Aces earn doubleheader sweep at Southern

Evansville picks up two wins over Jaguars

 Stellar pitching and timely hitting helped the University of Evansville softball team pick up a pair of wins over Southern University on Friday.

The Purple Aces picked up a 3-1 victory in Friday’s opener before finishing the night with a 5-4 win.

“We got two tremendous pitching performances from our starting pitchers today,” UE head softball coach Mat Mundell said. “We were also able to get big hits when we needed them.  I love the way we played defense; our team is really starting to come together.”

Freshman Izzy Vetter was the star in the first game, tossing a complete game 5-hitter.  She struck out nine batters in the game.  UE had seven hits with Lindsay Renneisen and Katie McLean posting two apiece.

Southern opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third before UE got on the board in the top of the fifth with some 2-out magic.  McLean reached on a single before Eryn Gould hit her second home run of the season to give the Aces a 2-1 lead.  In the next inning, Allison Daggett gave UE another insurance run when her single scored Renneisen, who singled to lead off the frame.

The Jaguars put their first two runners on in the bottom half of the sixth, but Vetter escaped without any damage and clinched the game with her ninth strikeout in the seventh.

Senior Emily Lockhart made the start in game two and had one of the best outings of her career.  Over six innings, she fanned 10 batters while allowing just one run on three hits.  Ashleigh Downing pitched the final frame.

UE’s offense got on the board with a single run in the third.  Alex Latoria reached on an error before Daggett notched a bunt single.  With two outs, Eryn Gould and Bailee Bostic drew consecutive walks with Bostic’s bringing home Olivia Cheatham, who pinch ran for Latoria.

Lindsay Renneisen helped the Aces extend their lead in the fifth.  Mackenzie McFeron and Gould each reached via Jaguar errors.  McFeron crossed the plate when Gould reached base.  After Bostic walked for the second time, Renneisen came to the plate and connected on a home run to center field to cap off a 4-run inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Southern got on the board and made it interesting in the seventh, scoring three times, but Downing was able to close the game out and help UE sweep the doubleheader.

Tomorrow, the squads are back on the field for another doubleheader with game times set for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.