UE travels to Cincinnati on March 3

CHICAGO – A battle that went down to the wire saw UIC earn a 4-3 win over the University of Evansville women’s tennis team on Sunday morning at Evergreen Racquet and Fitness.

“This was a close match and it came down to a third set at #5 singles to decide it,” Purple Aces coach Jayson Wiseman said.  “I’m very proud of how hard we played all weekend, it’s just frustrating to give such a fantastic effort and all lose both matches on the weekend.”

Evansville picked up the opening point in doubles with Theodora Soldatou and Chicko Yamada earning a 6-3 win over Melika Leblanc and Rachel Le Comber at flight one.  Diana Tkachenko and Nicoli Pereira were victorious at #3 doubles, defeating Georgia Sanders and Stefana Vasic, 6-4.

Tkachenko made the start at top singles and won the decision over Oana Manole, 6-1, 6-1.  Daria Pentsova was victorious at #4 singles as she topped Bianca Zuzu, 6-4, 6-7 (0-3), 6-0.  The biggest battle of the day was in flight five as Miranda Rodriguez got past Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.

The Aces are back in action on March 3 at the University of Cincinnati.

University of Southern Indiana Softball settled for a split on the final day of the Midwest Region Crossover. The Screaming Eagles opened the day with an 11-1, five-inning victory over Hillsdale College, but fell to Saginaw Valley State University, 4-3.

Senior catcher Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) and junior outfielder Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) each had four hits and a .667 batting average on the day to lead the Eagles, offensively.

Sophomore outfielder Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) and sophomore second baseman Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) had four and three RBIs, respectively, as USI ended the weekend with a 7-1 record.

Southern Indiana (7-1): 11, Hillsdale (3-5): 1

USI broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when Hodges and senior shortstop Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana) hit back-to-back solo home runs to kick-start an eight-run inning for the Eagles in their 11-1, five-inning win over Hillsdale.

Johnson’s two-run single later in the frame put the Eagles up, 4-0, while Clark-Kittleson’s RBI-single in the next at-bat put USI up 5-0. Bradley followed with a two-run single, while junior Alex Logan (Carleton, Michigan) wrapped up the inning with a pinch-hit, RBI-double.

Sophomore pitcher Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) saw her bid for a no-hitter end in the fourth inning as Hillsdale’s Haley Lawrence homered to centerfield. Atkisson (3-0) earned the win after allowing the one run off one hit.

USI answered Hillsdale’s tally in the bottom of the fourth as Bradley had a two-run double to put the Eagles up, 10-1. The Eagles took advantage of an error to cap off the three-run fourth inning as they went onto the five-inning victory.

Saginaw Valley State (6-5): 4, Southern Indiana: 3

Despite getting solo home runs from Johnson and junior first baseman Marleah Fossett (Brownsburg, Indiana), the Eagles suffered their first setback of the season as Saginaw Valley State won, 4-3, on a walk-off passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning.

USI took a 1-0 lead on Fossett’s solo shot in the top of the second inning. Junior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) doubled in the next at-bat and scored two batters later on a throwing error to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Saginaw Valley State (6-5) cut the Eagles’ lead in half with a two-out hit in the bottom of the second inning, while a two-run home run with two outs in the fourth inning put the Cardinals up, 3-2.

Johnson’s solo home run in the fifth inning tied the contest at 3-3, but the Eagles failed to push a run across the plate in the sixth inning despite having runners at first and second with one out.

The Cardinals got a leadoff single from shortstop Meredith Rousse in the seventh. Rousse advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third when Clark-Kittleson robbed third baseman Courtney Reeves of a home run.

Rousse eventually scored on a passed ball in the next at-bat to give the Cardinals the 4-3 victory.

USI returns to action March 4-10 when it travels to Clermont, Florida, to take part in The Spring Games.

Aces are the 8^th seed

 

1. ST. LOUIS– For the fifth time in six years, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will face its final regular season opponent at Arch Madness as the Purple Aces will face Indiana State on Thursday.

Evansville clinched the #8 seed and will face the 9^th-seeded Sycamores at 6 p.m. Thursday on the Missouri Valley Conference TV Network.  It is also the second year in a row that UE will face Indiana State in the MVC Tournament.  Last year, the Aces earned a 68-42 victory over ISU in the semifinals.

The squads split a pair of meetings this season with the games being decided by just three points.  Indiana State took an 85-84 overtime win in Terre Haute on February 1 while Evansville held strong on its home court on Saturday, hanging on for a 65-63 win.

