Softball splits Saturday contests
UE defeats UT Martin before falling to Tennessee Tech
GREENVILLE, S.C. – In the second day of the Paladin Invitational, the University of Evansville softball team split a pair of contests. After rallying to defeat UT Martin by a final of 9-6 to open the day, the Purple Aces fell to Tennessee Tech by a score of 2-0.
Game 1 – UE 9, UT Martin 6
Scoring four runs in the top of the seventh, Evansville rallied to open the day with a win over UT Martin. After the Skyhawks scored twice in the bottom of the first half, UE knotted the score in the top of the second. Callie Meinel’s third home run in two days knotted the score with Taylor Howe also scoring on the play.
In the third, the Aces doubled up UTM at 4-2 as Eliza Piggott and Jess Willsey hit 2-out solo shots. The next two innings belonged to UT Martin. After retaking the lead with three runs in the fourth, the Skyhawks tacked on a single run in the bottom half of the fifth to go up 6-4.
Evansville cut the deficit to one in the sixth when Willsey crossed the plate on a single by Howe. Down to the final three outs, the Aces staged a rally in the 7th. With one out, Brooke Voss homered to right center to score Keghan Pye and put UE back on top. With two outs, a 2-RBI single from Howe added some insurance as UE went up 9-6.
Gracie Hollingsworth entered the circle looking to finish off the game. Just one runner reached on an error with UE taking the win. Kate Ridgway was credited with the win. She threw two innings of relief with one unearned run scoring while Hollingsworth earned the save. Elle Jarrett made the start and threw four innings with five runs, three earned, scoring on five hits.
Howe went 3-4 with three RBI and a run while Willsey scored three times. Piggott added a pair of hits.
Game 2 – Tennessee Tech 2, UE 0
Despite outhitting Tennessee Tech by a 7-5 margin, the Purple Aces dropped the second contest of the day by a final tally of 2-0.
Brooke Voss recorded Evansville’s first hit of the game in the first, but it was the Golden Eagles who plated the first run with a single score in the second before adding a second run in the third.
Evansville looked to break through in the bottom of the second, stranding the bases loaded. Jess Willsey and Callie Meinel both recorded a single while Morgan Adams reached on a walk before TTU was able to get out of the jam.
Willsey picked up her second hit of the game, picking up a leadoff double in the fourth before three quick outs ended the threat. UE left two runners on base in both the 5th and 6th frames before looking make a final rally in the 7th. Kynadee Warner reached on a leadoff single, however, the momentum was halted as the Golden Eagles recorded the final three outs to take the 2-0 win.
Cassidy Gall made her first collegiate start and gave up two runs on four hits in four innings of work. Sydney Weatherford tossed the final three frames and allowed just one hit. UE completes the Paladin Invitational on Sunday against Tennessee Tech and Furman.
-www.GoPurpleAces.com-
