Aces to face Indiana State on Tuesday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Trailing by a 10-3 score in the middle of the 6th the University of Evansville softball team scored five runs in the bottom of the inning before falling just short in a 10-8 loss to Belmont on Sunday at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at Cooper Stadium.
Jenna Donohoo led the Purple Aces offense, going 3-4 with a run. Niki Bode, Taylor Howe, and Miriah Powell recorded two hits apiece. Kate Ridgway threw the first three innings with three runs scoring on five hits. Cassidy Gall suffered the loss with three runs, one earned, crossing the plate in two innings of work.
Looking to take the early lead, Belmont hit a 1-out double in the first while recording another hit in the second. Kate Ridgway pitched out of both jams unscathed.
Evansville had its first chance in the bottom half of the second. With one out, Miriah Powell and Jenna Donohoo both singled to put runners on the corners. Abby Bode reached on a 2-out walk to load the bases before a strikeout kept the game scoreless. The Bruins offense looked to break the scoreless tie in the third as they loaded the bags for the first time before Ridgway ended the threat with a ground out.
In the bottom of the third, it was Niki Bode opening the scoring. Taylor Howe reached on an error to open the frame before Bode’s hit gave the Purple Aces a 1-0 lead. It did not take long for the Bruins to respond was Madison Dolecki hit a 3-run shot in the top of the fourth to give her squad a 3-1 advantage.
Just as fast as the Bruins jumped in front, the Aces stormed back to tie the score. Jenna Donohoo led the bottom of 4th off with a single while Keghan Pye reached on an error. That brought Abby Bode to the plate, who singled up the middle to bring in Donohoo. Two batters later, Taylor Howe’s infield single knotted the score at 3-3. The back-and-forth action continued as Belmont retook the lead with a 3-run top of the 5th. Four more in the 6th inning pushed the lead to 10-3.
UE’s offense did not give up, scoring five runs in the bottom half of the 6th. Niki Bode’s RBI double brought in Abby Bode while Morgan Adams followed with a 2-run double to right center. Powell added a 2-run double to bring the Aces within two at 10-8. That is as close as the Aces would get as the Bruins finished with the win. Niki Bode looked to tie it up with a home run in the final at-bat, but was inches away as the ball was caught at the warning track.
On Tuesday, the Aces are set to travel to Indiana State for a doubleheader.
