MACOMB, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Softball showcased a 9-1 offensive surge in the series opener at Western Illinois University on Saturday before the Leathernecks answered with a 6-3 victory in the afternoon to force a doubleheader split.
In Saturday’s series-opening victory, Southern Indiana’s offense picked up where it left off from last Sunday’s win against Tennessee State, posting a season-high 12 hits for the second consecutive game.
Senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) did not miss a beat from her six-RBI performance last Sunday. The USI backstop led off the top of the second inning on Saturday with a solo home run, her fifth of the season. Later in the second, junior outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) doubled USI’s lead to 2-0 with an RBI single the opposite way.
Western Illinois got a run back in the home half of the second inning, but the Screaming Eagles answered in the fourth inning and poured it on with seven runs. Nalley started the fourth-inning scoring with a solo shot for her first home run this season. An RBI knock and a bases-loaded walk pushed Southern Indiana’s advantage up to 5-1. Then USI tacked on to its lead with three straight RBI hits by freshman infielder Sydney Long (Haubstadt, Indiana), junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana), and freshman designated player Kate Satkoski (Lanesville, Indiana). Satkoski’s hit went for two RBIs and increased the score to a 9-1 USI lead.
Newman finished the game 1 win with a shutout fifth inning to pick up her 18th win, striking out four and allowing one run in five innings. On the other side, Western Illinois freshman pitcher Lillie Wools dropped to 3-11 with the loss, tossing 3.1 innings.
In the afternoon cap, Western Illinois scored first with a run in the second inning and then added four runs across three hits in the third inning to take a 5-0 lead through three.
Southern Indiana got into the run column in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI hit up the middle by freshman third baseman Shelby Stivers (Louisville, Kentucky) to get within four of Western Illinois, 5-1.
The Leathernecks built a 6-1 lead heading into the seventh inning. The Screaming Eagles tried to string together a rally, scoring a pair of two-out runs on RBI hits by Kihega and Long, but Western Illinois halted the momentum to force a doubleheader split Saturday afternoon.
Western Illinois narrowly outhit Southern Indiana in the second contest, 9-8. Kihega and Long led USI with two hits and an RBI each.
In the pitching circle, WIU senior pitcher Emily Price moved to 9-18 this season, hurling a complete game toward the win. USI sophomore pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) was charged with the loss, going to 1-4 on the season, after 2.2 innings of work and allowing five runs – three earned – with a couple of strikeouts. Junior pitcher Whitley Hunter (Nashville, Illinois) went 3.1 innings in relief, giving up only one run with three strikeouts.
Following Saturday’s doubleheader, Southern Indiana moved to 21-20 overall and 15-11 in conference play. USI has already clinched its spot in next week’s Ohio Valley Conference tournament and will be a middle seed to start play on Wednesday. Western Illinois moved to 16-33 overall and 5-21 in the OVC through Saturday and was previously eliminated from postseason contention.
