Aces defeat Stonehill in season opener
UE takes 13-5 win on opening day
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Callie Meinel and Morgan Adams hit two home runs apiece to lead the University of Evansville softball team to a 13-5 win over Stonehill in Friday’s season opener.
Meinel went 2-4 with four RBI and two runs while Adams finished the day going 2-5 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Brooke Voss also hit a homer in the Paladin Invitational opener. She was 2-4 with two RBI and a game high three runs.
A quick start saw the Purple Aces jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first. With one out, Eliza Piggott hit an RBI triple to right field to score Brooke Voss. Jess Willsey added a 2-out RBI double that plated Piggott.
Stonehill got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second before UE scored four times in the top of the third. Willsey reached base on a 1-out walk while Adams followed with a 2-run home run. Taylor Howe followed with a single before Meinel belted her first long ball of the game to extend the lead to 6-1.
The Skyhawks struck again with three runs in the bottom of the third as they chased UE starting pitcher Sydney Weatherford. In the bottom of the fourth, they added a single run to make it a one-run game. Evansville bounced back in the top of the fifth as Adams’ leadoff homer pushed the lead back to two runs.
One inning later, it was Voss turn as her 2-run homer made it a 9-5 game. Zoe Frossard scored on the play after reaching on a leadoff single. UE put the finishing touches on the game, scoring four times in the top of the 7th. Meinel followed Howe’’s leadoff single with her second 2-run shot of the day. Willsey added an RBI single while Voss scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch.
Weatherford worked 2 2/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits while walking four batters. Gracie Hollingsworth tossed 3 1/3 frames of relief. She allowed one run on three hits and was credited with the win. Kate Ridgway threw a scoreless bottom of the 7th.
On Saturday, UE faces UT Martin at 11 a.m. CT before taking on Tennessee Tech at 1:30 p.m. CT.
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