Junior outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky) was 4-of-6 at the plate with a double and three RBIs to lead the Eagles, offensively, while junior pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) went 4-of-7 with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior second baseman Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) aided the Eagles’ efforts at the plate with a 5-of-8 effort that included three RBIs and three runs scored, while junior shortstop Taylor Ricketts (Georgetown, Kentucky) went 3-of-6 with a double and three RBIs.
USI (4-4), which had a combined 21 hits on the day, returns to action Saturday at noon (CST) when it takes on Northwood University at Grand Park. The Eagles close the weekend Saturday at 2 p.m. when they play Tiffin University.
USI 9, Ferris State (2-3) 7
The Eagles rode a seven-run first inning to a 9-7 win in their opener. Leonhardt, Schubert and senior catcher Lindsey Barr(Owensboro, Kentucky) each had RBIs for the Eagles in the first inning, while a two-run single by Johnson capped off an inning in which USI plated six unearned tallies.
Ferris State scored runs in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings to chip away at the Eagles’ advantage, but USI scored in the last half of the second inning as well as the sixth frame to take a 9-4 lead into the seventh.
The Bulldogs made one last surge in the final inning, cutting the Eagles lead to two with a three-spot in the seventh, but that was as close as they would get as USI held on for the victory.
Senior outfielder/pitcher Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) earned the win in the circle after giving up four runs, three earned, off eight hits in six innings of work. She improves to 1-0 with the decision.
USI 10, Ohio Dominican (2-7) 0
Schubert had a two-run single to put the Eagles up 2-0 in the top of the first inning, while an RBI-single by Ricketts in the third put USI up 3-0.
The Eagles scored four times in the fifth as Ricketts drove in a run with a double, while freshman catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois) had a two-run single. Johnson capped the fifth-inning scoring off with an RBI-single.
USI capitalized on a pair of errors in the sixth inning to scored three more runs as Bradley had an RBI-double to put USI up 8-0 and Ricketts had an RBI-single to give USI a nine-run cushion. Bradley scored the final run on an error.
Leonhardt (3-1) dominated Ohio Dominican batters, racking up nine strikeouts and allowing just two hits to pick up the complete-game victory.
