In the opener, USI rallied from a 4-1 deficit to earn its 11th consecutive victory. Junior pitcher/designated player Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) hit a three-run bomb over the fence in left-center to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning after the Hawks has scored four times in the top of the fifth to build the 4-1 lead. Goodin, who was 2-for-3 in the game, put the Eagles up, 1-0, with an RBI-single in the fourth.
The Eagles (24-8, 10-0 GLVC) capitalized on an error to lead off the home half of the seventh inning as senior pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) found herself on second base with no outs. Freshman infielder Hannah Long (Haubstadt, Indiana) came in to pinch-run for Back and scored three batters later when sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) hit a two-out, bloop single over the first base bag.
Kihega, who was a combined 3-of-6 on the day with the game one-winning RBI, raced down the line before diving into first base to ensure she beat force-out throw at the bag.
Back (5-1) got the win in the circle after giving up just one hit with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Neither team could get much going early in the second game, but a solo home run by junior shortstop Maya Gallagher in the top of the fourth inning put the Hawks up, 1-0. Gallagher also had a three-run home run in the fifth inning of game one.
A lead-off double by Kihega got the Eagles going in the bottom of the fifth inning. Back followed with a pinch-hit double to opposite field to push the game-tying run across the plate.
Rockhurst (12-18, 6-8 GLVC) used a solo home run off the bat of senior designated player Emily Clark to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning and looked like a lock to forge a split on the day as it had the Eagles down to their final out with no runners on base in the home half of the ninth inning.
Kihega, however, drew a two-out walk to keep USI’s hopes alive before being taken out of the game for a pinch-runner. Freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) followed with a pinch-hit double that put runners at second and third for senior third baseman Mary Bean(Schaumburg, Illinois).
Bean, who was a combined 3-of-6 on the day, rewarded the Eagles with a hit into left field that scored both runners and gave USI its 12th consecutive victory.
Freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) got the win in the circle for the Eagles. Newman (7-3) gave up two runs off six hits in nine innings of work. She racked up 12 strikeouts and did not issue a walk on the day.
USI returns to action Sunday at noon when it hosts William Jewell College in a GLVC doubleheader at the USI Softball Field. The Cardinals (10-20, 4-10 GLVC) dropped both games of a conference twin bill to No. 5 University of Indianapolis Saturday in Indianapolis.
