Aces rank in 8^th position

COAL VALLEY, Ill. – Recording a 2-under 69 in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, Nicholas Gushrowski is tied for the 4^th position at Oakwood Country Club.

Gushrowski’s round has him just four points off of the lead, which is currently held by Felix van Dijk of Illinois State.  He carded a 6-under 65 to pace the individuals with Valparaiso’s Anthony Delisanti in second with a 66.

Second on the Purple Aces and tied for 28^th overall is Michael Ikejiani.  He posted a 3-over 74 in Sunday’s opening 18 holes.  One behind him was Isaac Rohleder.  His 4-over 75 has him in a tie for 32^nd.  Carson Parker and Daniil Romashkin carded identical rounds of 76 and are tied for 41^st place.

Evansville registered a team score of 294 in the first round to rank in 8^th out of 10 teams.  UE is just seven strokes outside of the top four as Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois are tied for 4^th with scores of 287. Illinois State paces the team standings with a 276.  Valparaiso is in second with a 279 while Belmont ranks third with a 284.

Monday will mark the second out of three rounds of 18.

MARION, Ind. – The No. 19-ranked VU Men’s and No. 25-ranked VU Women’s Track and Field teams hit the road this past weekend for a strong meet at the 118th Annual Little State Championships hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion Friday and Saturday.

The VU men’s team had several big performances on the track this weekend, led off by freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) who took the top spot in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:55.14.

Stanford was joined in the 1500 by sophomore Mathew Keitany (Kenya) who placed fourth with a time of 3:59.39 before taking the top spot in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:23.97.

Keitany and Stanford then teamed up with sophomore Trent Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) and freshman Desroy Jordan (Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) in the 4×800 relay with the Blue and Gold team placing third with a time of 7:50.29.

Jordan also held his own in the 200-meter sprint, placing second with a time of 21.74 seconds.

Freshman Justin Emmanuel (Jamaica) also had a good showing in the 100-meter sprint, crossing the line at 10.60 seconds and placing second overall.

Sophomores Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) and Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) closed out the VU weekend on the track with the pair taking part in the 10,000-meter race. Boit placed fourth at 32:16.22 and Momodu finished sixth at 32:32.94.

The VU men’s team placed sixth out of 15 teams, ending with 60 points overall.

“Coach Steigenga’s distance crew carried the team to a sixth-place finish, really demonstrating what it means to compete as a team,” VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. “Isaac and Mathew accounted for more than half of our 60 points. They both ran three hard races and were just so competitive each time they stepped on the track. Running three hard races in two days really showed their versatility and durability. They both have a very bright future in this sport.”

“On Thursday, the 4×800 team moved up to third overall in program history,” VU Assistant Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “We were hoping to be able to improve on our national ranking and set the school record, but it proved difficult in the 23 mph winds. Fortunately, Friday was ideal conditions for distance running.”

“Isaac and Trent got the second day started in the 800 with some great performances,” Steigenga added. “Trent finished just off his PR and Isaac ran 1.5 seconds faster than his, finishing fourth. He was even with the leaders with 50 meters to go but fell back before the finish. Trent also doubled back later with a PR in the 400. Ian and Ernest both ran their second 10,000m race after qualifying four weeks ago. Each of them improved as Ian came away with a 20 second PR. Mathew ran an impressive race in the steeple. He led from the start and beat the rest of the field by 26 seconds. His time was the third best in the NJCAA this year.”

“In the men’s 1500, both Mathew and Isaac were in the fast heat and looking to win, coming off some great performances earlier in the day,” Steigenga said. “Isaac came away with the win, running a 59 second last lap. Mathew had a solid race as well as he was able to kick to the finish for fourth place.”

“Reed was the last one to compete Friday night,” Steigenga added. “This was his first outdoor race of the year as he was unable to run for five weeks after the Indoor season due to an injury. All of the elliptical training Reed has done paid off as he was able to run the race at his PR pace and then speed up in the last 200 meters to run six seconds faster than he did during the Indoor season.”

