EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball will have to wait one more day to open its 2022 home schedule as its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener against the University of Illinois Springfield has been postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast Saturday.
The Screaming Eagles (14-8, 0-0) will open their home schedule Sunday at noon when they host Lewis University in a GLVC doubleheader at the USI Softball Field, while their doubleheader against Illinois Springfield has been rescheduled for Monday at noon.
All four of USI’s games this weekend will be aired on the GLVC Sports Network, while Sunday’s doubleheader will be simulcasted on 95.7 The Spin. Live Stats, audio and video links can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Softball Notes
• Long layoff. The Eagles return to the field following a 12-day layoff. USI, which had its GLVC-opener against the University of Indianapolis last weekend postponed to a later date, was previously in action March 8 when it defeated Ashland University, 7-1, in a Midwest Region bout to end The Spring Games.
• Spring Games. USI went 4-2 at The Spring Games March 4-8. The Eagles opened their Florida trip with wins against St. Cloud State University and the University of Central Missouri but lost close contests to Winona State University and then No. 17-ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato the following day. USI ended its stay in the Sunshine State with wins over Lynn University and Ashland.
• Offensive success. The Eagles are currently second in the GLVC with a .344 team batting average and a .510 slugging percentage. USI has racked up 31 doubles, 12 home runs and a GLVC-best 17 triples on the year, while their 133 RBI rank second in the league.
• Individual leaders. USI has eight players with at least 20 at-bats hitting .333 or better, including three players with batting averages north of .400. Freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) is hitting .429 with two triples, a home run and 10 RBI, while senior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) is hitting .419 with four doubles, a home run and 13 RBI.
Sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) is hitting .415 with six doubles, a triple, three home runs and 20 RBI, while freshman outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) is hitting .366 with four doubles, two triples, three home runs and a team-high 22 RBI.
• In the circle. Senior pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) has a team-best 1.27 ERA and .188 opponent batting averages. Duncan has been snake-bit in the win-loss column, where she is 2-4 with a save. Gotshall is 4-0, while Back is 3-1.
• Closing in on 600. USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle is seven wins away from her 600th career win, all of which have come at the helm of the Screaming Eagles during her 21 years at USI.
• Hit streaks. Martinez and sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) each saw a season-high 11-game hitting streak come to an end at The Spring Games. Fair has currently hit safely in a team-high six games and has reached base safely in a team-high 14 consecutive games, while Nalley, who has a nine-game hitting streak under her belt, and junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) have each hit safely in the last three games.
