Screaming Eagles open Hawai’i trip with win over Billikens

HONOLULU – University of Southern Indiana Softball opened its 2025 season Thursday with a 4-3 victory in comeback fashion against Saint Louis University at the Hawai’i Paradise Classic.

Southern Indiana (1-0) got its offense going early with three consecutive two-out hits in the top of the first inning, but the Screaming Eagles could not push across a run. Saint Louis’ (0-1) offense loaded the bases in the first and second innings, but USI senior starting pitcher Josie Newman worked out of the jams in each frame.

The Billikens broke through with a tally in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. However, the Eagles answered to get a run back in the top of the fifth after junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton singled and later came around to score on an RBI single by Newman.

The momentum carried over into the sixth for USI with a crooked number on the scoreboard. Junior designated player Olivia Money led off with a walk. Senior Whitley Hunter, who came up to pinch hit, drove Money in on an RBI double and tied the game 2-2. A few batters later and with two outs, senior outfielder Kennedy Nalley doubled to bring Hunter home and give Southern Indiana a 3-2 advantage. Another two-base pinch-hit knock in the next at-bat by freshman Grace Huffman scored Nalley to increase the lead to 4-2.

Saint Louis did not go down without a fight. The Billikens loaded the bases again in the bottom of the seventh inning. A bases-loaded walk made it a one-run game, 4-3, with two outs on the board. Newman induced a groundout to first for the final out and seal USI’s season-opening win.

Offensively, Nalley and Newman led USI with a pair of hits and an RBI. USI totaled four runs on nine hits. Newman also recorded her first win and complete game in the pitching circle. The senior struck out seven and allowed three runs off four hits.

Saint Louis’ sophomore pitcher Isabel Royle took the loss in relief. Royle surrendered all four runs on five hits in three innings of work. Senior pitcher Taylor Hochman pitched four shutout innings and allowed four hits toward a no-decision.

The Screaming Eagles return to action tomorrow from Hawai’i for two games on Friday. USI will face Santa Clara University at 6:30 p.m. CT and then take on host University of Hawai’i at 11 p.m. CT. Links for live stats coverage are available at usiscreamingeagles.com.

Aces face Bradley at 7 p.m. on Saturday

CBS Sports Network will have the broadcast

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the first time since the 2018-19 season, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will host a nationally-televised contest as the Purple Aces welcome Bradley at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening.  CBS Sports Network and the Purple Aces Radio Network will have the broadcast.

Last Time Out

– Southern Illinois connected on 15 triples on the way to a 68-59 win over the Purple Aces on Wednesday evening

– UE trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half before cutting the deficit to just four in the final minutes

– Tayshawn Comer scored a game-high 25 points while Gabriel Pozzato scored 13

Make it Three

– Gabriel Pozzato was named the MVC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season and second week in a row on Monday

– He averaged 25.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while leading UE to a pair of wins

– With his season average of 16.0 PPG, Pozzato is fourth in the MVC

– Averaging 17 points and 6.5 boards against UIC and Valpo, Pozzato earned his second MVC freshman accolade on Jan. 27

– Pozzato has averaged 24 PPG over the last three contests including a career-high 29 points in the win over Murray State

Top Tally

– Hitting 13 of his 14 free throw tries, Tayshawn Comer scored a career-best 27 points in the win over Murray State

– It bested his previous mark of 26, which came in the Jan. 1 win at SIU

– Comer tallied a game-high 25 points in the home game against the Salukis and is averaging 18.5 PPG against league foes, second in the MVC\

First Over 20

– For the first time in his UE career, Tanner Cuff posted a 20-point game, finishing with 22 in the road win at Valparaiso

– Over the last three games, Cuff is averaging 10.3 rebounds and has moved to 4th in the MVC with his average of 6.88 per game and tied for 2nd in the league with 5.42 defensive caroms per contest

– He posted his second double-double of the season in the win over Murray State, registering 12 points and 12 boards

– Cuff had a career-high 11 assists against Belmont and is 11th in the league with his average of 3.33 per contest

Scouting the Opponent

– Bradley dropped its third game in a row on Wednesday to fall to 18-6 on the year and 9-4 in the Valley

– After opening their MVC schedule with a 9-1 mark, the Braves have dropped games against UIC, UNI, and Belmont

– Duke Deen paces three double digit scorers for Bradley with his average of 13.2 PPG

– He has a team-high 95 assists and 67 3-point makes on the year

– Zek Montgomery holds an average of 13.0 PPG while Darius Hannah checks in at 11.6 PPG while pacing the squad with his average of 5.7 boards

-www.GoPurpleAces.com-

Aces defeat Stonehill in season opener

UE takes 13-5 win on opening day

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Callie Meinel and Morgan Adams hit two home runs apiece to lead the University of Evansville softball team to a 13-5 win over Stonehill in Friday’s season opener.

