UE falls in both contests

 PEORIA, Ill. – A long day on the field that included a 12-inning marathon saw the University of Evansville softball team drop both games to Bradley at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

Game 1 – Bradley 10, UE 9 (12 innings)

In a back-and-forth contest that saw multiple rallies by each team, it was Bradley who had the final one as they took a 10-9 win in 12 innings to open the series.  Things remained scoreless through 5 ½ innings before the game took a turn in the bottom of the sixth.

Before that time, UE had multiple opportunities to get on the board.  The Purple Aces put two runners on in three of the first five innings while Miriah Powell had the first hit of the game for UE in the second.  Evansville pitcher Gracie Hollingsworth kept the Braves scoreless through the first five innings, but they broke through with three runs in the sixth.

Down to its final three outs, UE erupted for seven runs in the top of the 7^th to go up 7-3.  Taylor Howe and Morgan Adams each walked while Niki Bode added a hit to load the bases with no outs.  Howe and Bode would score when Eliza Piggott hit into a fielder’s choice that resulted in a Bradley error.  Jess Willsey came to the plate and delivered a 3-run home run that gave the Aces their first advantage of the game.

Evansville continued to apply the pressure in the inning as Howe added a 2-run single that extended the lead to 7-3.  In the bottom of the frame, Bradley staged a rally of its own, scoring four times to send the game into extra innings.  Cassidy Gall entered the contest in the 8^th and kept her team in the game as the teams battled to the 12^th inning.

Powell delivered an RBI single while Abby Bode hit a sac fly that gave the Aces a 9-7 lead.  Once again, Bradley would storm back.  The first four batters reached to cut the deficit to one.  Hollingsworth re-entered the game and picked up two quick outs, but an error and single would give the Braves the victory.

Niki Bode had three of UE’s 12 hits in the game while Howe and Powell recorded two apiece.  Willsey led the way with three RBI.

Game 2 – Bradley 10, UE 6

Evansville took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth before the Braves scored nine times on their way to a 10-6 win in game two.

Kynadee Warner led the top of the third off with a walk before stealing second.  She would cross the plate on Morgan Adams’ 2-out single.  Zoe Frossard added a sacrifice fly in the fourth that pushed lead to 2-0.

Jess Willsey continued her strong doubleheader with a 2-run double in the fifth.  Eliza Piggott and Adams scored on the play to double the lead at 4-0.  In the bottom of the inning, the Braves rallied with nine runs to take a 9-4 lead.

Despite the deficit, the Aces did not give up.  Two bases-loaded walks made it a 9-6 game in favor of the Braves heading into the bottom of the 6^th.  A solo home run pushed the BU lead to 10-6 and that would be the final.  UE had two hits in the game with Willsey and Adams picking those up.  The Aces accumulated 11 walks with Frossard and Bode registering two apiece.

Sunday’s series finale is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball pounded out 17 hits in winning the series opener with Eastern Illinois University, 13-6, Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which has won three-straight games, is 20-22 overall and 9-7 in the OVC, while EIU is 21-18, 9-6 OVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles spotted the Panthers leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before using a three-run fourth inning to tie the game, 4-4. Junior shortstop Clayton Slack drove in the first two runs of the frame with a single to right center, while sophomore second baseman Parker Martin drove in the tying run with a double to left center.
 
USI would take its first lead of the game, 6-4, in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI-groundout by junior designated hitter Charlie Marisca and an RBI single up the middle by junior leftfielder Hunter Miller. The Eagles would carry the two-run advantage into the sixth when they increased the margin to 7-4 when Martin scored on an RBI ground out by senior centerfielder Khi Holiday.
 
After the Panthers closed the gap to 7-5 in the top of the seventh, the Eagles pushed the lead back to 8-5 when Miller struck again with an RBI double to right center in the bottom half of the frame. USI sealed the victory with another five runs in the bottom of the eighth for the 13-6 victory.
 
Martin, Miller, and sophomore Cameron Boyd led the Eagles in the victory with three hits each. Boyd, Miller, Marisca, and Slack also tied for the team lead with two RBIs apiece.
 
On the bump, USI junior right-hander Blake Kimball got back on track with his team-best fifth win of the year. Kimball, who won for the first time in three decisions, allowed four runs on nine hits and three walks. The junior right-hander also struck out a season-high six batters.
 

VINCENNES, Ind. – The four-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball program picked up another four-year signee earlier this week as All-Region 24 sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) signed her letter of intent to play next season at NAIA Oakland City University.

“I liked that Oakland City University was close to home, as well as that the coaching staff seemed like a good fit for me,” Mehringer said. “I met with some of the athletes, who were all very welcoming. My mom also played basketball at OCU and taught and coached there as well. So it felt like the right decision for me to make OCU my home for the rest of my college career.”

“I want to take a moment to talk about Libby’s offensive abilities, over her two years at VU she didn’t really have that many opportunities to attack that much but she was able to hit some both years due to injuries,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “She’s got the ability to fire the ball and put it away and she might get that opportunity at OCU. If they are able to run a six-two offense and give her a chance to hit, they will definitely not be sorry. She’s a left-handed hitter and like in most sports, but definitely volleyball, you just don’t see too many left-handed hitters.”

“She’s always had that hitting ability and when I was watching her in high school before bringing her here, that was one of the things that stood out,” Sien added. “In regards to her as a setter, she really has a good concept of the position. Her mindset and the choices that she makes and delivering the ball with accuracy, have certainly improved in her two years here. She’s got a really good understanding of who to set and where the hot hitter is and where they are at. She understands how to hold the middle blocker and she’s got good vision, she’s able to see the blocker and set away from them. She has all of those ideals and concepts of what a next level setter needs to run the type of offense that we typically have.”

“Even more importantly than her volleyball abilities, Libby has really grown these two years in being a really good teammate,” Sien said. “She has helped our other setters, especially Rylee Edwards. They both share the same major (Physical Therapy Assistant), so she was able to help Rylee on the court and academically. Oakland City is getting someone who is going to be very selfless, a real leader and someone who won’t hesitate to step up. I would like to think that anyone recruiting our athletes would get an exceptional person like that.”

Mehringer spent most of her sophomore seasons as the Trailblazers top setter and number one server.

Mehringer finished the season ranked 17th in the Nation with 829 set assists, while also finishing her sophomore campaign with 286 digs, 114 kills, second in the Nation with 91 aces and 27 blocks.

Mehringer had 20 matches this past season with 20 or more set assists, including six matches of 30 or more assists.