Ohio Valley Conference

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Softball fell in both games of Thursday's home doubleheader against Morehead State University, coming up just short in the series opener, 2-1, before Morehead State rallied in the seventh inning to take the second game, 10-6.
 
With Thursday's results, USI Softball dropped to 10-21 overall and 7-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Meanwhile, Morehead State snapped a five-game losing streak and doubled its season win total by improving to 4-24 overall and 3-11 in conference action.
 
The day began with a low-scoring pitcher's duel, as all three combined runs between the two teams were scored in the third inning. Morehead State scored twice on a single in the top half of the frame, while USI tallied one back in the home half of the inning on a sac fly by junior outfielder Kate Satkoski.
 
Outside of the third inning, it was a battle of the pitchers. USI sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus (2-6) suffered a hard-luck loss after tossing a complete game with one earned run allowed off seven hits with two strikeouts.
 
Morehead State starting pitcher Ainsley Stubbs (4-8) recorded her first win of the day after pitching the first four innings and surrendered one run before giving the ball to Rylie Burney for the final three innings to notch her first save of the season.
 
At the plate, USI totaled six hits in game one. Satkoski and junior catcher Alyssa Mumaw each tallied a pair of hits.
 
The Screaming Eagles jumped out first to a 1-0 lead in game two off an RBI double by freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley, but Morehead State evened the game at one in the top of the second inning.
 
USI reclaimed the lead with a couple of runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 advantage after an RBI single by junior infielder Sydney Long and a sac fly from Mumaw.
 
USI built on its lead with three runs in the home half of the fourth to surge ahead 6-1. Sophomore Jordan Mackey drove in the first run of the inning on an RBI single before two bases-loaded walks later in the inning scored two more.
 
Despite the five-run difference, USI ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. Morehead State rallied and scored nine runs to take the lead, 10-6, before closing out the comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Each side posted 10 hits in the second game. Senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton, freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx, Mackey, and Long all finished with two-hit games. Mumaw and Tinsley collected two RBIs apiece.
 
On the pitching side, freshman pitcher Elly Robbins took a no-decision after starting the first 6.1 innings, giving up six runs and four earned with two strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (3-9) was dealt the loss in relief, allowing four runs but only one earned.
 
Stubbs registered her second win of the day as the third Morehead State pitcher used in game two. Stubbs pitched 3.1 scoreless innings.

LINDENWOOD 11, TENNESSEE STATE 10
LINDENWOOD 9, TENNESSEE STATE 1  (5)
NASHVILLE - The Lindenwood Softball team (18-18, 7-7 OVC) won both of their games on Thursday afternoon at Tennessee State by scores of 11-10 and 9-1. The Lions collected a total of 22 hits across both games against the Tigers and were led offensively by Emily Geary who drove in a team-high five RBI on the day and added a home run, double, and triple on the afternoon. 

The Lions put up four runs in the top of the first inning behind a two-run triple from reigning OVC Player of the Week Kylee Crowder and an RBI single from Sadie Sexauer to jump in front 4-0 in the first inning. TSU got two runs back in the bottom of the inning, but Samantha Roulanaitis was able to limit the damage by striking out TSU's Kyra Taylor to end the inning and to keep Lindenwood in front by a score of 4-2. Sexauer added on to LU's lead in the top of the third on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Jolie McMinn to make it a 5-2 game, and in the top of the fourth Tori Hatton and McMinn picked up RBI singles to extend the lead to 7-2 after 3.5 innings played. 

The Tigers did not go down quietly however as they put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Lion lead down to 7-6. Lucy Pratt replaced Roulanaitis with one out in the inning and was able to protect the lead by pitching out of a bases loaded jam while only allowing one earned run to pick up her third win of the season. Later in the game, Lindenwood put up four more runs in the top of the sixth to take an 11-6 lead that was capped off by an Emily Geary two-run home run to put the Lions in the drivers seat with six outs to go. The Tigers would once again rally in the bottom of the seventh however, as they scored four runs to cut the Lion lead down to one at 11-10. Senior pitcher Ryleigh Owens entered the game with the tying run on deck and was able to strike out back-to-back Tiger batters to pick up her first save of the season and to extend Lindenwood's winning streak to five games. 

Geary picked up right where she left off in game one by recording a two-run triple in the top of the first that scored Anna Sanders and Tori Hatton to put the Lions in front immediately by a score of 2-0. Hatton would extend the lead in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly to right field, and Jolie McMinn capped off a three run second inning with an RBI double to left field that brought in Madisen Noll to make it a 5-0 game. The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the second behind an RBI groundout to make it a 5-1 game, but Hatton and McMinn extended Lindenwood's lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth as Hatton hit a two-run double that scored Dallis Darnell and Noll, while McMinn added a sacrifice fly a few at bats later. Geary ended the top of the fifth inning with an RBI double to right field that scored Hatton, and the Lions would hold off the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth to complete their second consecutive doubleheader sweep in the last week. 

Ryleigh Owens got the start in game two for Lindenwood and pitched all five innings to record her fifth win of the 2026 season. The Senior pitcher struck out two batters and allowed just two hits and one earned run in the contest to help the Lions win their sixth game in a row.