Ohio Valley Conference

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Evansville (17-20) hit two home runs as part of a three-run fifth inning to get by Southeast Missouri (14-24), 5-1, Tuesday night at Cooper Field.
 
Clinging to a one-run lead, the Purple Aces pulled away for good when nine-hole hitter Emma McDonald led off with a solo home run and Maliyah Wilkins later added a two-run shot to widen UE's lead to four.
 
SEMO did not have a hit in its final two at-bats of the contest.
 
The Purple Aces took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and the Redhawks made it a one-run game when Raigan Brannon homered in the top of the fourth for her team's only run. For Brannon, it was her second home run in three games.
 
Maddie Carney (4-10) pitched 2.1 innings giving up two runs on five hits. Carney faced 11 hitters.
 
Summer Branch threw the final 3.2 inning with three runs and four hits allowed. Branch also walked three and struck out three.
 
Kate Ridgway (8-8) went the distance for UE. Ridgway surrendered just one run on four hits, walked four and struck out seven in seven innings.
 
UE outhit SEMO, 9-4.
 
Kamden Hutton, Kinley Wilkins and Sydney Miles joined Brannon with one hit each.
 
A total of 18 players saw action for the Redhawks.

UT MARTIN 3, AUSTIN PEAY 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team won its final non-conference game of the season Tuesday by taking down Austin Peay, 3-2, at the Henderson County Sports Complex in Lexington.

Austin Peay took an early 2-0 lead in the contest with an RBI single from Kiley Hinton in the first and a solo home run from Sammie Shelander in the top of the third, her 11th of the season.

In the bottom of the third, Lexington native Kyrsten Brown led off the frame with her third home run of the season to cut the lead to 2-1. In the fifth, Kennedy Brown, also of Lexington, tied the game when she scored from second base on a single from Kyla Harley, after reaching base earlier in the inning, also on a single.

In the sixth, Ava Scott led off the inning with a walk, followed two batters later by a double from Teagan Hayes that put the go-ahead run at third. In the next at-bat, the Govs' first pitch after a pitching change went to the back wall, allowing Scott to score from third to give the Skyhawks a 3-2 lead. Austin Peay drew a walk in the top of the seventh, but nothing else, as UT Martin held on for the win.

Joleanna Fox moved to 2-0 on the year by picking up the relief win after she allowed no runs or hits over the final 2.1 innings of the game. Harley finished the game at 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Ava Scott was 1-for-2 with a run and a walk.

TENNESSEE TECH 8, BELLARMINE 0  (5)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A big fourth inning put Tennessee Tech well on top Tuesday afternoon as the Golden Eagles run-ruled Bellarmine 8-0 in five innings.

Makayli Harris led the Golden Eagles as she drove in four runs with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Sofia Carroll and Abbee Klinefelter both went 2-for-3 with two RBI each.

Bellarmine was held to four total hits as Brooke Shewmaker went 2-for-2. The Knights (10-31) stranded five in all – four at third base.

Tech had solid pitching performances across the board. Addison Abell allowed one hit in her start, going two innings as she struck out one. Emily York pitched the next two innings, allowing two hits with a walk, while Hannah Lange threw the final frame, allowing a hit and a walk.

Makenzie Cowburn went 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out three. Ally Richardson went the final third, allowing one run on one hit.

Tech put one run on the board in the bottom of the first. With one down, Sofia Carroll laid down a perfect bunt to the third base side and beat out the throw for an infield single. Jailynn Paderez walked on four straight pitches, then Klinefelter dropped a single into center field, driving in Carroll.

The Golden Eagles doubled their lead in the third as Paderez drew a walk and Jayla Miller came in to run in her place. Ashley Capelouto then drew a walk on seven pitches to put two on. Klinefelter hit a ball to short and the Knights' defense was able to erase Capelouto at second on the fielder's choice, putting Tech runners on the corners. Harris ripped a single past a diving third baseman, bringing Miller home for the 2-0 lead.

The floodgates opened in the fourth as Tech struck for six runs. Kaylee Midkiff led off with a walk, then Julie Martin put down a bunt single. After Olivia Evans moved the pair up on a sacrifice bunt, Carroll hit a two-run single to center field to bring in Midkiff and Martin. As the defense threw to get Martin at home, the ball got away, allowing Carroll to advance on an error.

Capelouto then walked to put two on, then Harris, after taking the first pitch for a ball, launched a shot over the outfield wall – a three-run blast to put Tech up 8-0.

The Knights threatened in the top of the fifth, getting runners on second and third to try to break up the shutout and run rule, but Lange coaxed a grounder to second to end the game in the fifth.