CARBONDALE, Ill. – University of Evansville senior outfielder Mark Shallenberger launched two home runs and drove in six runs in his first game back from injury on Friday night, as the visiting Purple Aces cruised to a 10-2 victory over the Southern Illinois Salukis at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois.

“What a tremendous night all the way around tonight,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “I thought that up and down our batting order, we had different guys step up, but I really cannot say enough about the job that Mark Shallenberger did tonight.

“To not see live pitching since February and come in and have a game like tonight is incredible.  It is really a credit to all of the hard work that Mark has put in the last two months in rehab with our athletic trainer Eric Harcourt.”

Shallenberger capped a five-run third inning with his first home run of the night, a three-run shot to right field to give UE the lead for good.  Shallenberger’s home run followed RBI singles by graduate outfielder Eric Roberts and fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug in the frame.

The Salukis would threaten to get back into the contest against UE starter Nick Smith (3-3) in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Smith would get back-to-back inning-ending 4-6-3 double plays to get out of both frames.  Shallenberger then added to UE’s lead with a two-run blast to right field to push UE’s lead to 7-1.

Junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse would add to the lead in the seventh inning on a two-run single down the left-field line to move the advantage to 9-1.  After the Salukis got an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to cut into the deficit, Shallenberger knocked an RBI double down the right-field line to cap the six-RBI performance and the 10-2 victory.

Shallenberger finished 3-for-5 with six RBI, while Fougerousse added two RBI and fifth-year outfielder Danny Borgstrom added two doubles and a run.  Smith earned the victory on the mound by giving up a single run on five hits in 5.0 innings of work.

With the victory, Evansville improves to 20-13 overall and 6-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Southern Illinois, meanwhile, sees its six-game winning streak come to an end, as the Salukis fall to 20-14 overall and 8-2 in the MVC.  The two teams will continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., with UE sending senior LHP Tyler Denu to the mound to face SIU LHP Jordan Bloemer.  The game can be seen on ESPN3 and heard live in the Tri-State on the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball split its series-opening doubleheader against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at USI Softball Field on Friday, as the Screaming Eagles won in walk-off fashion, 4-3, in game 1 before falling in game 2, 5-3.
 
With Friday’s results, Southern Indiana moved to 16-18 overall and 9-7 in Ohio Valley Conference action. SIUE went to 16-22 this season with a 3-9 record in OVC play. USI reached a season-best four-game winning streak after the game 1 win and before the Cougars snapped the streak in game 2.
 
In Friday’s first game, USI tallied the first runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning. After the first two Screaming Eagles reached base in junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana), senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) lifted a ball to the outfield fence for a two-RBI double that gave USI an early 2-0 lead.
 
SIUE answered to tie the game at two in the second inning, and the Cougars grabbed another run in the third to take a one-run lead.
 
Following a few scoreless innings, the Screaming Eagles evened the game at three in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Goodin led off the frame with her third home run of the season and third RBI of the contest. The momentum carried into the bottom of the seventh inning, as the first USI batters reached to load the bases. Two hitters later and with one out, Nalley took a 3-1 pitch into right-center field to score senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) for the walk-off victory.
 
Goodin had two hits with three RBIs in the first game, and senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) also had a pair of hits.
 
In the pitching circle, sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was credited with her 13^th win of the season in her 13^th complete game. The right-hander struck out three and allowed three runs – two earned – off seven hits.
 
For SIUE, junior Kelsey Ray was dealt the loss, dropping to 4-9 this season. Ray struck out four and surrendered four runs – three earned – off five hits in six innings.
 
In game 2, it was SIUE who struck first on the scoreboard, scoring three runs and forcing USI into an early pitching change. USI responded with a run in the home half of the first with another RBI hit on the day by Goodin.
 
SIUE built a 5-1 advantage through four innings, but Southern Indiana made a late push toward another comeback bid just like in game 1. Following three errors by SIUE, USI made it a three-run game, 5-2. A productive RBI groundout manufactured another run for USI, bringing the Screaming Eagles within two, 5-3, but the late charge ended there. SIUE got out of the inning with no further damage and closed out the rest of the game.
 
Rager led USI with two hits, while Goodin and sophomore Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) were responsible for USI’s two RBIs.
 
USI freshman pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky), who made her first OVC start, was tagged with the loss, recording one out and giving up three runs. Freshman pitcher Kylie Eads (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched 2.2 innings with one run allowed in middle relief. Gotshall finished the game in the pitching circle for USI with one unearned run allowed in four innings.
 
The Cougars’ freshman pitcher Rylie Pindel picked up her fourth win after allowing two unearned runs in 3.1 innings of relief after junior starting pitcher Sydney Baalman tossed the first 3.2 innings with an unearned run surrendered.