Sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) struck out 11 batters as University of Southern Indiana Softball stunned top-ranked University of North Georgia, 1-0, in its NCAA Division II Softball Championship opener Thursday morning at the James Moyer Sports Complex.
Leonhardt (22-12) stifled Nighthawk hitters throughout the contest as she allowed just one hit and three base runners to earn her third straight complete-game shutout and fifth of the 2018 post-season. At one juncture, Leonhardt fanned seven consecutive batters as she struck out the side in both the second and third frames.
USI (37-23), meanwhile, struggled at the plate until senior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) recorded a one-out single in the top of the fifth inning to become the first player on either team to reach base. A double play in the next at-bat, however, quickly took the Eagles’ excitement away.
North Georgia (61-3) answered with a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth inning, but could not advance the runner as Leonhardt wrapped a pop-up and a fly ball around a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed.
Sophomore shortstop Taylor Ricketts (Georgetown, Kentucky) opened the sixth inning with a single, while an error on a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat put runners on second and third with no outs.
After an out and an intentional walk, Leonhardt came to the plate with the bases loaded. She helped herself out by smacking the ball through the left side of the infield to push across the go-ahead run. USI nearly scored a second run, but junior catcher Lindsey Barr (Whitesville, Kentucky), who had the sacrifice bunt earlier in the inning, was called out in a close play at the plate.
The Nighthawks got the lead-off runner on board via a walk in the home half of the sixth frame and had the tying run at second base with the top of the order coming to the plate following a sacrifice bunt. Leonhardt, however, induced a fly ball and, after an intentional walk to the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, she struck out junior pinch hitter Kristen Adkins for the third out of the inning.
Leonhardt retired the side in the seventh inning as USI earned its first-ever win at the NCAA II Softball Championship.
The Eagles return to action Friday at 10 a.m. (CDT) when they take on No. 6 Angelo State University in the second round of the winner’s bracket. The Rambelles (53-7) defeated No. 25 West Chester University, 1-0, in the opening round Thursday.
