University of Southern Indiana Softball hosts former Great Lakes Valley Conference foe and current Midwest Region adversary Kentucky Wesleyan College Wednesday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at the USI Softball Field.
The Screaming Eagles (11-16, 9-11 GLVC) also visit Missouri University of Science & Technology for a GLVC doubleheader Saturday at noon in Rolla, Missouri, before traveling to St. Louis to take on Maryville University in a conference twinbill Sunday at noon.
All three doubleheaders will be carried on the GLVC Sports Network, with live stats available at GoUSIEagles.com.
Spectator Policies
• USI: Each USI student-athlete is allowed up to 4 guests, plus the first 40 USI students are admitted…guests from visiting teams are not permitted at this time.
• Missouri S&T: Attendance is limited to guests of S&T student-athletes only.
• Maryville: Attendance is limited to guests of Maryville student-athletes only.
USI Softball Notes
• USI bats come alive. USI Softball went 5-1 last week thanks to an offensive explosion. In six games, the Eagles hit .381 as a team with 11 home runs, 14 doubles, a triple and 48 runs. USI racked up a .688 slugging percentage as well as a .434 on-base percentage.
• Individually. USI had 10 different players hit .333 or better and nine players with a .444 batting average or better last week. Eight different players hit home runs for the Eagles, while eight different players had at least three RBI on the week.
• In the circle. The Eagles’ offense wasn’t the only thing making noise last weekend. USI’s pitching staff went a combined 5-1 with a 1.11 ERA and .234 opponent batting average. All four of USI’s pitchers saw action, with sophomore Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) going 4-0 with a .094 ERA and .221 opponent batting average. Goodin racked up 23 strikeouts in 22.1 innings of work.
• Last week’s offensive leaders. Junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) hit a team-best .583 with a double, home run and five RBI, while junior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) hit .500 with a double, triple, two home runs and seven RBI. Goodin added a .444 batting average to go along with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI, while senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) had a .444 batting average, three doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI.
• Webb drives in seven in single game. Webb drove in seven runs in USI’s 19-0 win over Southwest Baptist Saturday. She had a two-run home run in the second inning, a grand slam in the third inning and an RBI-double in the fourth inning. Her seven-RBI were the most by a USI Softball player since Kelsey Jankowski drove in seven runs in a win over Brescia on March 21, 2012. Webb is one of only four USI Softball players to drive in seven or more runs in a single game since 2000, joining Jankowski, Shannon Emmons (7 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan on April 1, 2003) and Rachel Bowling (8 vs. Saint Joseph’s, March 31, 2001). Pat Snell set USI’s single-game record with nine RBI against St. Mary’s in 1978.
• 19-0. The 19 runs USI scored in game two of its double-header sweep of Southwest Baptist Saturday were the most runs for the Eagles in a single game since they scored 22 runs in a win over the College of St. Rose in 2006 and are the most runs USI has scored in a shutout since at least prior to the 1990 season.
• Batting around. USI sent 10 or more players to the plate in a single-inning four times last week, including three times this past weekend. On the year, USI has sent 10 or more players to the plate in a single frame five times.
• Strong schedule. While the Eagles have had some hiccups along the way, their 2021 schedule has not been easy by any means. Of their 16 losses, five have come against teams that are currently ranked in the top seven of the NCAA’s Power 10 rankings. USI has lost seven games by one run and seven by two runs or less.
• Scouting the Eagles. USI saw a five-game winning streak come to an end with its 2-0 loss to Drury in game two of its GLVC doubleheader Sunday. The Eagles are led, offensively, by freshman centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Webb, while Goodin is pacing USI in the circle. Bedrick is third in the GLVC with a team-high .412 batting average and leads the league with 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts. Webb is fourth in the league with a .402 batting average and is tied for first in the conference with 11 doubles. Goodin is 6-5 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP (Walks+Hits/Innings Pitch) and .242 opponent batting average.
• Scouting the opposition (KWC). The Panthers are 10-17 overall and 4-8 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Sophomore outfielder Meryck Hardley hits .380 to lead the Panthers, while senior utility player Madison Scott is hitting .322 with a team-high 20 RBI. Sophomore pitcher Evyn Hendrickson is 7-7 in the circle for the Panthers, posting a 3.28 ERA, .223 opponent batting average and 134 strikeouts in 89.2 innings of work.
