ST. CHARLES, Mo.—Senior pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a two-run double in the opener and picked up a win in the nightcap as No. 16 University of Southern Indiana Softball closed the regular-season with a Great Lakes Valley Conference sweep of host Lindenwood University Sunday afternoon at the Lou Brock Complex.
The Screaming Eagles (40-10, 26-2 GLVC) clinched the GLVC regular-season title and top seed in next week’s conference tournament with their 2-0 win in the opener. They rolled to a 7-1 victory in the nightcap to pick up their ninth straight win and 28th in their last 30 games.
Back’s two-run double in the top of the fourth inning of game one broke a scoreless tie and gave junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) a slight cushion as she navigated six scoreless innings before giving way to freshman hurler Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) with a runner on an no outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Newman, who turned out a dominating performance in USI’s game-two win over the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday, gave up a hit and had a wild pitch before retiring the final three batters to preserve the shutout.
Goodin (11-2) earned the win after scattering five hits, two walks and three strikeouts throughout six-plus innings of work, while Newman picked up her second save of the year.
In the nightcap, USI got two-run singles from sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and Goodin in the top of the second-inning, while a two-run double by sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) capped off a six-run second inning for the Eagles.
The Lions (34-10, 21-7 GLVC) got on the scoreboard with a tally in the bottom of the third inning and had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth before Back came in and closed the door on the insurrection.
Kihega’s RBI-double in the top of the sixth added to USI’s lead, while Back and freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) were able to keep the Lions off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest.
Back (6-1) picked up the win after allowing just one hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Newman started the game and had seven strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work, but pitch the requisite amount of innings (4.0) get the win.
USI will officially learn its time and opponent in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament once the bracket is announced. The GLVC Tournament begins Thursday at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Illinois.
