Aces earn first MVC series sweep since 2012 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Morgan Florey connected on her fourth home run of the season to give the University of Evansville softball team a 4-1 win over Loyola in Missouri Valley Conference play on Sunday at Cooper Stadium.

Florey’s homer gave the Purple Aces (11-12, 3-0 MVC) their first conference sweep since 2012 against Indiana State.  In the circle, the Peoria, Ill. native went the distance once again, giving up just one run in seven innings of work.  She also struck out 12 batters, marking her fifth game in a row with 10 strikeouts.

“We had a goal going into this year to be good heading into conference play, which is why we scheduled as tough as we did,” Aces head coach Mat Mundell said.  “To get a sweep in our conference opener is a testament to the ladies and how hard they have been working.  This team showed what they are capable of by putting it together in all aspects – pitching, hitting and fielding.  We are going to be tough to beat.”

Loyola (16-7, 0-3 MVC) came out looking to jump on the board early as the put runners at second and third with no outs.  Morgan Florey was not deterred as she struck out two and got a groundout to end the threat.  The Aces quickly took advantage and put the first run of the game on the board in the bottom of the frame.  Brittany Hay led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on an error by the Ramblers.  With two outs, Chandra Parr had a clutch hit to right to score Hay and give UE the early lead.

The Ramblers threated again in the top of the third by loading the bases, but Florey shut the door once again.  In the sixth, Loyola was finally able to get on the board as Shannon McGee had an RBI single to right to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, UE saw some 2-out magic play a huge role in the victory.  Brittany Hay and Michal Luckett each drew walks to bring Florey to the plate.  She came through with a home run to deep center to finish off the game and give the Aces the sweep with the 4-1 win.

Evansville had seven hits while holding Loyola to five.  Luckett and Parr had two hits apiece for UE while Erica Nagel registered two hits for the Ramblers.

Valley play continues next weekend as the Aces welcome Bradley to Cooper Stadium for a 3-game set.  Saturday’s action features a 12 p.m. doubleheader before Sunday’s game begins at noon.  Sunday will also feature recognition for former Aces softball and women’s soccer player Beth Csukas, who will receive the MVC Most Courageous Award at 11:45 a.m.  All first responders will receive free entry to the game.

Evansville defeats Wright State and IUPUI

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A pair of home matches at Wesselman Park saw the University of Evansville women’s tennis team earn a pair of victories to even up their season record at 10-10.

The Purple Aces started things off with a 4-1 win over Wright State before earning a 6-1 decision over IUPUI.

“This (Wright State) was a good match against a very tough, senior-laden team. I know just how tough it is to get a win against them since I coached most of them two years ago,” UE head coach Jayson Wiseman said.  “They came out and put us on our heels a bit taking the doubles point, despite an excellent win at #1 by Theda & Chieko. However, we did an excellent job of bouncing back and established really good momentum by taking the first set in 5 of 6 singles matches. Chieko, Diana, Theda, and Andrea did a great job of finishing off their matches in straight sets to clinch the win.”

Wiseman was also happy with the effort against IUPUI.

“This was a perfect trap match because of the short turnaround and we very nearly fell into it. We were fortunate that Daria & Andjela we able to turn their match around and come back from a 4-1 deficit to get a 7-5 win and save the doubles point for us,” he continued.  “The emotional boost that gave the team really lifted up everyone going into singles.  That positive momentum allowed us to once again take 5 of 6 first sets and close out all 5 of those matches to take the victory 6-1.”

“Both these matches were huge for us as a program since both of those team beat us handily last year,” Wiseman added.  “I am very pleased with how we played this weekend and hopefully we can carry this forward against Western Kentucky and Wichita State next week.”

Wright State started the opening match by taking the doubles point before UE stormed back to sweep singles play and earn the 4-1 win.  Chieko Yamada, Diana Tkachenko, Theodora Soldatou and Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga each earned singles wins.

In the match versus the Jaguars, Evansville picked up the doubles point before taking five out of six singles tilts.  Yamada, Tkachenko, Daria Pentsova, Pascual-Larrinaga and Andjela Brguljan were the singles winners for the Aces.

A road tilt at Western Kentucky on Friday begins the action next week before conference play begins on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Wichita State at Wesselman Park.

