University of Southern Indiana Softball suffered a pair of losses on day two of The Cottrell Foundation Loyal Blue Classic Saturday. The No. 21 Screaming Eagles fell to No. 16 and tournament host University of North Georgia, 5-0, in its opening game before losing an 11-inning marathon to No. 8 West Chester University, 12-10.
The opening game was a rematch between two teams that squared off against each other in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA II Softball Championship, a game that saw the Eagles knock off the then-No. 1 Nighthawks, 1-0, en route to winning a national championship.
With the same two pitchers in the circle on Saturday, the first three innings looked as if fans would get the opportunity to see another pitcher’s duel as the two teams combined for just one hit and three base runners.
North Georgia (9-1), however, took advantage of a leadoff walk in the last half of the fourth inning as it scored two runs off two hits to break the scoreless tie. The Nighthawks erupted for three runs in the sixth inning to break the game wide open, essentially eliminating any chance of a USI comeback in the process.
Senior Kylie Smith, the two-time Division II Pitcher of the Year, held the Eagles’ hitters to just two hits on the afternoon as she picked up her third win of the year.
The loss went ot senior pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt, who surrendered five runs, four earned, off five hits in six innings of work. Leonhardt (1-2) also was charged with the loss in the nightcap after coming into the game in a relief appearance.
USI (2-2) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead, but West Chester (1-1) loaded the bases with no outs in the top half of the sixth inning. Leonhardt, who came into the circle after the Golden Rams had loaded the bases, could not get the Eagles out of the jam as West Chester scored three times to take an 8-6 advantage.
Sophomore pitcher/first baseman Katie Back, who began the game in the circle for the Eagles, cut USI’s deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI-single; while Leonhardt tied the game in the last half of the seventh with an RBI-single.
Neither team could put up runs in the eighth and ninth innings as the international tie breaker rule came into affect in the 10th inning. West Chester took advantage of the rule, which places a runner on second to begin the inning, as the Rams broke the 8-8 stalemate with a tally.
USI, though, responded in the home half of the 10th frame as junior outfield Alicia Webb hit an RBI-double to score Leonhardt, who was placed on second base to begin the Eagles’ at-bat.
Fatigue set in on Leonhardt in the 11th, however, as she surrendered three runs off a hit and two walks as West Chester grabbed the 12-9 advantage.
Freshman pitcher/infielder Allie Goodin, who was in the circle prior to Leonhardt, had an RBI-double in the last half of the 11th inning to cut into the Rams’ advantage. USI had the tying run on first base later in the inning, but could not push another runner across the plate.
Despite being charged with the loss, Leonhardt had a great day at the plate as she was 4-of-7 with a double and two RBIs. Goodin also had a solid game at the plate, going 3-of-5 with a double and an RBI, while senior outfielder Allison Schubert was 1-of-4 with a double and three RBIs.
Senior shortstop Taylor Ricketts, who had a triple, and freshman third baseman/outfielder Jordan Rager also had RBIs for the Eagles, who finished the game with 13 hits.
USI returns to action Sunday at 9 a.m. (CST) when it takes on West Chester in a rematch. The Eagles return to Evansville, Indiana, to host the Midwest Region Crossover February 21-23 at Deaconess Sports Park.