Aces face Miami Ohio in weekend finale
ELON, N.C. – Day two of the Elon Softball Classic saw the University of Evansville softball team put up a fight in a pair of games against Kent State and Elon.
Game 1 – Kent State 5, UE 4
Evansville had the upper hand in the early innings posting single runs in the second through fourth innings. Brooke Voss and Alexa Davis singled to lead off the frame with both advancing on a sacrifice from Hannah Hood. Taylor Howe followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Voss for the first run of the game.
Marah Wood led off the third with a solo homer to double the lead before Alexa Davis made it a 3-0 game in the top half of the fourth. She hit a 1-out triple before scoring on a wild pitch. After building the advantage, UE saw the tides turn in an instance. In the bottom of the fourth, KSU plated three runs with Megan Claerhout notching a 2-run single to tie the game. The Golden Flashes added another run to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth.
It was Davis picking up the tying hit in the sixth. Her 2-out single plated Jenna Nink, who doubled earlier in the inning. Things remained tied until the bottom of the 7th. An RBI single with two outs sealed the win for Kent State.
KSU had 10 hits in the game with Emily Lippe posting three. Davis was a perfect 3-for-3 for the Aces as they tallied eight hits in the contest. Elle Jarrett made the start, allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings. Megan Brenton suffered the loss, giving up two runs in 3 1/3 frames. Megan Nuechterlein earned the win, allowing one run on three hits in the final three innings.
Game 2 – Elon 5, UE 4
Just as they had done in Saturday’s opener, Evansville grabbed the early lead. A single from Wood and walks from Zoe Frossard and Brooke Voss loaded the bases for Jess Willsey, who singled to right to open the scoring.
Frossard doubled the lead in the second, singling down the left field line to bring in Keghan Pye, who walked with one out. Elon posted single runs in the bottom of the second and third and the game remained tied until the top of the 6th. Voss came through with a 2-out RBI single to put UE back in front.
That lead was short-lived as the Phoenix countered with a run in the bottom of the frame. The game went into extra innings with UE breaking through first. In the top half of the 8th, Frossard hit a sacrifice fly to score Hannah Hood. Unfortunately, Elon came back once again as a Allee Seering 2-run home run clinched a 5-4 win for the Phoenix. Seering had three of Elon’s seven hits while Wood, Frossard and Jess Willsey registered two hits apiece for Evansville.
Mikayla Jolly made the start, tossing six innings with three runs, two earned, crossing the plate. Gracie Hollingsworth threw the final frame and suffered the loss. McKenna McCard picked up the win, throwing a scoreless 2/3 of an inning.
The Aces wrap up the opening weekend on Sunday with an 11 a.m. CT game versus Miami Ohio.