 

Tennis Match Results

Wright State vs University of Evansville

Mar 19, 2017 at Evansville, Ind.

(Wesselman Park)

 

University of Evansville 4, Wright State 1

 

Singles competition

1. Chieko Yamada (UE) def. Karoline Haller (WSU) 6-2, 7-6 (3-0)
2. Diana Tkachenko (UE) def. Lindsey Verstrepen (WSU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Nicoli Pereira (UE) vs. Elaine Cloern (WSU) 7-6 (4-0), 3-6, unfinished
4. Daria Pentsova (UE) vs. Haily Morgan (WSU) 6-7 (0-4), 3-4, unfinished
5. Theodora Soldatou (UE) def. Tori Turner (WSU) 6-4, 6-0
6. Andrea Pascual-Larri (UE) def. Aby Madrigal (WSU) 6-1, 6-2

 

Doubles competition

1. Theodora Soldatou/Chieko Yamada (UE) def. Taylor Culbertson/Tori Turner (WSU) 6-2
2. Lindsey Verstrepen/Karoline Haller (WSU) def. Andjela Brguljan/Daria Pentsova (UE) 6-3
3. Haily Morgan/Elaine Cloern (WSU) def. Andrea Pascual-Larri/Diana Tkachenko (UE) 6-2

Tennis Match Results

IUPUI vs University of Evansville

Mar 19, 2017 at Evansville, Ind.

(Wesselman Park)

 

University of Evansville 6, IUPUI 1

 

Singles competition

1. Chieko Yamada (UE) def. Sara Sherif (IUPUI) 6-0, 6-1
2. Diana Tkachenko (UE) def. Valeriia Lavrenchuk (IUPUI) 6-2, 6-3
3. Samantha Mayer (IUPUI) def. Nicoli Pereira (UE) 7-6 (5-0), 6-2
4. Daria Pentsova (UE) def. Mariella Pessina (IUPUI) 6-2, 7-6 (6-0)
5. Andrea Pascual-Larri (UE) def. Marina Schneiger (IUPUI) 6-3, 6-0
6. Andjela Brguljan (UE) def. Molly Nguyen (IUPUI) 6-0, 6-0

 

Doubles competition

1. Sara Sherif/Samantha Mayer (IUPUI) def. Nicoli Pereira/Diana Tkachenko (UE) 6-1
2. Andjela Brguljan/Daria Pentsova (UE) def. Valeriia Lavrenchuk/Mariella Pessina (IUPUI) 7-5
3. Andrea Pascual-Larri/Chieko Yamada (UE) def. Marina Schneiger/Molly Nguyen (IUPUI) 6-1

PLAINFIELD, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Tennis concluded the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover with a pair of wins, as the 34^th-ranked Screaming Eagles defeated Northwood 7-2 Saturday night and Rockhurst 5-4 this morning.

In the match against Northwood, USI (12-6) took a 3-0 lead after sweeping doubles. Sophomore James Hardiman (Backwell Bristol, United Kingdom) and freshman Denis Davydov (Chorvatsky Grob, Slovakia) picked up the first point at number one with an 8-3 win. Senior Aaron Barris (Marietta, Georgia) and junior Samuel Kiladejo (London, England) were winners at number two, taking an 8-6 victory. The Eagles completed the doubles sweep when sophomores Andrew Dones (Georgetown, Indiana) and Ilia Karelin (Ekaterinburg, Russia) tallied a back-and-forth, 9-8 (7-4) win at number three.

Hardiman was challenged at number one singles in three sets, but picked up the 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5) victory. Davydov secured the victory for the Eagles with a 6-2, 6-4 win at number two. Barris and Karelin won their matches at numbers four and five, respectively, to give the match its final tally.

This morning against Rockhurst, USI had a 2-1 advantage after doubles play before splitting singles. Barris and Kiladejo won at number two doubles 9-8 (8-6), while Karelin and Dones grabbed the win at number three, 8-5.

At number one singles, Hardiman defeated Jonas Stropus 6-2, 6-2. Also picking up wins were Barris, who won 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), at number four, and Karelin won at number five 6-3, 6-0.

The Eagles return home next week for a regional matchup against Grand Valley State Friday at 10 a.m. at the USI Tennis Courts.