This year’s tournament is the second time the Aces have drawn the #8 seed.  In 2007, UE faced #9 Drake, falling by a final of 82-68.  Evansville and Indiana State have met four times in Arch Madness with the teams splitting the four games.

The 34^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s tennis team picked up its third win of its road trip, defeating West Virginia Wesleyan 5-0 Sunday morning in Morgantown, West Virginia.

USI (7-4) started the day with a 8-3 win at number one doubles by sophomore James Hardiman (Backwell Bristol, United Kingdom) and freshman Denis Davydov (Chorvatsky Grob, Slovakia). Sophomore Andrew Dones (Georgetown, Indiana) and sophomore Ilia Karelin (Ekaterinburg, Russia) picked up the win at number three doubles, 8-6. Finishing off doubles with a 9-8 (6) win were senior Aaron Barris (Marietta, Georgia) and junior Samuel Kiladejo (London, England).

Hardiman tallied a win at number one singles, 6-3, 6-3, and Barris notched a 6-0, 6-4 victory at number four. The other four singles matches were not finished.

USI returns to the court on March 8 when they play Georgia College at 1:30 p.m. (CST) in Milledgeville, Georgia.

University of Southern Indiana Men’s Track & Field earned three individual titles at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championships over the weekend. The Screaming Eagles scored eight times at the event, which was hosted by the University of Indianapolis, en route to a seventh-place finish.

After setting the GLVC record at the indoor meet a year ago, the Screaming Eagles broke their own GLVC record taking the title in the distance medley relay Saturday evening. Junior Bastian Grau (Höchstadt, Germany), sophomore Tyler Kruse (Fort Branch, Indiana), Javan Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee), and Chase Broughton (Marengo, Indiana) teamed up to finish in nine minutes, 58.22 seconds.

Grau and Broughton both went on to earn individual victories on Sunday afternoon in the mile and 3,000-meters, respectively. Grau, already holding a provisional in the mile, paced the field with a finishing time of 4:13.94. Broughton, also holding a provisional in the 3,000-meters, won the event with a time of 8:32.38.

Two more scored for the Eagles in the final distance event. Senior Noah Lutz (Evansville, Indiana) earned his first NCAA II provisional time of the year with a finish of 14:52.27 in the 5,000-meters. The time was good enough for third while junior James Cecil (Owensboro, Kentucky) also scored, finishing seventh. Freshman Austin Nolan (Evansville, Indiana) finished tenth in the event.

Sophomore Tyler Kruse (Fort Branch, Indiana) scored in the 800-meter run taking the eighth spot. Kruse finished in 1:57.58, while fellow sophomore Almustapha Silvester (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a career-best time in the event of 1:58.29 to finish 10^th.

USI competed in the 4×400-meter relay for the first time this year with the team of Kruse, Grau, Silvester, and Broughton. A time of 3:29,20 earned the team a seventh-place finish.

Senior Jalen Madison (Washington, Indiana) was the top thrower finishing ninth in the weight throw. His second best toss of the year, Madison best throw landed at 51 feet, 3.00 inches.

Lewis University earned the team crown for the fourth-consecutive season with a total of 115 points. The University of Indianapolis and Missouri University of Science & Technology finished second and third with 94 and 92 points, respectively. USI fell 21 points shy of sixth-place, Saint Joseph’s College.

The Eagles will have to wait to find out who advances to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, which are March 10-11 in Birmingham, Alabama. USI has earned NCAA II provisional times in 4 separate events, including Broughton and Grau in the mile and 3,000-meters, Lutz in the 5,000-meters, and the distance medley relay team.

Aces head to UIC on Sunday

In their first match of the weekend, the University of Evansville women’s tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to the University of Iowa.

Earning the point for UE once again was freshman Diana Tkachenko, who topped Zoe Douglas at #2 singles, 6-7, 6-3, 10-5.  Tkachenko and teammate Nicoli Pereira played well at #2 doubles as they were tied 3-3 in an unfinished match against the Hawkeye’s Kristen Thoms and Adorabol Huckleby.

Chieko Yamada put up a fight at top singles, falling to Elise Van Heuvelen, 6-3, 6-0.  Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga saw action at 5^th flight singles, falling to Huckleby, 6-1, 6-4.  Full results are below.

Evansville will next travel to UIC for a Sunday morning match-up at 10 a.m.

