UE softball takes home opener by 11-0 final

Aces put together complete effort

 

A 10-run third inning propelled the University of Evansville softball team to an 11-0 win over Purdue Fort Wayne in Tuesday’s home opener at Cooper Stadium.

Already up 1-0, the Purple Aces sent 14 runners to the plate while scoring 10 runs.  UE posted seven hits in the inning while walking four times.  Overall – UE notched 11 runs on nine hits in the contest while garnering six bases on balls.

“This was a great team effort today.  In the circle, our pitchers did a great job of keeping the Purdue Fort Wayne batters off balance,” Aces head softball coach Mat Mundell said.  “Offensively, we were able to get the job done with runners in scoring position; we had some timely hitting while showing patience in earning walks.  Overall, it was a great way to open our home schedule.”

Evansville scored the first run of the game in the first when Haley Woolf crossed the plate on an error by the Mastodons.  Woolf drew a 2-out walk to bring Alyssa Barela to the plate.  She hit a bloop single to center and Woolf scored from first on an error in the outfield.  Katie McLean would add another walk in the frame, but PFW was able to get out of the jam.

Purdue Fort Wayne threatened in the first two innings, earning a total of four walks, but could not push the runners over.  In the bottom of the third, UE took advantage, plating 10 runs.  Jessica Fehr and Eryn Gould led the frame off with back-to-back doubles.  With one out, the offense continued to run at an elite level.

Following a single by Barela, McLean walked for the second time in the game to load the bases.  UE’s offense saw seven batters in a row come through with either a single or walk with the bases loaded.  Pinch hitter Jenna Lis got it started with a single to right before Lindsay Renneisen got on with a 4-pitch walk.  Toni Galas singled to third before Kat Mueller earned the free pass to bring home another.

Jessica Fehr picked up her second hit of the inning, singling to third base.  Renneisen slid under the tag at home to extend the lead.  Following a walk by Gould, Haley Woolf hit a bases clearing double that capped off the inning.  Emily Lockhart came into the game in the fourth and sat the Mastodons down in order, tossing two scoreless frames and striking out five.  Evansville took the 5-inning win by a final of 11-0.

Izzy Vetter made the start for UE and threw three hitless innings.  She struck out six batters on the way to her fourth win of the season.

Missouri Valley Conference play opens this weekend when the Aces welcome UNI to Cooper Stadium.  The teams take to the field for a noon doubleheader on Saturday before playin