Meinel went 2-4 with four RBI and two runs while Adams finished the day going 2-5 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored.  Brooke Voss also hit a homer in the Paladin Invitational opener.  She was 2-4 with two RBI and a game high three runs.

A quick start saw the Purple Aces jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first.  With one out, Eliza Piggott hit an RBI triple to right field to score Brooke Voss.  Jess Willsey added a 2-out RBI double that plated Piggott.

Stonehill got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second before UE scored four times in the top of the third.  Willsey reached base on a 1-out walk while Adams followed with a 2-run home run.  Taylor Howe followed with a single before Meinel belted her first long ball of the game to extend the lead to 6-1.

The Skyhawks struck again with three runs in the bottom of the third as they chased UE starting pitcher Sydney Weatherford.  In the bottom of the fourth, they added a single run to make it a one-run game.  Evansville bounced back in the top of the fifth as Adams’ leadoff homer pushed the lead back to two runs.

One inning later, it was Voss turn as her 2-run homer made it a 9-5 game.  Zoe Frossard scored on the play after reaching on a leadoff single.  UE put the finishing touches on the game, scoring four times in the top of the 7^th.  Meinel followed Howe’’s leadoff single with her second 2-run shot of the day.  Willsey added an RBI single while Voss scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch.

Weatherford worked 2 2/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits while walking four batters.  Gracie Hollingsworth tossed 3 1/3 frames of relief.  She allowed one run on three hits and was credited with the win.  Kate Ridgway threw a scoreless bottom of the 7^th.

On Saturday, UE faces UT Martin at 11 a.m. CT before taking on Tennessee Tech at 1:30 p.m. CT.

-www.GoPurpleAces.com-

Trailblazers drop back and forth season opener at Cleveland State C.C.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Vincennes University baseball team opened their 2025 Spring season Friday afternoon with a single nine-inning game at Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee.

The Trailblazers got off to a rocky start but were able to battle back and take the lead late unfortunately this lead would not hold as VU fell in their season opener to the Cougars 7-6.

The season did not get off to the best of starts for the Trailblazers, after a scoreless top of the first, the host Cougars opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with four runs to take an early 4-0 lead.

Vincennes would respond in the second however, opening the inning with a lead off walk by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) followed by an RBI double by sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) to get the Blazers on the scoreboard.

VU would add more runs in the second on a big two-run home run by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.), his first collegiate home run, getting the Blazers back within a run at 4-3.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the bottom of the second before the scoring slowed until the Blazers evened the score in the fifth.

Vincennes would again take advantage of a lead off walk in the fifth inning, this time by sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.).

Douglas would advance to third on a fielding error put in play by freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.) and come in to score on a sacrifice fly after a 12-pitch battle of an at bat by freshman Jaret Phillips (Jeffersonville, Ind.).

Andrews would tie the game at 5-5 by scoring on a groundout by sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.), shifting the momentum back to the VU dugout.

Vincennes would grab their first lead of the season in the seventh after a one-out double by Douglas was followed by an RBI single by Jevan Andrews to put the Trailblazers on top 6-5.

This lead would unfortunately not hold however as the Cougars would get their offense going again in the bottom of the eighth, plating a pair of runs to go back on top 7-6.

Vincennes was unable to respond in the top of the ninth and extend the game as Cleveland State closed out the 7-6 victory over the Trailblazers.

Freshman Grayson Reichert (Shepherdsville, Ky.) got the season opener start on the mound for the Trailblazers and was able to settle in after a tough first inning.

Reichert would pitch into the fourth inning, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three in his collegiate debut.

Freshman Jacob Allen (Vincennes, Ind.) was the first man out of the bullpen Friday for VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney, getting out of a tough jam in the fourth and going on to throw four strong innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out two.

Bryce Gross would take the mound from the shortstop position in the eighth, allowing one hit in an inning of work.

The Trailblazers will look to bounce back when VU returns to the field in Cleveland, Tenn. Saturday, Feb. 8 for games two and three of this four-game weekend series.

Game one of Saturday’s doubleheader is set for a 12 p.m. eastern first pitch, with game two to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

The Blazers will then close out the weekend slate Sunday, Feb. 9 against the Cougars, with first pitch Sunday also scheduled for 12 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

VU (0-1) – 030   020   100 – 6

Cleveland State – 410   00   02x – 7

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Douglas, Napier. HR – Gross. RBI – Gross 2, Andrews, Phillips, Montgomery, Napier. SB – Douglas. SF – Phillips.

