ST. CHARLES, Mo.—Senior pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a two-run double in the opener and picked up a win in the nightcap as No. 16 University of Southern Indiana Softball closed the regular-season with a Great Lakes Valley Conference sweep of host Lindenwood University Sunday afternoon at the Lou Brock Complex.

The Screaming Eagles (40-10, 26-2 GLVC) clinched the GLVC regular-season title and top seed in next week’s conference tournament with their 2-0 win in the opener. They rolled to a 7-1 victory in the nightcap to pick up their ninth straight win and 28th in their last 30 games.

Back’s two-run double in the top of the fourth inning of game one broke a scoreless tie and gave junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) a slight cushion as she navigated six scoreless innings before giving way to freshman hurler Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) with a runner on an no outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Newman, who turned out a dominating performance in USI’s game-two win over the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday, gave up a hit and had a wild pitch before retiring the final three batters to preserve the shutout.

Goodin (11-2) earned the win after scattering five hits, two walks and three strikeouts throughout six-plus innings of work, while Newman picked up her second save of the year.

In the nightcap, USI got two-run singles from sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and Goodin in the top of the second-inning, while a two-run double by sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) capped off a six-run second inning for the Eagles.

The Lions (34-10, 21-7 GLVC) got on the scoreboard with a tally in the bottom of the third inning and had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth before Back came in and closed the door on the insurrection.

Kihega’s RBI-double in the top of the sixth added to USI’s lead, while Back and freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) were able to keep the Lions off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest.

Back (6-1) picked up the win after allowing just one hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Newman started the game and had seven strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work, but pitch the requisite amount of innings (4.0) get the win.

USI will officially learn its time and opponent in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament once the bracket is announced. The GLVC Tournament begins Thursday at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Illinois.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost a doubleheader to Missouri University of Science & Technology, 5-1 and 12-9, on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles go to 17-28 overall and 6-14 GLVC, while the Miners are 19-22, 6-13 GLVC.
 
Game 1:
USI allowed runs in the first, third, and fifth before being shut out by Missouri S&T in the opener, 5-1. The Eagles managed their only tally of the game in the bottom of the seventh when junior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) tripled down the left field, scoring senior pinch runner Brice Stuteville (Rockport, Indiana).
 
USI sophomore right-hander Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) took the loss in the start. Robinson (2-5) allowed five runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks, while striking out five in 4.1 innings of work.
 
 
Game 2:
USI could not hold onto an early lead and fell, 12-9, in the nightcap and were eliminated from consideration for the upcoming GLVC Tournament.
 
After surrendering a run in the top of the first, USI built a 6-1 lead with four runs in the first and two in the second. The Eagles manufactured the four first inning runs on a sacrifice fly, a fielder’s choice, and a pair of singles, while the two in the second inning crossed on RBI-singles.
 
Following the departure of USI senior starting right-hander Garrett Welch (New Castle, Indiana) due to an injury, the Miners rallied to close the gap to 6-5 with a four-spot in the top of the third. Missouri S&T’s momentum continued to roll as the Miners scored five more unanswered runs (two in the fifth; three in the sixth) to take a 10-6 advantage.
 
USI got one of the runs back in the sixth when a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) to make the score 10-7. The Eagles closed the gap even further in the seventh, 10-9, when junior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) and senior shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) knocked in runs with back-to-back bases loaded walks.
 
The Miners bounced back in the top of the ninth, sealing the Eagles’ fate with two more runs for the 12-9 final.

On the mound, freshman right-hander Ethan Gibson (Owensboro, Kentucky) took the loss in relief. Gibson (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out two in two innings of work. 
 

Aces drop final two contests against Salukis

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Six seniors who made a lasting impact on the University of Evansville softball team were honored on Sunday following the series finale against Southern Illinois.  The senior class included Elyse Hickey, Bella Coffey, Haley Woolf, Mackenzie McFeron, Izzy Vetter and Jessica Fehr.  On the field, Southern Illinois finished up Saturday’s halted game by a 6-0 score before winning the finale, 5-0.

 

Game Two – Southern Illinois 6, UE 0 (resumption of Saturday’s game)

Four hits in the top of the first saw SIU take the early 2-0 lead before they added a third run in the second.  In the third, Southern Illinois made it a 5-0 game as their ninth hit padded the lead.  Jenny Jansen led the fourth off with a home run off the scoreboard for the sixth run of the day.  SIU scored in each of the opening four frames.

As UE was set to bat in the bottom of the fifth, lightning halted play before rain started to fall.  The remainder of the game was played on Sunday morning.  UE picked up three hits in the remaining frames while Paige McAllister pitched two hitless innings in a strong effort.  Mackenzie McFeron and Alexa Davis recorded two hits apiece in the contest.

Game Three – Southern Illinois 5, UE 0

It was a pitcher’s duel over the first three innings before the Salukis opened the scoring with a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Elisabeth Huckleberry.  SIU added another run in the fifth on an RBI single from Emma Austin.  Haley Woolf prevented the Salukis from tacking on more as a perfect strike threw out a base stealer.

Huckleberry struck again with a solo home run in the sixth before another run made it 4-0.  Evansville put up one of its top threats of the day in the bottom of the inning.  McFeron led off with a single before Marah Wood doubled to left with one out, but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat.  One more run was added by the Salukis in the top of the seventh and they would take the 5-0 victory.  UE had six hits on the way with Haley Woolf recording two.  Sydney Weatherford took the loss, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 frames.

Next week will mark the final series of the regular season.  UE travels to Valparaiso for a 3-game set, which opens on Friday at no

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Trailblazer Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams are no strangers to windy conditions, having battled them all season long and put that experience to use Saturday afternoon at the Sycamore Open track meet at Indiana State University.

The VU Women’s team was led by another excellent throwing day from freshman Giorgia Fino (Italy) who took the top spot in the Javelin with a longest throw of 37.44 meters.

Sophomore Chloe Knepp (Montgomery, Ind.) also held her own against some tough competition to finish seventh in the 400 meters, with a time of 1:03.45.

Freshman Abyela Cruz (French Lick, Ind.) capped off the women’s team scorers with an eighth place finish in the discus throw, ending with a throw of 26.69 meters.

The VU Men’s team also picked up a race winner, with freshman Mathew Keitany (Kenya) taking the top spot in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:00.03.

The Trailblazer 4×100 meter relay team of freshmen Jalen Bowman (Evansville, Ind.), Collin Sutton (New Albany, Ind.) and Yamar Lyons (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and sophomore Kyle Stewart (Evansville, Ind.) came together to take second place with a time of 42.57 seconds.

Jalen Bowman also came away with a third-place finish in the 200 meters, ending at 21.47 seconds.

Kyle Stewart also placed third in the Long Jump ending with a jump distance of 6.99 meters.

Sophomore Damien Ross (East St. Louis, Ill.) placed eighth in the 400 meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 1:00.57.

Sophomore Manamanya Opiew (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:57.27.

Freshman Nicholas Stanislaus (Grenada) and sophomore Jaylen Rush (Palos Heights, Ill.) both placed in the Javelin throw, with Stanislaus placing fourth at 42.75 meters and Rush taking seventh at 33.59 meters.

The VU scorers were rounded out by Stanislaus and sophomore Matthew Frazier (Franklin, Ind.) ending with a fifth place tie in the Pole Vault, with the two jumpers reaching 4.00 meters.

The VU women’s team placed 11th as a team at the meet and the men’s team took sixth place, finishing ahead of four NCAA Division I programs in Saint Louis, Evansville, Bradley and IUPUI.

“We had another windy affair, but as we have all season, the kids just competed,” VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. “That’s what they do.”