Tennis Match Results

University of Evansville vs Iowa Hawkeyes

Feb 25, 2017 at

Iowa Hawkeyes 6, University of Evansville 1

Singles competition

1. Elise Van Heuvelen (IOWA) def. Chieko Yamada (UE) 6-3, 6-0
2. Diana Tkachenko (UE) def. Zoe Douglas (IOWA) 6-7, 6-3, 10-5
3. Anastasia Reimchen (IOWA) def. Nicoli Pereira (UE) 6-0, 6-0
4. Kristen Thoms (IOWA) def. Daria Pentsova (UE) 6-0, 6-3
5. Adorabol Huckleby (IOWA) def. Andrea Pascual-Larri (UE) 6-1, 6-4
6. Aimee Tarun (IOWA) def. Andjela Brguljan (UE) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Elise Van Heuvelen/Zoe Douglas (IOWA) def. Andjela Brguljan/Daria Pentsova (UE) 6-1
2. Kristen Thoms/Adorabol Huckleby (IOWA) vs. Diana Tkachenko/Nicoli Pereira (UE) 3-3, unfinished
3. Aimee Tarun/Natalie Looney (IOWA) def. Andrea Pascual-Larri/Chieko Yamada (UE) 6-2

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball racked up another 21 runs Saturday as it defeated Northwood University, 13-11, and Ohio Dominican University, 8-1, on day 2 of the Midwest Region Crossover at Deaconess Sports Park.

The Screaming Eagles (6-0) had a combined 23 hits, led by sophomore utility player Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana). Bradley had four hits and scored four runs, earned the save in the opening game, and had the complete-game victory in the nightcap.

Southern Indiana (6-0): 13, Northwood (1-2): 11

USI scored three runs in both the second and third innings and tacked on two more in the top of the fourth for an 8-0 lead; but a seven-run fourth inning for Northwood left the Eagles feeling uneasy heading into the final three frames.

The Eagles responded in the fifth inning as senior catcher Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) and senior shortstop Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana) had RBIs to increase USI’s lead to 10-7.

USI added three more runs in the sixth as sophomore second baseman Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) scored on a wild pitch, while Reese and junior outfielder Shelby Tate (Mattoon, Illinois) each had RBIs to put the Eagles up 13-7.

Northwood (1-2) hit its second grand slam of the game in the sixth inning to cut the Eagles’ advantage to two runs; but Bradley came on in seventh to close the door on the Timberwolves’ rally.

Earlier in the game Johnson had a two-run triple in the third inning, while Hodges had a two-run home run in the fourth. Junior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) also had a run-scoring double in the third inning.

Freshman pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) came on in relief to earn her third win of the year.

Southern Indiana: 8, Ohio Dominican (3-6): 1

The Eagles scored once in the top of the first and twice in both the second and third innings before a three-run fourth frame broke the game wide open.

Senior outfielder Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) hit a two-run home run to put the Eagles up, 3-0, in the second inning. Clark followed Fulton’s sacrifice fly in the third inning with an RBI-groundout as the Eagles went up, 5-0.

In the fourth, Reese and Johnson sandwiched RBIs around a pinch-hit, RBI-single by junior Alex Logan (Carleton, Michigan) as USI extended its advantage to 8-0.

Bradley’s bid for a no-hitter was broken up in the fifth inning as Ohio Dominican pitcher/infielder Casey Murdoch’s double led to a tally, which extended the contest for the Panthers.

Bradley (1-0) had six strikeouts and no walks as she scattered five hits throughout the final three innings of the game to earn the decision in her first start of the year.

USI concludes the Midwest Region Crossover Sunday when it takes on Hillsdale College at 10 a.m. and Saginaw Valley State University at noon.

Southern Indiana 13, Northwood 11 (Feb 25, 2017 at Evansville, IN)

———————————————————————-

Southern Indiana…. 033 223 0 – 13 14  2      (5-0)

Northwood……….. 000 704 0 – 11  6  3      (1-2)

———————————————————————-

Pitchers: 

Southern Indiana – Atkisson,Courtney; Leonhardt, Jennifer(4); Bradley, Caitlyn(7) and

Hodges, Haley.

Northwood – Taylor Wright; Makenzie Norton(3); Marissa Tiano(5); Lexie Rabidue(6)

and Riley Ostapowicz.

Win-Leonhardt, Jennifer(3-0)  Save-Bradley, Caitlyn(1)  Loss-Taylor Wright(1-1)  T-2:34  A-77

HR USI – Hodges, Haley (1).

HR NU – Riley Ostapowicz; Sydni Pauley 2.

Weather: Cold & windy

Atkisson, C. faced 5 batters in the 4th.

Tiano faced 4 batters in the 6th.

Game: 5-CROSS

Southern Indiana 8, Ohio Dominican 1 (Feb 25, 2017 at Evansville, IN)

———————————————————————-

Southern Indiana…. 122 300 0 -  8  9  2      (6-0)

Ohio Dominican…… 000 010 0 -  1  5  3      (3-6)

———————————————————————-

Pitchers: 

Southern Indiana – Bradley, Caitlyn and Hodges, Haley.

