WINTER HAVEN, Fla.—University of Southern Indiana Softball suffered a pair of setbacks Saturday at The Spring Games. The Screaming Eagles fell, 4-3, in eight innings to Winona State University in their opener before losing to No. 17 Minnesota State University-Mankato, 2-0, in their second game.
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USI (12-8) jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Winona State when junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) hit a two-out, solo home run in the top of the first inning.
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Winona State (11-3) quickly responded with a 2-1 shot in the bottom of the first and the two teams remained scoreless throughout the next five innings; until freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) hit a two-run shot in the top of the seventh inning to give the Eagles a brief 3-2 lead.
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The Warriors, however, rallied to tie the game at 3-3 and force extra innings with a tally in the bottom of the seventh. Winona State took advantage of the international tie-breaker rule to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
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Senior pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up the game-winning run. Duncan (2-4), who also was charged with the loss against Minnesota State, took over in the circle for Gotshall, who allowed three runs off seven hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.
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Minnesota State (7-4) hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Eagles. The Mavericks tacked on another tally in the fourth inning to build a 2-0 advantage.
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USI, meanwhile, had runners and first and second base three times, but could not push a runner past second base in all three cases as it suffered its first shutout of the season.
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Despite getting the loss, Duncan was strong in the circle for the Eagles, giving up the two runs, just one earned, off three hits in 3 2/3 innings of work. Freshman Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) also was strong in the circle as she held the Mavericks to just three hits while record six strikeouts in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
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USI returns to action Monday at 2:45 p.m. (CST) when it takes on Lynn University. The Eagles also play Ferris State University Monday at 5 p.m. before finishing The Spring Games Tuesday with games against No. 7 Grand Valley State University (9 a.m.) and Ashland University (11:15 a.m.).
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USI (12-8) jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Winona State when junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) hit a two-out, solo home run in the top of the first inning.
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Winona State (11-3) quickly responded with a 2-1 shot in the bottom of the first and the two teams remained scoreless throughout the next five innings; until freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) hit a two-run shot in the top of the seventh inning to give the Eagles a brief 3-2 lead.
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The Warriors, however, rallied to tie the game at 3-3 and force extra innings with a tally in the bottom of the seventh. Winona State took advantage of the international tie-breaker rule to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
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Senior pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up the game-winning run. Duncan (2-4), who also was charged with the loss against Minnesota State, took over in the circle for Gotshall, who allowed three runs off seven hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.
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Minnesota State (7-4) hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Eagles. The Mavericks tacked on another tally in the fourth inning to build a 2-0 advantage.
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USI, meanwhile, had runners and first and second base three times, but could not push a runner past second base in all three cases as it suffered its first shutout of the season.
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Despite getting the loss, Duncan was strong in the circle for the Eagles, giving up the two runs, just one earned, off three hits in 3 2/3 innings of work. Freshman Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) also was strong in the circle as she held the Mavericks to just three hits while record six strikeouts in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
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USI returns to action Monday at 2:45 p.m. (CST) when it takes on Lynn University. The Eagles also play Ferris State University Monday at 5 p.m. before finishing The Spring Games Tuesday with games against No. 7 Grand Valley State University (9 a.m.) and Ashland University (11:15 a.m.).
