Eagles make seventh-inning push, come up just short at SEMO

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Softball went deep with three home runs in Saturday’s series opener at Southeast Missouri State University, but the long ball was not enough as the Screaming Eagles’ late comeback effort came up just short against the Redhawks, 8-5.
 
Saturday’s results moved USI’s record to 10-12 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast Missouri improved to 12-8 on the season and 5-1 in OVC play.
 
The first inning featured a tough start to the weekend series for Southern Indiana, as Southeast Missouri’s offense came out aggressive against USI sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana). The Redhawks scored the game’s first run following back-to-back doubles. Then with two outs, SEMO tallied another pair of runs off two RBI singles, taking a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
 
Ahead 4-0 to start the bottom of the third inning, SEMO struck for two more runs on two solo home runs, climbing to a 6-0 advantage. The start would end there for Newman, who went 2.1 innings and allowed six runs – five earned – with three strikeouts. Her season record went to 8-5 with the loss.
 
The Screaming Eagles’ offense found a spark in the top of the fifth inning in the effort to chip away at the Redhawks’ lead. Sophomore outfielder Olivia Howard (Fishers, Indiana) sent a ball over the wall for a pinch-hit home run, her first long ball of the season. SEMO scored the run back in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Heading to the seventh inning, Southeast Missouri led 8-1 after another run in the sixth frame. However, Southern Indiana did not go down quietly, making a late push in the seventh inning. With a runner on, sophomore Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) hit a two-run home run, her first of the season, to make it a five-run game. Four batters later and with Howard on base after her second hit of the contest, senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) blasted her second home run of the season to pull USI within three, 8-5, but SEMO closed out the game after that.
 
Offensively, Goodin matched Gotshall with a pair of RBIs in the game, and Goodin and Howard each finished with two-hit games. Howard also had one RBI and two runs scored. Goodin increased her RBI total to a team-high 14 RBIs this season.
 
In the pitching circle, freshman pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) finished out the last three innings, giving up just one hit and two unearned runs.
 
For Southeast Missouri, sophomore pitcher Delaney Kell picked up the win, moving to 7-2 this season after going five innings and surrendering one run with four strikeouts.
 
The weekend series continues Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Both games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.