University of Southern Indiana Softball salvaged a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader split with host Missouri University of Science & Technology Saturday afternoon. The Screaming Eagles lost the opener, 5-2, before winning game two, 3-1.
Senior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) and sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) each had three hits on the day to pace the Eagles at the plate, while Leonhardt earned the win inside the circle in game two.
USI (25-20, 13-11 GLVC) returns to action April 28 at noon when it hosts the University of Missouri-St. Louis in a GLVC doubleheader at the USI Softball Field. The Eagles conclude the regular season April 29 when they host McKendree University for Senior Day.
Game 1: S&T 5, USI 2 (Box Score)
Despite getting RBIs from junior catcher Lindsey Barr (Whitesville, Kentucky) and junior outfielder Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) in the top of the sixth inning, the Eagles could not overcome a 5-0 deficit as they suffered their third straight loss.
Missouri S&T (23-21, 12-10 GLVC) scored in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead; then scored twice in both the third and fifth frames to build the 5-0 advantage.
The Eagles answered with two tallies in the sixth and brought the tying run to the plate in the form of sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky), their home run and RBI-leader, in the seventh. Schubert, however, hit a fly ball that was caught at the warning track for the last out of the contest.
Junior pitcher Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) was charged with the loss. Atkisson (7-5) gave up five runs, four earned, off eight hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings of work.
Game 2: USI 3, S&T 1 (Box Score)
Fulton had an RBI-single in the first and a two-run double in the third as the Eagles jumped out to a 3-1 lead.
Missouri S&T took advantage of a passed ball and a wild pitch to score in the bottom of the first inning, but that was all the offense the Miners could put together as Leonhardt (13-10), who helped herself at the plate with a 2-of-4 effort, allowed just one unearned run off three hits and six strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
The Miners threatened in the sixth inning with a two-out walk and a two-out single, but Leonhardt induced a fly ball for the third out to get out of the inning unscathed. She used a game-ending double-play ball in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure the win.
