EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) went a combined 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, three runs scored and six RBI Sunday as No. 17 University of Southern Indiana Softball sent its 2022 senior class off with a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference victories over visiting Missouri University of Science & Technology in its regular-season home finale Sunday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.
The Screaming Eagles (36-10, 22-2 GLVC) won the opener, 10-2, in five innings before claiming a 6-0 win in the nightcap. Following the games, USI honored its seniors—pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana), third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois), pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana), outfielder Mikaela Domico (Naperville, Illinois), pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) and catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois)—as part of its Senior Day festivities.
In the opener, the Eagles rallied from a 1-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning, four in the third, two in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
USI capitalized on an error to score its first run, while an RBI-single by junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) put USI up, 2-1. Rager had a two-run single to get the scoring started in the third frame, while a bases loaded walk by Bean followed by a run-scoring wild pitch increased USI’s lead to 6-1.
Rager had a two-run double to extend USI’s lead to 8-1 in the fourth inning, while Schoolcraft’s at-bat in the fifth resulted in a pair of runs to end the game via the eight-run rule.
The Miners (21-25, 9-15 GLVC) took advantage of an error to score a run in the top of the first inning, while pair of fifth-inning hits led to Missouri S&T’s second run.
Junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) earned the win after giving up two runs, one earned, off five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. Goodin (9-2) finished with a pair of strikeouts in the win.
In game two, the Eagles struck first on a solo home run by Rager in the home half of the second inning. The Eagles added three more tallies to that total in the third inning as Goodin, Rager and sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) all were credited with an RBI.
USI tacked on another run with the fourth on an RBI-single by sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana), while freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) had a pinch-hit solo home run in the sixth frame to cap off the Eagles’ scoring.
Freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) earned the complete-game shutout victory in the circle. Newman (13-3) struck out eight batters while scattering three hits and a walk throughout seven innings of work.
USI finishes the regular season next weekend when it travels to the St. Louis area for a pair of GLVC doubleheaders. The Eagles visit the University of Missouri-St. Louis April 30 at noon before traveling to St. Charles, Missouri, May 1 for a noon doubleheader with future Ohio Valley Conference foe Lindenwood University.
