 Aces look for series sweep on Sunday
DES MOINES, Iowa – Sophomore Morgan Florey hit two home runs from the plate and threw a complete game in the circle as the University of Evansville softball team swept a Saturday doubleheader at Drake. Ashleigh Downing tossed a complete game 1-hitter while Brittany Hay was 5-for-7 from the plate on the day while scoring six runs.
“We got some stellar pitching today in both games,†Purple Aces head coach Mat Mundell said. “We have worked hard all week on our hitting approach and it really paid off today. When this team puts it all together, look out!
Game one saw Evansville (15-20, 6-5 MVC) earn an 8-2 win over Drake (19-18, 3-8 MVC) before taking a 5-inning 10-0 victory in the second contest.
Florey was back in the circle for the Aces in game one and went the distance once again, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits and a walk while striking out 8 Bulldog batters. UE got off to a quick start as Brittany Hay led the day off with a single before Florey opened up the scoring with a long homer to left as the Aces took a 2-0 lead.
Drake knotted it up with two runs in the second, but the Aces went right back in front in the top half of the third. It was Hay leading it off with another hit, this one a double to center. She would later score on a Hayli Scott base knock. Two runs scored in both the 4th and 6th innings. Bailee Bostic had an RBI hit in the fourth while Tess Hupe scored on a wild pitch and Scott had another RBI in the sixth. Some insurance was added in the seventh as Chandra Parr came home on an error to make it the final of 8-2.
Hay was 3-4 in the game while scoring three times. Michal Luckett and Hupe notched two hits apiece as UE outhit the Bulldogs, 12-3.
The offense was cranking in game one and saw that continue into the second matchup as UE plated 10 runs. Morgan Lambert got it started with a solo home run in the second inning before four runs would score in the third. Ashlee Kawall hit a 2-run single in the frame and would score a run herself on Florey’s second home run of the doubleheader later in the inning.
Three more were added to the scoreboard in the next inning. With one out, Hupe singled to left and came home when the next batter – Brittany Hay – doubled to center. Hay would later score on an error before the third run of the inning came home on a Lambert single.
Evansville wrapped up the scoring in the fifth as Hay came through once again. A 2-run home run to center field capped off a doubleheader sweep for the Purple Aces.
Another great offense game saw Hay go 2-3 with three runs and three RBI in the game while Lambert also had herself a 3-hit game. Evansville mustered up 10 hits while holding DU to one. In the circle, Ashleigh Downing had another great outing, giving up just one hit and no walks in five innings of work