The VU women’s team was led in the pole vault by freshman Ysnaira Dos Santos Vieira (Brazil) who finished second after clearing 3.40 meters.

Freshman Haley Kohlhouse (Bruceville, Ind.) had a good weekend as well, setting two new PRs after setting a time of 28.33 in the 200 meters and 1:03.52 in the 400 meters.

Sophomore Brittany Page (Freelandville, Ind.) posted a time of 2:36.14 in the 800 meters and 5:16.31 in the 1500 meters. Page finished just ahead of fellow sophomore Hope Laughlin (Olney, Ill.) in the 1500. Laughlin crossed the line with a time of 5:24.14.

The VU women’s team finished the meet in 13th place overall with eight points.

“On the women’s side, Ysnaira got our only points competing in very windy conditions,” Rogier added. “The wind took out several of the top jumpers, so she did well to put together enough good jumps to survive for second.”

“Haley had a nice effort, earning two personal bests,” Rogier said. “I think she is starting to learn how to race so I believe she will continue to drop her times.”

“In the 1500, Brittany and Hope ran in the same heat,” Steigenga said. “Brittany ran near the front and came away with a six second PR and Hope was just off her PR, but ran her fastest time of the season.”

The Vincennes track and field teams will continue their run to the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships this coming weekend when VU heads back to Terre Haute to face-off against Indiana State University Saturday, April 29.

“Overall, there were a lot of impressive performances from the team,” Steigenga added. “All of the distance runners came away with a PR. There’s a lot to be proud of as we look to get a few more qualifiers and improve on some already good performances.”

MEET RESULTS

TEAM RESULTS

VU Men – 6, 60 points

VU Women – 13, 8 points

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

MEN’S RESULTS

100m

Justin Emmanuel – 2, 10.60

200m

Desroy Jordan – 2, 21.74

800m

Isaac Stanford – 4, 1:52.63

1500m

Isaac Stanford – 1, 3:55.14

Mathew Keitany – 4, 3:59.39

10,000m

Ian Boit – 4, 32:16.22

Ernest Momodu – 6, 32:32.94

3000m Steeplechase

Mathew Keitany – 1, 9:23.97

4×800

VU (Faulkner, Jordan, Keitany, Stanford) – 3, 7:50.29

WOMEN’S RESULTS

200m

Haley Kohlhouse – 22, 28.33

400m

Haley Kohlhouse – 21, 1:03.52

800m

Brittany Page – 31, 2:36.14

1500m

Brittany Page – 27, 5:16.31

Hope Laughlin – 31, 5:24.14

Pole Vault

Ysnaira Dos Santos Vieira – 2, 3.40m

Aces look to win in Sunday’s finale

CHICAGO – UIC pitcher Christina Toniolo tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Flames to a 3-0 win over the University of Evansville softball team at Flames Field on Saturday afternoon.

Evansville registered five hits on the day with Jenna Nink going a perfect 3-for-3.  Marah Wood and Jess Willsey added one hit apiece.  Larissa Ortiz led the Flames with a 3-for-3 performance that saw her score two runs.

In the top of the first, the Purple Aces put for the first scoring threat of the day when Nink and Willsey both reached on 2-out singles.  Despite the early momentum for UE, it was UIC who scored the first run of the game when Alannah Cran had an RBI single.

Wood and Nink added singles for UE in the third and fourth frames, but the effort came up short with two baserunners caught stealing.  Up by one in the bottom of the fifth, the Flames tripled their lead with two runs crossing the plate, including a solo home run from Hailey Cowing.

From there, the Flames were able to cruise to the victory.  They completed the game with eight hits.  Sydney Weatherford made the start for Evansville, allowing three runs on eight hits in five innings of work.  Erin Kleffman tossed a scoreless sixth inning and picked up a strikeout.

Tomorrow, the Aces look to pick up a win in the series finale, which is set for a 12 p.m. start time.

