EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball swept a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader from visiting Maryville University Saturday afternoon, claiming a 5-1 victory in the opener before rallying for a 5-3 win in game two.
The No. 17 Screaming Eagles (34-10, 20-2 GLVC) maintain their one-game lead over No. 3 University of Indianapolis for first place in the GLVC, while they open a two-game lead in the loss column over third-place Lindenwood University.
Senior designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a two-run double in the bottom of the third inning of game one to put the Eagles up, 3-1. USI tacked on another run when sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and another when senior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) scored after being caught in a run down.
Junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) pushed across the Eagles’ first tally on a successful suicide squeeze play in the first, but the Saints scored in the top of the second to even the score.
Goodin (8-2) earned the complete-game victory after giving up just one run off five hits. She finished with four strikeouts and did not issue a walk in the win.
USI, once again, struck first in game two as Fair had an RBI-double to put the Eagles up, 1-0, in the third before coming around to score two batters later on an RBI-single by sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana).
Maryville (15-22, 10-14 GLVC), however, answered the Eagles’ tallies with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Saints took advantage of an error and some timely hits to take a 3-2 lead.
The Eagles responded in the fifth with three runs as junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) pushed a run across the board to tie the contest at 3-3. Junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) followed with an RBI-single to give USI the lead, while freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) gave the Eagles a two-run cushion with a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat.
Newman (12-3) earned the win for the Eagles after giving up three runs, one earned, off two hits. Newman, who had nine strikeouts, retired the first nine batters she faced before giving up both hits and hitting a batter in the three-run fourth inning. She bounced back by retiring the final 10 batters she faced en route to the complete-game win.
USI finishes its 2022 regular-season home schedule Sunday at noon when it hosts Missouri University of Science & Technology for Senior Day. The Eagles will honor their six seniors—Back, Bean, pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana), outfielder Mikaela Domico (Naperville, Illinois), pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) and catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois)—following Sunday’s games.
The Miners (21-23, 9-13 GLVC) are coming off a pair of losses to UIndy Saturday in Indianapolis.
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