University of Southern Indiana Softball settled for a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader split with visiting Drury University Sunday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.

The Screaming Eagles won the opener, 6-1, before suffering a 2-0 shutout loss in the nightcap.

Sophomore pitcher/designated player Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) and sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) each went a combined 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI to pace USI at the plate.

Game 1: USI 6, Drury 1
USI continued its offensive onslaught that it saw in its previous four games as it racked up nine hits en route to a 6-1 win in the opener.

The Eagles broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when sophomore pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) drove in junior Mikayla Domico (Naperville, Illinois) with an RBI-groundout. Domico pinch ran for freshman first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana), who doubled to lead-off the frame.

Fair also had a two-run single in a fifth inning that saw the Eagles erupt for five tallies. USI sent 10 batters to the plate and took advantage of a pair of Drury errors as it upped its advantage to 6-0. Kihega started the scoring with an RBI single, while Fair’s two-run single put USI up 4-0. Goodin followed two batters later with an RBI-single, while junior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) had an RBI-single to put an exclamation point on the inning.

Drury (21-10, 15-5 GLVC) capitalized on a USI error to score a run in the seventh, but USI held on for its sixth straight win.

Goodin (6-5) earned the win after giving up one unearned run off seven hits. She struck out eight batters, while issuing just one walk.

Game 2: Drury 2, USI 0
Drury capitalized on a lead-off single in the first to score a run and three-straight one-out singles in the sixth to tack on another score as the Panthers blanked the Eagles, 2-0, in the nightcap.

USI had a lead-off single in the bottom of the first, a one-out double in the second and got the lead-off hitters aboard in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. The Eagles, however, could not push a run across the plate as they left six players on base en route to their first loss in seven outings.

Back (4-8) took the tough-luck loss despite a strong outing. She allowed two runs off five hits in 5.1 innings of work but was dominate from the tail end of the first through the fifth innings, allowing just one base runner until surrendering the three straight singles in the sixth.

University of Southern Indiana Baseball overcame a 7-0 deficit to defeat Lewis University, 8-7, Sunday at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles go to 19-13 overall and 15-9 GLVC, while the Flyers end the evening 15-13, 13-11 GLVC.

The first four frames did not go in the Eagles’ favor as the Flyers built a 7-0 lead with two in the second, two in the third, and four in the fourth.

USI began to creep back into the game with a three-run fifth to cut the deficit to 7-3. Senior leftfielder Bryce Krizan put the Eagles on the scoreboard with a two-run single before junior second baseman Ethan Hunter knocked in the third run with a sacrifice fly.

The score would hold at 7-3 until the seventh when Hunter hit a two-out three-run blast to left field to put the Eagles down one, 7-6. Senior shortstop Kobe Stephens and Krizan set the stage for Hunter with back-to-back walks.  Hunter finished the game with a team-high four RBIs and the home run.

USI moved in front for the first time in the contest in the eighth, scoring twice on two hits and the aid of three Flyer errors. Junior third baseman Michael Conner reached on an error and advanced to second on a failed pick off to start the frame. Conner moved to third on a senior rightfielder Manny Lopez‘s single before scoring the tying run on freshman designated hitter Gavin McLarty’s single.

Lopez, who had moved to second on the McLarty single and to third when senior catcher Wyatt Daly reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on the Flyer’s third fielding error of the inning to put USI in the lead for the first time, 8-7.

Freshman right-hander Carter Stamm made the 8-7 lead stand up by closing out the ninth inning for his second win of the year. Stamm (2-2) threw six strong frames of relief work, allowing an unearned run on four hits and one walk. The freshman also tied a career-best with five strikeouts.

Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles hit the home stretch of the 2021 regular season when they finish April and start May with a visit to #10 (NCBWA)/#14 (ABCA) Lindenwood University (April 23-25) and hosts the University of Indianapolis (April 30-May 2). The May 2 game versus UIndy is Senior Day for the Eagles. Live coverage can be accessed through GoUSIEagles.com.

Aces drop 5-4 decision

 

DES MOINES, Iowa – Trailing by a 5-2 margin entering the 7^th inning, the University of Evansville softball team staged a furious rally, but came up just short with Drake taking a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at Ron Buel Field.

Leading the Purple Aces (18-16, 6-9 MVC) was the tri of Eryn Gould, Katie McLean and Alyssa Barela, who posted two hits apiece.  Gould reached base three times with two hits and a walk.  Haley Woolf recorded her second home run of the season in the contest.  Izzy Vetter gave up two runs on two hits in three frames while Erin Kleffman tossed the final three innings.  Emily Valtman was the top performer for the Bulldogs (11-25, 5-10 MVC), going 2-3 with four RBI.  Nicole Timmons picked up the win in the circle, allowing four runs on four hits in her six innings.

Evansville took its first lead of the weekend in the second inning when Haley Woolf homered to right field.  It was her second long ball of the season.  The lead held strong until the bottom of the third when Valtman hit a 2-run shot.  Jenna Lis tied the score in the top half of the fourth, hitting an RBI single to score Halie Fain.  Fain pinch ran for Alyssa Barela, who began the inning with a double.

The momentum for UE did not last too long as the Bulldogs put a 3-spot on the board in the bottom of the fourth.  Valtman had the big hit again, posting a 2-RBI single that put Drake in front by a 5-2 score.  The margin remained that way until the top of the seven when the Aces made a final effort to pick up the win.  Walks by Elyse Hickey and Gould, coupled with a Jessica Fehr single, loaded the bases with no outs.  A fielder’s choice by Barela scored the third run of the game.  Marah Wood added an RBI double to get her team within one, but a pitching change for Drake resulted in a pair of strikeouts that ended the game with a 5-4 DU win.

UE returns to Cooper Stadium on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. doubleheader against Indiana State.