Ohio Dominican – Bailey Miller; Casey Murdoch(4) and Kelly Wallace.

Win-Bradley, Caitlyn(1-0)  Loss-Bailey Miller(0-1)  T-1:52  A-77

HR USI – Clark, Grace (2).

Weather: Sunny, cold, & windy

Game: 6-CROSS

Aces travel to Oklahoma next week

 Morgan Lambert notched five RBIs, including a grand slam, as the University of Evansville softball team swept both ends of a doubleheader at Tennessee State on Saturday.  The Purple Aces took game one by a final of 8-1 before winning the second one, 9-4.

“I thought our defense played well in both games and our bats came alive today, which we have been waiting on,” UE head coach Mat Mundell said.  “We got some great base running, which really helped some of our scoring efforts.”

With the sweep, the Aces improve their season record to 4-5.  Lambert led the way with four hits in nine at-bats on the day.  Morgan Florey pitched a complete game in the first contest and hit .600 on the day with three hits in five trips to the plate.

Tennessee State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning and held that advantage until the top of the sixth.  That is when the Aces got rolling.  Michal Luckett and Brittany Hay each drew one-out walks.  A single by Chandra Parr loaded up the bases to bring up Morgan Lambert, who came through with a grand slam to left center.  It was the first homer for the Aces this year.

Four more runs crossed the plate in the seventh for the Aces as Hayli Scott singled to right to bring two runs home before Tess Hupe stole home.  Later, Hay hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring home Michal Luckett.  Morgan Florey threw a complete game in the circle striking out 8 batters while allowing three hits.  Lambert led the way with four RBI while Scott had two.  Luckett paced UE with two runs scored.

In game two, it was the Aces who struck first as Tess Hupe and Courtney Land scored on a TSU error.  The duo struck again in the fifth as Land hit a sacrifice bunt to plate Ashlee Kawall.  Hupe later hit an RBI single to left, which sent McKenzie Johnson home.

The bottom half of the fifth saw Tennessee State rally back to tie it up as Reese Weber had an RBI double and Patton Akers draw a bases loaded walk as the Tigers scored four runs.

Evansville broke the tie in the top of the sixth as Chandra Parr hit a home run to center.  Two batters later, Florey drove in the second run of the frame as her double to right center brought home Lambert.  Florey would score the third run of the inning when McKenzie Johnson hit a sac fly to center.  Two more runs scored in the seventh as the Aces had their top offensive game, winning by a final of 9-4 while mustering up 14 hits.

Ashleigh Downing made the start in game two, going three innings while giving up two hits.  Emily Lockhart went two frames before Florey pitched the final two.  Lockhart was credited with the win while Florey notched the save.

Next weekend, UE heads to Norman, Okla. for the Courtyard Marriott Tournament Friday through Sunday.

The University of Southern Indiana baseball team got back in the win column with an 8-2 victory over Notre Dame College (Ohio) Saturday afternoon in game four of the Dunn Hospitality Invitational. USI is 2-3 to start the spring, while NDC goes to 1-3 in 2017.

The Screaming Eagles jumped out in front with a four-run second inning. Senior rightfielder Cody Montgomery (Shepherdsville, Kentucky) started the scoring with a swinging-bunt RBI-single to score junior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) for the 1-0 lead.

USI junior second baseman Joe Redburn (Newburgh, Indiana) followed with a two RBI-double to left, while junior centerfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) finished the four-run frame with an RBI-single and the 4-0 lead. The Eagles would extend the lead to 5-0 in the fifth when junior shortstop Angel Torres (Puerto Rico) scored on a wild pitch after tripling with one out.

After Notre Dame cut the lead to 5-2 in the sixth, USI sealed the game with a three-run eighth inning for the 8-2 final. The three-run outburst in the eighth was highlighted by the two-run double by junior first baseman Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) with one out.

On the mound, senior right-hander Colin Nowak (Carol Stream, Illinois) posted his first win of the season. Nowak allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and three walks, while striking out four in six innings of work.

Freshman right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana), senior right-hander Mike Ringer (Springfield, Illinois), and senior right-hander Justin Watts (Bryan, Ohio) finished the game on the mound for the Eagles, each throwing a scoreless inning.

The Eagles returns to the road next week when they travel to Trevecca Nazarene University for a three-game series March 3-4. Game time Friday in Nashville is 6 p.m., while the Saturday doubleheader is set of 4:30 p.m.