in relief of Kemp in the seventh inning, picked up the win. Robbins struck out three in the final 2.1 innings.
 
For the Tigers, starting pitcher Chelsi Ervin also took a no-decision after giving up three runs in four innings pitched. Tianna Salcido (0-6) was dealt the loss after allowing three runs in 4.1 innings in relief.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, MOREHEAD STATE 5
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Eastern Illinois softball put an eight-spot on the board in the opening inning as the Panthers won their sixth straight Ohio Valley Conference opener with a 9-5 win at Morehead State on Sunday.

EIU improved to 6-16 overall, 1-0 in the OVC.  Morehead State fell to 1-14 overall, 0-1 in the OVC.

Alisha Frederick opened the scoring in the inning with an RBI double to left field.  Lexi Griffin and Abbi Hatton followed with RBI singles in the inning before a Lizzie Stiverson two run homer put EIU up 5-0.

Frederick did more damage in her next at-bat in the opening inning with a three-run double to left center.  Frederick and Stiverson both had two hits for the Panthers.  Chloe Wamboldt led EIU's offense with three hits.

Sage VanDemark gave the Eagles offense some life with a solo home run in the bottom of the first.  Morehead State put together a four-run third inning with Sydney Farmer and Taikibrea Campbell each delivering two-run doubles.

Rylan Gick pitched through the third for EIU before Bryanna French (3-4) tossed four scoreless innings to pick up the win in relief. 

Allicen Harris (0-5) took the loss for MSU.  VanDemark had three hits to pace the Eagles offense.