University of Southern Indiana Softball erupted for a combined 14 runs off 22 hits in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting Quincy University Saturday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.
The Screaming Eagles (4-9, 2-4 GLVC), who hit a combined eight doubles on the day, won the opener, 9-1, in five innings. They completed the sweep with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap.
Sophomore pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) went a combined 4-of-7 at the plate with a pair of doubles and four RBI to lead the Eagles on the day, while senior leftfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) and freshman centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick(Brownsburg, Indiana) each extended their respective hitting streaks to 17 and 10 games.
Game 1: USI 9, QU 1 (5 inn.)
Playing at home for the first time since April 13, 2019, the Eagles exploded for four runs in their first turn at the plate in the last half of the first inning. The Eagles had four hits in the opening frame, three of which were of the extra-base variety, as they jumped out to a commanding 4-0 advantage.
Webb and Goodin each had RBI-doubles in the first inning, while sophomore second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) drove in two runners with a double to leftfield.
USI tacked on two more tallies in the second inning to extend its advantage to 6-0. Sophomore shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) had an RBI-double to push across the first run, while sophomore designated player/catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) drove in the second run with an RBI-single.
USI tacked on three more tallies in the fourth frame as Goodin and junior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) each had RBI-singles.
Quincy (8-16, 3-8 GLVC) capitalized on a lead-off triple to score a tally in the top of the fifth inning, but junior pitcher/infielder Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) was able to hold the Hawks to the single tally and give the Eagles the win via the eight-run rule.
Goodin (2-4) got the win for the Eagles as she surrendered just one hit while striking out five batters in four scoreless innings inside the circle.
Game 2: USI 5, QU 0
Junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) recorded her second-career shutout as USI turned out another strong effort at the plate in the second game.
The Eagles got a two-run double from Goodin in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead; then got solo tallies in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to win going away. Webb posted her second double in as many innings to push across USI’s run in the fourth inning, while Back hit a solo home run in the fifth to put the Eagles up, 4-0.
Martinez had an RBI-single in the sixth to cap off the Eagles’ offensive output.
Back (2-4), meanwhile, was sharp in the circle, allowing just four hits and one walk, while fanning three batters. She retired 12 straight batters before giving up a two-out single in the top of the seventh inning.
Up Next
The Eagles host Truman State University in a GLVC doubleheader Sunday at noon at the USI Softball Field. The Bulldogs (7-13, 4-6 GLVC) suffered a pair of road losses to McKendree University (7-1 and 4-3) Saturday in Lebanon, Illinois.
Notes
Kihega drew four walks in the second game, tying the program record for walks in a single game, which had been done six times by five different players prior to Kihega’s four-walk performance Saturday…Kihega enters Sunday’s twinbill with Truman State having drawn a walk in five straight at-bats after she was issued a free pass in her final at-bat of the opening game.
