University of Southern Indiana Softball sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) and junior hurler Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) surrendered a combined two runs Saturday as the Screaming Eagles swept a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader from visiting Lewis University at the USI Softball Field.
Leonhardt went a combined 3-of-7 at the plate with a double and five RBIs as the Eagles earned a 6-1 win in game one and a 3-1 triumph in game two.
USI (17-14, 6-6 GLVC) returns to action Tuesday at 5 p.m. when it hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College in a Midwest Region doubleheader at the USI Softball Field.
Game 1: USI 6, Lewis 1 (Box Score)
Leonhardt went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs as the Eagles scored five unanswered runs to earn the 6-1 victory.
USI capitalized on a two-out walk to open up a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky) followed the walk to junior outfielder Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) by roping an RBI-double into the leftfield gap.
Lewis (15-17, 4-10 GLVC) answered with a tally in the top half of the fourth inning, but Leonhardt’s two-out single with the bases loaded sent two runners across the plate in the home half of the fourth to put USI up, 3-1.
Leonhardt added to the Eagles’ advantage in the sixth with a two-run double, while Bradley’s RBI-single in the next at-bat gave USI a comfortable five-run cushion.
In the circle, Leonhardt (8-7) picked up the win after giving up just one run off five hits in seven innings of work. She struck out seven batters while not issuing a walk for the second consecutive outing.
Game 2: USI 3, Lewis 1 (Box Score)
The Eagles used a three-run third inning and a strong pitching performance by Atkisson to pick up the 3-1 win in the nightcap.
USI recorded five of its six hits in the last half of the third frame, including three straight RBI-singles by Leonhardt, Bradley and Schubert, to take the 3-0 lead.
Lewis capitalized on a pair of errors to plate a run in the top of the fourth inning, but that was all the offense it could muster as Atkisson cruised to her sixth win of the year.
Atkisson (6-4) gave up just one unearned run off four hits in seven innings of work. She recorded one strikeout and did not issue a walk in the victory.
