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.â€
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.
