Goodin’s two-home run game highlights Eagles’ doubleheader sweep

NASHVILLE – With a multi-home run game from senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) in the series finale, University of Southern Indiana Softball completed a doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State University on Sunday, winning 3-2 and 5-1, respectively. Sunday’s two wins provided USI with an Ohio Valley Conference series win on the road.
 
Following Sunday’s results, USI improved to 18-20 overall and 11-9 in the OVC. The Screaming Eagles snapped a three-game losing skid early Sunday and maintained their position in the top half of the league standings. Tennessee State’s record went to 16-23-1 and 7-10 in conference play.
 
In Sunday’s first game, Tennessee State used the second inning to its advantage just like the game on Saturday when the Tigers scored three second-inning runs. On Sunday, the Tigers scored a pair of runs off three hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead.
 
USI answered in the top of the fourth inning, as the bats came to life for the Screaming Eagles. With a runner at third, junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) put USI on the board with an RBI single. Fair finished the game with a pair of hits to lead USI. Two batters later, sophomore pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) helped her own cause with an RBI single to right to score Fair and tie the game, 2-2. A successful sacrifice from junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) put USI in front, 3-2, as senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) scored on the play.
 
Meanwhile, Gotshall was strong in the pitching circle, matching her longest outing of the season with 6.1 innings of work. The sophomore earned her third win of the season, striking out five in the process. Freshman pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) recorded the last two outs for her first career save.
 
Tennessee State’s freshman pitcher Holly Ayala dropped to 4-10 this season with the loss, surrendering three runs – two earned – in a complete-game effort.
 
Game 2 on Sunday began in a pitcher’s duel between USI sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and TSU sophomore hurler Caitlyn Manus. Each starter kept the game scoreless and held the two teams to a combined three hits through four innings.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Southern Indiana’s offense gained some traction. Goodin blasted a two-run home run to centerfield that scored sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) and gave USI a 2-0 lead. Goodin’s work did not finish there.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, and with USI ahead 2-1, Goodin sent another ball out of the ballpark. Goodin’s second home run of the game was a three-run shot that scored junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and freshman outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) to put USI up by four, 5-1.
 
Goodin’s multi-home run game was the first by a USI player this season, as she tallied her fourth and fifth home runs of the 2023 season. The Evansville, Indiana native is now a home run shy of joining Fair inside the top-10 in USI’s all-time history for career home runs. Goodin had all five of USI’s RBIs in the second game. Bedrick, Stapleton, Fair, and Nalley had Southern Indiana’s other four hits in game 2.
 
Newman went on to record her 16^th complete game and another win, moving to 14-9 on the season. The right-hander struck out four with only one run allowed in seven innings.
 
The Tigers’ Manus suffered the loss, dropping to 12-13 after her complete game in the series finale. Manus struck out three and gave up five runs off six hits and six walks.