Series finale set for Sunday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With the weather in the forecast for the weekend, the University of Evansville softball team faced Belmont in two contests on Friday evening. Following a 2-1 win in the opener, the Bruins held off a late rally by the Purple Aces to take a 7-6 win. The series finale is set for Sunday at 12 p.m.
Game 1 – Belmont 2, UE 1
Bruins pitcher Maya Johnson struck out 13 batters to lead Belmont to a 2-1 victory in Friday’s opener. A quick start by Belmont saw them score twice in the top of the first inning. The Bruins looked to add more, however, Taylor Howe made a nice play at third to turn the inning-ending double play. Evansville cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame when Niki Bode hit a solo home run to left field. It marked her second long ball of the season.
Belmont stranded a pair of runners in the top of the fourth while Bode singled in the bottom of the inning to pick up the Aces’ second hit of the afternoon, but the score remained 2-1. In the top of the sixth, the Bruins recorded three walks before Kate Ridgway picked up the third out and strand the bases loaded.
Ridgway made another big play with two runners on in the top of the 7th. With two outs, she flashed the glove to make the third out and keep it a 1-run game entering the bottom of the frame. Jess Willsey picked up a hit in the bottom half of the 7th, but Belmont secured the 2-1 win.
In the circle, Ridgway had a strong outing. Throwing the full seven innings, she gave up just two runs on five hits.
Game 2 – Belmont 7, UE 6
Trailing 5-0 after the top of the second inning, the Aces continued to fight, but came up on the short end of a 7-6 decision in the second game.
Just as they did in game one, the Bruins had a big start as Grace Gressly hit a 3-run shot in the top of the first. Belmont plated two more runs in the second before UE scored its first run in the bottom half of the inning. Morgan Adams led off with a solo home run to make it a 5-1 game.
Looking to extend the lead even more, Belmont loaded the bases with no outs to open the third. Relief pitcher Elle Jarrett escaped with just one additional run scoring. It did not take long for the Aces to get that run back as Taylor Howe led the bottom half of the third off with a solo home run. UE loaded the bases as they looked to get closer, but Belmont pitched out of the jam to keep it a 6-2 game.
Niki Bode’s defense kept the score the same with a nice play in the fourth. After the Bruins hit a leadoff triple, she threw out the runner at home to keep it a 4-run game. Jess Willsey opened the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run. Following three walks to load the bases, Jenna Donnahoo reached on an error as the fourth UE run scored to cut the deficit to two runs.
In the top of the 6th, Belmont accumulated four hits, but the Aces defense held the Bruins to just one run. Two runners were thrown out at the plate to keep the deficit at three runs. Just as they had throughout the contest, the Aces staged a rally. Niki Bode scored on a sacrifice fly from Morgan Adams while Jess Willsey crossed the plate on a sac fly by Miriah Powell to make it a 7-6 game. Abby Bode kept it a 1-run game with Evansville’s third runner thrown out at the plate.
UE was unable to tie the game in the bottom of the frame as Belmont took the 7-6 win. Willsey and Adams recorded two hits apiece as UE finished with six hits. Abby Bode drew three walks in the contest. Gracie Hollingsworth suffered the loss, allowing four runs in 1 1/3 innings. The Aces will look to salvage a win in Sunday’s series finale set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
