Aces and Sycamores to play a single game
 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In the first of three regular-season games, the University of Evansville softball team travels to Indiana State on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. contest.
With an impressive 3-1 victory over Belmont on Sunday, the Purple Aces clinched the weekend series. The win saw UE even its season record at 17-17 while improving to 3-6 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
In a week that was highlighted by two home runs in Sunday’s doubleheader against Belmont, Jenna Nink batted .429 while picking up four RBI and three runs. Tuesday’s opener at Lindenwood saw her go 2-2 with two RBI, a run and walk. Nink added her second walk of the week in game two of the doubleheader against the Lions. After recording a double in Saturday’s series opener versus Belmont, Nink combined to go 3-for-6 in Sunday’s doubleheader. She opened with a 2-3 performance with a solo home run. Game two saw her go 1-3 with another home run as the Purple Aces clinched the weekend series.
The MVC ERA leader lowered her number even more with another exceptional week. Brenton pitched a total of 13 1/3 innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out 15 batters. She recorded a win and save over the course of the week. She made the start in the second game at Lindenwood and allowed one run on two hits in four innings. Saturday’s series opener against Belmont saw her throw six scoreless frames of relief as the Purple Aces rallied to take the win. She gave up just three hits while striking out nine. Brenton recorded a strikeout in the lone batter she faced in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader before throwing three more innings of scoreless relief. She struck out four batters while allowing one hit on the way to her third save of the season.
Jess Willsey batted .294 while registering four runs and three RBI over a 5-game week for the Purple Aces. Her top performance came in game one of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Lindenwood as she went 3-5 with three runs scored while adding an RBI and triple. The second contest on Tuesday saw her go 1-3 with a home run. In game two of Sunday’s doubleheader versus Belmont, Willsey went 1-3 with an RBI as the Aces clinched the weekend series.
Entering the weekend series against Belmont, Marah Wood was hitting .202 with one home run and 11 RBI. Saturday’s contest against the Bruins featured a 3-4 performance with two RBI, two doubles, a run, walk and stolen base. Wood hit her second home run of the season in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader while picking up two more RBI. In the finale, she earned another hit and walk as she raised her batting average by 27 points with a 5-for-11 weekend.
Indiana State holds an identical 17-17 record while going 6-3 in the Valley. Over the weekend, the Sycamores dropped all three games of their series at Southern Illinois.