-30-

Stanford breaks 800m record

Richard, Comastri break 20-year old school mark

Abdaoui sets school record, Trailblazers add National qualifiers at Eastern Indoor meet

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Vincennes University Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams headed back to Louisville, Ky. Friday morning for the Eastern Indoor Collegiate meet.

The Blazers had another great showing in Louisville this week, surpassing several PRs, adding even more National Qualifiers and once again rewriting the VU record books.

Vincennes freshman Anis Abdaoui (Kairouan, Tunisia) set a new VU Track and Field school record Friday morning in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.96, placing him second in the meet.

Abdaoui was joined in the 800 meters by sophomores Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.), Caden Hostetler (LaGrange, Ind.) and Cody Noel (Hebron, Ind.) who took 14th, 15th and 17th place overall respectively with Spence finishing at 2:01.08, Hostetler at 2:01.11 and Noel at 2:03.57.

The Trailblazers continued to fill the lanes in the 800 meter dash with freshmen Dakoda Greci (Danville, Ind.) taking 18th at 2:04.52, Isaiah Ervin (French Lick, Ind.) taking 20th at 2:06.51 and Artezz Butler-Sanders (Indianapolis, Ind.) placing 21st overall at 2:11.53.

Many in this group would later take on the 4×400 relay, with the team of Butler-Sanders, Spence, Greci and Hostetler taking second overall at 3:36.30 and the team of Ervin, Abdaoui, Noel and freshman Aaden Mapp (Indianapolis, Ind.) placing third at 3:39.69.

Mapp had a busy day himself, competing in the 60 meter sprint and taking 21st overall at 7.51 and 13th in the 200 meter at 23.91 seconds.

Freshman Devin Wilson (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the way for the VU sprinters on the day, placing sixth in the 60 meter sprint at 7.17 seconds and seventh in the 200 meters at 23.15 seconds.

Sophomore Maliek Bush (Jeffersonville, Ind.) just missed out on qualifying for the finals in the 60 meters, taking ninth at 7.19 seconds and freshman Chase Guthrie (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed 13th in the 60 meters at 7.22 seconds.

Freshman Marshawn Bradley (Dyer, Ind.) rounded out the VU sprinter results on the day by taking 17th in the 200 meters with a time of 24.86 seconds.

The Trailblazer distance crew was led by freshman Jeremy Mendez (Velpen, Ind.) who placed 20th in the 3000 meters with a time of 9:02.28.

Freshmen Lane Connaway (Carmi, Ill.) and Hayden Kler (Hillsboro, Ind.) joined Mendez in the 3000 meters, with Connaway finishing just behind Mendez in 21st overall with a time of 9:11.48 and Kler taking 24th overall at 9:55.37.

The Vincennes field events were led by freshman Tremayne Brown (Anderson, Ind.) who came away with the top spot in the high jump after clearing a height of 2.03 meters.

Maliek Bush placed seventh in the high jump with a best height of 1.68 meters. Bush also placed fourth in the long jump with a distance of 6.53 meters and  fourth in the shot put with a best throw of 11.03 meters.

Freshman Anthony Keene (Harrisburg, Ill.) continues to show improvement in the pole vault, placing second in the meet after clearing 4.69 meters.

Chase Guthrie continued his busy day in the triple jump, where he placed second with a distance of 13.21 meters.

The VU Men’s results were rounded out on the day by freshman Cayden Gasser (Delphi, Ind.) who placed third on the day in the shot put with a best throw of 11.13 meters.

The Trailblazer Women’s team was once again led on the track by freshman Zoe Allen (Anderson, Ind.) who placed second in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 9.51 seconds and later taking sixth in the 400 meters with a time of 1:01.77.

Freshman Sara Belgacem (Tunis, Tunisia) led a crew of VU runners in the 800 meters, taking fourth overall with a time of 2:22.87.

Sophomores Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.) and Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) were close behind with Fuller posting a time of 2:27.45 to take seventh and Self ending with a time of 2:30.57 in 11th place overall.

Freshmen Alexis Hale (Evansville, Ind.) and Allie Black (Lynn, Ind.) closed out the 800 meter dash for the Trailblazers with Hale taking 12th at 2:32.44 and Black finishing 14th overall at 2:40.74.

The relay team of Belgacem, Self, Fuller and Hale would go on to take second overall in the 4×400 relay with a final time of 4:23.38.

The VU Women’s team was led in the field events by two-time defending NJCAA National Champion pole vaulter Sophia Salvi (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who claimed the top spot in the vault Friday after clearing a height of 3.90 meters.

