University of Southern Indiana Softball racked up a combined 25 hits and five home runs en route to a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of host William Jewell College Monday afternoon.
The Screaming Eagles (8-15, 6-10 GLVC) erupted for 17 hits, including five doubles and four home runs, in a 14-4 game-one victory that was halted after five innings due to the eight-run rule. USI rallied from a pair of one-run deficits to defeat the Cardinals, 3-2, in the nightcap.
Sophomore pitcher/first baseman Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) had a pair of wins to go along with a home run and three RBIs to lead USI. Junior pitcher/first baseman Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) went 4-for-6 with a double, home run and three RBI, while junior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) was 3-of-5 with three runs scored, a double, two home runs and three RBI.
Game 1: USI 14, WJC 4 (5 inn.)
Four different Eagles hit home runs as USI pounded out a season-high 17 hits en route to a 14-4, five-inning win in the opener. USI racked up six season highs, including runs, hits, RBI (13), doubles (5), home runs and sacrifice flies (1).
Sophomore shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) got the Eagles on the board early as she hit a solo home run to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the first. Freshman centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) pushed across the second run with a fielder’s choice in the second frame.
USI struck for four tallies in the fourth inning as Goodin blasted a solo shot over the fence to put USI up 3-0. Back and Bean hit back-to-back doubles later in the frame to produce the second run of the inning, while a sacrifice fly by Rager along with an error sent two more runs across the plate for a 6-0 Eagles’ lead.
William Jewell (8-22, 7-11 GLVC), however, responded to the Eagles’ surge with a four-run inning of its own. The Cardinals racked up five hits and took advantage of two USI errors in the home half of the fourth inning to cut its deficit to 6-4.
The Eagles wasted little time responding the Cardinals’ outburst as they reeled off seven straight hits to start the fifth inning, including back-to-back home runs by Back and Bean. Goodin started the scoring with a two-run single, while Back’s home run scored three runs to push the Eagles’ advantage to 11-4.
Bean followed with a solo home run to put USI up, 12-4, while senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) followed Bedrick’s double with an RBI-double to make the score 13-4. Freshman first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) finished the scoring with an RBI-single to score Webb.
In total, the Eagles sent 13 batters to the plate and racked up eight runs off 10 hits in the fifth inning to build a commanding 14-4 advantage. Five of the 10 hits were of the extra base variety.
Goodin (4-5) picked up the win in the circle for the Eagles after surrendering three runs off five hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Game 2: USI 3, WJC 2
USI rallied from a pair of one-run deficits to complete the doubleheader sweep with a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
Bean hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning to erase USI’s 1-0 deficit, while Webb had an RBI-single in the fifth to draw USI into a 2-2 tie. Bedrick drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning to give the Eagles their first lead of the game.
William Jewell used a solo home run in the home half of the second inning to open the scoring up. The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead with a tally bottom of the third inning.
Goodin tossed five scoreless innings in a relief appearance, striking out seven batters and allowing just one hit and two walks, to earn the win and give the Eagles their third straight victory.
Up next
USI opens a six-game homestand Saturday at noon when it hosts Southwest Baptist University in a GLVC doubleheader at the USI Softball Field. The Eagles also host Drury University in a GLVC doubleheader Sunday at noon before concluding their homestand April 21 with a Midwest Region twinbill against Kentucky Wesleyan College.