#34 Southern Indiana 7, Northwood 2
Mar 18, 2017 at Plainfield, Illinois (Five Star Tennis Center)

The University of Southern Indiana baseball team dropped the series finale to Quincy University, 4-2, Sunday afternoon in Quincy, Illinois. USI watched its record go to 6-9 overall, while Quincy goes to 10-8 in 2017.

For the third-straight game, the Screaming Eagles posted an early lead. Junior leftfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) jumped started the offense early with a second-inning single, advanced to second on a sacrifice, and stole third before scoring on an RBI-bunt single by junior first baseman Nathan Kuester (Rockport, Indiana). The Eagles would hold onto that 1-0 lead until the Hawks knotted up the game at 1-1 in the fourth and took the lead, 2-1 in the sixth.

Johnson, who finished the game two-for-three with a run scored, an RBI, and a double, got the Eagles back even at 2-2 with an RBI-double in the top of the seventh, scoring sophomore catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana). Brown had reached on a single and advanced to second a sacrifice with one out.

The Hawks, however, would bounce back in the bottom of eighth, scoring the winning run and an insurance tally in a two-run frame for the margin of victory in their 4-2 win.

On the mound for USI, sophomore right-hander Austin Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) lost for the first time in 2017. Krizan (1-1) lasted a third of an inning, allowing two runs on three hits in the eighth.

USI senior right-hander Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) started and received a no-decision in the loss. Barnett allowed the first two Hawk runs, allowing four hits and three walk, while striking out three in five-plus innings of work.

The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field March 22 when they host the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a non-conference match-up. USI holds a 50-42 lead in the all-time series with UMSL after the programs split a pair of regular season games last year (UMSL 8-1; USI 10-1) and has a 15-7 advantage in the all-time series since 2007. Coverage for all of USI Baseball can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.

University of Southern Indiana Softball could not complete a rally in the second game of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Sunday as the No. 10 Screaming Eagles were forced to settle on a split with visiting Rockhurst University Sunday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.

The Eagles (19-5, 2-2 GLVC) won the first game, 6-0, but dropped game two, 5-4. USI returns to action Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. when it visits Midwest Region foe Trevecca Nazarene University for a doubleheader in Nashville, Tennessee.

Southern Indiana (19-5, 2-2 GLVC) 6, Rockhurst (13-13, 3-1 GLVC) 0

–Box Score

USI Softball used a six-run fifth inning and a strong pitching effort from freshman Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) to earn a 6-0 victory over Rockhurst in the opener.

The Eagles began the last half of the fifth inning with three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Sophomore second baseman Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) drew a walk in the ensuing at-bat to push across the first run, while Leonhardt followed with an RBI-single to put the Eagles up, 2-0.

Senior shortstop Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana) followed with a bases-clearing double down the leftfield line to put USI up, 5-0; then came in to score the sixth run on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana). Hodges collected her school-record tying 144^th career RBI on the play with the sacrifice.

Leonhardt (10-1) earned the win after scattering six hits throughout seven innings en route to her seventh straight decision and second straight shutout. She had six strikeouts and did not issue a walk.

Rockhurst 5, Southern Indiana 4

–Box Score

The Eagles rallied from a four-run deficit to get to within a single tally, but a four-run fourth inning proved to be too much for USI to overcome as it suffered a 5-4 setback to the Hawks in the nightcap.

Rockhurst (13-13, 3-1 GLVC) capitalized on a two-out error in the top of the fourth frame to score four unearned runs and build a 4-0 advantage. Freshman shortstop Lauren Marks followed the two-out error with a three-run blast to straight-away centerfield to break the scoreless tie, while a double and an RBI-single two batters later put Rockhurst in front 4-0.

USI rallied with three in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut into the Hawks’ advantage. Reese, junior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) and senior outfielder Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) each had RBIs in the inning as the Eagles closed to within a single tally.

The Hawks answered with a run in the sixth inning to take a 5-3 lead, but a solo home run by Johnson in the bottom of the inning, once again, brought the Eagles to within a run heading into the final frame.

Hodges flirted with a home run in the bottom of the seventh, but her bid at the Eagles’ all-time home run and RBI marks fell short as USI went down in order en route to its fifth one-run loss of the year.