RICHMOND, Ky.—Junior Aubrey Swart (Noblesville, Indiana) raced to a second-place finish in the 5,000 meters Friday to lead University of Southern Indiana Women’s Track & Field at the EKU Rick Erdmann Twilight this weekend.
 
Swart, who finished the event 18 minutes, 6.28 seconds, was one of three top-five finishes on the weekend for the Screaming Eagles. Senior Emma Brown (Evansville, Indiana) was fifth in the 800 meters and sixth in the 1,500, while senior Gabrielle McGregor (Louisville, Kentucky) turned out a season-best heave of 37 feet, 0.25 inches in a fourth-place performance in the shot put.
 
In total, USI had seven top-10 efforts, with freshman Micah Peals (Terre Haute, Indiana) and sophomore Katie Winkler (Santa Claus, Indiana) placing eighth and ninth, respectively, in the 5,000 meters. Senior Carmen Rodriguez (Olney, Illinois) rounded out USI’s top-10 efforts with an eighth-place showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
 
USI returns to action Thursday-Saturday when it competes at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. The Eagles close out their inaugural year of Division I competition May 11-13 when they compete at the OVC Outdoor Championships in Edwardsville, Illinois.

NASHVILLE – With a multi-home run game from senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) in the series finale, University of Southern Indiana Softball completed a doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State University on Sunday, winning 3-2 and 5-1, respectively. Sunday’s two wins provided USI with an Ohio Valley Conference series win on the road.
 
Following Sunday’s results, USI improved to 18-20 overall and 11-9 in the OVC. The Screaming Eagles snapped a three-game losing skid early Sunday and maintained their position in the top half of the league standings. Tennessee State’s record went to 16-23-1 and 7-10 in conference play.
 
In Sunday’s first game, Tennessee State used the second inning to its advantage just like the game on Saturday when the Tigers scored three second-inning runs. On Sunday, the Tigers scored a pair of runs off three hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead.
 
USI answered in the top of the fourth inning, as the bats came to life for the Screaming Eagles. With a runner at third, junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) put USI on the board with an RBI single. Fair finished the game with a pair of hits to lead USI. Two batters later, sophomore pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) helped her own cause with an RBI single to right to score Fair and tie the game, 2-2. A successful sacrifice from junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) put USI in front, 3-2, as senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) scored on the play.
 
Meanwhile, Gotshall was strong in the pitching circle, matching her longest outing of the season with 6.1 innings of work. The sophomore earned her third win of the season, striking out five in the process. Freshman pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) recorded the last two outs for her first career save.
 
Tennessee State’s freshman pitcher Holly Ayala dropped to 4-10 this season with the loss, surrendering three runs – two earned – in a complete-game effort.
 
Game 2 on Sunday began in a pitcher’s duel between USI sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and TSU sophomore hurler Caitlyn Manus. Each starter kept the game scoreless and held the two teams to a combined three hits through four innings.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Southern Indiana’s offense gained some traction. Goodin blasted a two-run home run to centerfield that scored sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) and gave USI a 2-0 lead. Goodin’s work did not finish there.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, and with USI ahead 2-1, Goodin sent another ball out of the ballpark. Goodin’s second home run of the game was a three-run shot that scored junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and freshman outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) to put USI up by four, 5-1.
 
Goodin’s multi-home run game was the first by a USI player this season, as she tallied her fourth and fifth home runs of the 2023 season. The Evansville, Indiana native is now a home run shy of joining Fair inside the top-10 in USI’s all-time history for career home runs. Goodin had all five of USI’s RBIs in the second game. Bedrick, Stapleton, Fair, and Nalley had Southern Indiana’s other four hits in game 2.
 
Newman went on to record her 16^th complete game and another win, moving to 14-9 on the season. The right-hander struck out four with only one run allowed in seven innings.
 
The Tigers’ Manus suffered the loss, dropping to 12-13 after her complete game in the series finale. Manus struck out three and gave up five runs off six hits and six walks.