EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana junior rightfielder/leftfielder Patrick McLellan hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to walk off a 6-4 win over Morehead State University Monday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which has won a season-best six-straight, is 16-15 overall and 7-2 in the OVC, while MSU goes to 10-19, 1-8 OVC.
 
USI’s six-game winning streak is the longest by the squad since 2021 when the Screaming Eagles won eight straight. The Screaming Eagles also moved in sole possession of first in the OVC by one game after losses by Tennessee Tech University at Western Illinois University and Southeast Missouri State University at Southern Illinois University today.
 
USI had the early lead, 1-0, after one inning and 3-1 after two frames. Senior centerfielder Khi Holiday scored the first run on a passed ball in the first, while junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens and McLellan drove in a pair of runs in the second with a fielder’s choice and a single, respectively.
 
The score would remain 3-1 until the top of the ninth when Morehead State took the lead 4-3 with a three-run home run off of USI senior right-hander Ian Anderson and set the stage for McLellan in the ninth.
 
With one out, Holiday singles and moved to third on single by Kitchens. McLellan followed with a towering three-run blast over the left field wall for the Screaming Eagles to walk off with the 6-4 victory. McLellan finished the day two-for-four with a run scored and four RBIs.
 
On the mound, Anderson (3-0) picked up the victory after throwing the ninth and allowing the three runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out one.
 
USI junior left-hander Jake Porter started and got a no-decision for the Screaming Eagles. Porter went the first six inning, allowing one run on eight hits and struck out four.
 
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 Game one set for 12 p.m. CT start

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – On Tuesday, the University of Evansville softball team makes the trip north on Route 41 to Terre Haute for a doubleheader against Indiana State.  Game one is set for a 12 p.m. CT start while the second contest will begin at 2 p.m.

Sophomore Niki Bode led the Purple Aces in the weekend series against Belmont.  Facing one of the top teams in the league, Bode batted .455 with five hits in 11 at-bats.  She had a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored.  As a team, the Aces gave the Bruins everything they could handle, dropping three games by a total of four runs.

Morgan Adams batted .333 versus Belmont while picking up her 11^th home run of the season.  Adams led Evansville with four RBI in the series and scored twice.  Jess Willsey completed the 3-game series with a .300 average.  She accumulated three hits in 10 at-bats.

Freshmen Cassidy Gall and Kate Ridgway excelled in the circle.  Gall gave up three runs, one being earned, in three innings of work.  Ridgway made two starts in the series.  Over the course of 10 innings, Ridgway gave up five runs while holding the Bruins to a .263 batting average.

Sunday’s contest saw the Aces stage a furious late rally.  Trailing by a score of 10-3 in the middle of the 6^th, UE scored five runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to just two.  With two outs in the bottom of the 7^th, Niki Bode came just inches away from hitting the game-tying home run.

 Freshman won by three strokes

 TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Freshman Louise Standtke recorded an even round of 72 on Monday to take top honors at the Indiana State Spring Invitational at the Country Club of Terre Haute.

After opening with a 1-under 71 on Sunday, Standtke’s even par of 72 gave her a final score of 143.  She bested Hunar Mittal and Olivia Jang of Purdue Fort Wayne by three strokes.  It is the first victory of her Purple Aces career and second in a row for the program following Kate Petrova’s win in last week’s Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge.

Led by Standtke’s efforts, UE finished in second place in the final team standings.  The Mastodons won with a 2-round score of 596 while the Aces finished with a 600.

Second for Evansville and 5^th overall was Mallory Russell.  She matched Standtke’s even score on Monday.  Combined with Sunday’s 76, Russell finished with a 148.  Kate Petrova came in 12^th place.  Rounds of 76 and 77 saw her finish the weekend at 9-over-par.

Elizabeth Mercer and Jane Grankina rounded out the UE team scores.  After carding a 79 to open the tournament, Mercer lowered her score on Monday to a 77.  Her 156 put her in a tie for 18^th.  Grankina also lowered her score.  Following an 81 in the first round, she posted a 78 in the second 18. With a 159, she tied for 28^th.

Izzy Steele was the top finisher for UE’s individuals.  Rounds of 77 and 78 saw her finish in 17^th with a 155.  Trinity Dubbs tied for 30^th.  Her scores checked in at 82 and 78.

In less than a week, the Aces will be in Waterloo, Ill. for the 2025 MVC Championship.

• Huntsville Havoc:
  • Record: 36-15-5, 77 Points, 2nd Place
  • Leading Goal Scorer: Austin Alger (23 Goals)
  • Leading Point Scorer: Buster Larsson (60 Points)
  • Primary Goaltender: Mike Robinson (26-7-3, .925 Save %)
  • Thunderbolts 24-25 Record vs HSV: 3-6

Aces to face Indiana State on Tuesday

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Trailing by a 10-3 score in the middle of the 6^th the University of Evansville softball team scored five runs in the bottom of the inning before falling just short in a 10-8 loss to Belmont on Sunday at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at Cooper Stadium.

Jenna Donohoo led the Purple Aces offense, going 3-4 with a run.  Niki Bode, Taylor Howe, and Miriah Powell recorded two hits apiece.  Kate Ridgway threw the first three innings with three runs scoring on five hits.  Cassidy Gall suffered the loss with three runs, one earned, crossing the plate in two innings of work.

Looking to take the early lead, Belmont hit a 1-out double in the first while recording another hit in the second.  Kate Ridgway pitched out of both jams unscathed.

Evansville had its first chance in the bottom half of the second.  With one out, Miriah Powell and Jenna Donohoo both singled to put runners on the corners.  Abby Bode reached on a 2-out walk to load the bases before a strikeout kept the game scoreless. The Bruins offense looked to break the scoreless tie in the third as they loaded the bags for the first time before Ridgway ended the threat with a ground out.

In the bottom of the third, it was Niki Bode opening the scoring.  Taylor Howe reached on an error to open the frame before Bode’s hit gave the Purple Aces a 1-0 lead.  It did not take long for the Bruins to respond was Madison Dolecki hit a 3-run shot in the top of the fourth to give her squad a 3-1 advantage.

Just as fast as the Bruins jumped in front, the Aces stormed back to tie the score.  Jenna Donohoo led the bottom of 4^th off with a single while Keghan Pye reached on an error.  That brought Abby Bode to the plate, who singled up the middle to bring in Donohoo.  Two batters later, Taylor Howe’s infield single knotted the score at 3-3.  The back-and-forth action continued as Belmont retook the lead with a 3-run top of the 5^th.  Four more in the 6^th inning pushed the lead to 10-3.

UE’s offense did not give up, scoring five runs in the bottom half of the 6^th.  Niki Bode’s RBI double brought in Abby Bode while Morgan Adams followed with a 2-run double to right center.  Powell added a 2-run double to bring the Aces within two at 10-8.  That is as close as the Aces would get as the Bruins finished with the win.  Niki Bode looked to tie it up with a home run in the final at-bat, but was inches away as the ball was caught at the warning track.

On Tuesday, the Aces are set to travel to Indiana State for a doubleheader.