USI had scoring opportunities throughout the contest as it stranded eight runners on base and left the bases loaded twice.

Sophomore lefty Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up four unearned runs off eight hits in four-plus innings of work. Atkisson falls to 6-3 with the decision.

Southern Indiana 6, Rockhurst 0 (Mar 19, 2017 at Evansville, IN) (Game 1)

———————————————————————-

Rockhurst……….. 000 000 0 -  0  5  0      (12-13, 2-1 GLVC)

Southern Indiana…. 000 060 X -  6  9  0      (19-4, 2-1 GLVC)

———————————————————————-

Pitchers: Rockhurst – Greene, Shannon; Sappington,Bridgette(5); Staggs, Payton(5) and

Cairo, Lauren. Southern Indiana – Leonhardt, Jennifer and Hodges, Haley.

Win-Leonhardt, Jennifer(10-1)  Loss-Greene, Shannon(4-8)  T-1:37  A-125

Weather: 50s, sunny

Greene, S. faced 5 batters in the 5th.

Game: 23-RU

Rockhurst 5, Southern Indiana 4 (Mar 19, 2017 at Evansville, IN) (Game 2)

———————————————————————-

Rockhurst……….. 000 401 0 -  5 10  2      (13-13, 3-1 GLVC)

Southern Indiana…. 000 031 0 -  4  8  1      (19-5, 2-2 GLVC)

———————————————————————-

Pitchers: Rockhurst – Sappington,Bridgette; Greene, Shannon(5) and Zuniga, Lexie.

Southern Indiana – Atkisson,Courtney; Leonhardt, Jennifer(5) and Hodges, Haley.

Win-Sappington,Bridgette(8-3)  Save-Greene, Shannon(1)  Loss-Atkisson,Courtney(6-3)  T-1:40  A-125

HR RU – Marks, Lauren (2).

HR USI – Johnson, Claire (2).

Weather: 50s, sunny

Atkisson, C. faced 1 batter in the 5th.

Game: 24-RU

Aces sit in 4^th place

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Three University of Evansville women’s golfers are in the top 18 as the Purple Aces completed the opening round of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at Sevierville Golf Club.

Leading the way for UE was Kayla Katterhenry, who notched a 2-over 73.  Her score has her in fourth place, just one stroke behind a 3-way tie for the lead..

Maggie Camp is tied for 11^th place on the leaderboard.  She carded a 79 and is just one outside of the top ten.  Giulia Mallmann also had a nice start to the event.  Her round of 81 put her in a tie for 18^th place with two rounds to go.

Lexie Sollman recorded an 85 to sit in a tie for 34nd while Madison Chaney is in 36^th with her score of 87.

The Aces sit in fourth place on the charts with a 318 and are one behind Belmont, who is third.  Lee University saw each of its starting five register a 79 or lower as they lead with a 304.  Tennessee Tech is five behind with a 309.  Three players pace the individuals with scores of 72.

Two more rounds of play are on tap as the tournament continues on Monday morning.

Aces sit in 5^th place

 SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Tyler Gray and Wil Pahud paced the University of Evansville men’s golf team in Sunday’s opening round of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at Sevierville Golf Club.

Gray fired off an even 72 and is tied for 4^th place.  Leading the individuals is Dalton Reese of Carson Newman as he recorded a 4-under 68.  Two are tied for second with a 71 with Gray tied for 4^th, one off of second place.

Next up for UE was Pahud.  He carded a 74 and ranks in a tie for 12^th place heading into the second round.  Jon Pick is third for UE as his 4-over 76 has him tied for 26^th.  One behind Pick is Zac Turi.  A solid round of 77 is good for a tie for 31^st.  Matthew Ladd rounds out the squad with a 79.  Seeing time as an individual, Noah Reese posted an 80.

Carson-Newman has three players ranked in the top ten as they lead the team list with a 287, one under par for the day.  They are six ahead of Lincoln Memorial.  Positions 3 through 6 are separated by just four strokes.  Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech sit in third and fourth, respectively, with scores of 297 and 298.  Evansville rounds out the top five with a 299 while Belmont is sixth with a 301.

Two more rounds of play are on tap as the tournament continues on Monday morning.