The Trailblazers closed out the day in the shot put with freshman Tamia Taylor (Vincennes, Ind.) taking sixth overall with a throw of 8.10 meters and fellow freshman Braylee McKinnon (Linton, Ind.) placing seventh overall with a throw of 7.62 meters.

“Today was our last meet at Louisville for the Indoor season,” VU Interim Head Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “However, it felt very different with only six or seven teams in attendance.”

“We were still able to get a lot of good results and add a few National Qualifiers,” Steigenga added. “In the Pole Vault, Anthony and Sophia both bettered their season best marks and moved up in the National rankings. They looked the best they have all season.”

“Tremayne won the High Jump and then decided to take some attempts at 2.1 meters, which is a height he has rarely attempted before,” Steigenga said. “His second and third jumps were very close, with only his hair knocking the bar off on his last attempt.”

“Chase got over 13 meters in the triple jump for the first time, which was almost a half meter PR,” Steigenga added. “In the shot put both Tamia and Maliek got new PRs as well. Devin had a good showing in both the 60m and 200m. He made the finals in the 60 and ran a season best time twice. In the 200, he won his heat with a late push and got a big PR as well.”

“In the 800m, the VU women did a great job, with all of them Pring or running a season best,” Steigenga said. “Their times allowed us to qualify for Nationals in the 4×800. Sara and Adi ran great in the first heat and Jasmyn and Alexis both PRed in the second.”

“In the men’s 800, Anis ran a fantastic race and moved up to finish second overall, breaking the VU school record and qualifying for the National meet,” Steigenga added. “His time ranks 11th in the NJCAA. In the second heat, Caden ran a big PR in his first attempt at the distance since High School.”

In the 3k, all three VU men ran PRs with each running a very smart and even paced race,” Steigenga said. “We closed out the meet running a season’s best 4×400 on the women’s side. The men had two seemingly equal teams with a mix of distance runners and sprinters competing against each other with Caden bringing the baton home just ahead of Cody.”

The Vincennes University Track and Field teams will look to continue to build on this excellent showing on the track as they get set for their first meet of the season outside of Louisville, when the Blazers head to Allendale, Mich. Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15 for the Grand Valley State University Big Meet.

The Trailblazers will then close out their 2025 Indoor regular season Saturday, Feb. 22 when VU heads to Terre Haute, Ind. for the Indiana State Open hosted by Indiana State University.

“It was nice to walk away from this meet with a few more qualifiers and PRs,” Steigenga said. “We’re looking good heading into the home stretch of the season. Next week at Grand Valley, we’ll place a lot of focus on qualifying the men’s and women’s DMRs as well as the men’s 4×400. Grand Valley is a fantastic place to run fast, so we’ll look to take advantage of that.”

VINCENNES RESULTS

MEN’S RESULTS

60m

Devin Wilson – 6, 7.17

Maliek Bush – 9, 7.19

Chase Guthrie – 13, 7.22

Aaden Mapp – 21, 7.51

200m

Devin Wilson – 7, 23.15

Aaden Mapp – 13, 23.91

Marshawn Bradley – 17, 24.86

800m

Anis Abdaoui – 2, 1:52.96

Tanner Spence – 14, 2:01.08

Caden Hostetler – 15, 2:01.11

Cody Noel – 17, 2:03.57

Dakoda Greci – 18, 2:04.52

Isaiah Ervin – 20, 2:06.51

Artezz Butler-Sanders – 21, 2:11.53

3000m

Jeremy Mendez – 20, 9:02.28

Lane Connaway – 21, 9:11.48

Hayden Kler – 24, 9:55.37

4×400 Relay

Butler-Sanders, Spence, Greci, Hostetler – 2, 3:36.30

Ervin, Abdaoui, Noel, Mapp – 3, 3:39.69

High Jump

Tremayne Brown – 1, 2.03m

Marshawn Bradley – 7, 1.68m

Pole Vault

Anthony Keene – 2, 4.69m

Long Jump

Maliek Bush – 4, 6.53m

Triple Jump

Chase Guthrie – 2, 13.21m

Shot Put

Cayden Gasser – 3, 11.13m

Maliek Bush – 4, 11.03m

WOMEN’S RESULTS

400m

Zoe Allen – 6, 1:01.77

800m

Sara Belgacem – 4, 2:22.87

Adi Fuller – 7, 2:27.45

Jasmyn Self – 11, 2:30.57

Alexis Hale – 12, 2:32.44

Allie Black – 14, 2:40.74

60m Hurdles

Zoe Allen – 2, 9.51

4×400 Relay

Belgacem, Self, Fuller, Hale – 2, 4:23.38

Pole Vault

Sophia Salvi – 1, 3.90m

Shot Put

Tamia Taylor – 6, 8.10m

Braylee McKinnon – 7, 7.62m