For the first time in nearly two years, University of Southern Indiana Softball returns to Great Lakes Valley Conference play when it visits Lewis University and the University of Illinois Springfield this weekend for a pair of conference doubleheaders.
The Screaming Eagles (2-5, 0-0 GLVC) visit the Lewis Flyers Saturday at noon in Romeoville, Illinois, before taking on the Prairie Stars Sunday at noon in Springfield, Illinois. Saturday’s games will be the first for USI since the Eagles played at the Blue Bridge Classic in Owensboro, Kentucky, February 27.
Both doubleheaders will be carried on the GLVC Sports Network, while live stats will be available at GoUSIEagles.com.
Spectator Policies:
• Saturday. Lewis is allowing spectators at its outdoor venues, provided they are socially distanced, masked up and fill out Lewis’s Visitor Health Screening Form—spectators can also fill out the form when they arrive on campus via a QR code that will be posted at each venue.
• Sunday. Only guests of Illinois Springfield players and coaches along with a limited number of UIS students, faculty and staff are permitted to attend Sunday’s game at UIS.
Notes
• Last time out. USI Softball earned an 8-1 win over Midwest Region foe Lake Erie College on February 27 after falling, 5-4, to Midwest Region opponent Cedarville University earlier in the day. Freshman centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) led the Eagles at the plate, going 5-of-9 with three stolen bases and three runs scored. Junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) paced the Eagles in the circle, scattering four hits throughout four scoreless innings to pick up the win against Lake Erie.
• Hitting leaders. Senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) leads USI in batting average, RBI (7), doubles (3), on-base percentage (.520) and slugging percentage (.783). She is one of five Eagles, with a minimum of 15 at-bats, hitting better than .300 on the year. Bedrick is second on the team with a .435 batting average and leads the Eagles with five stolen bases and seven runs scored.
• Pitching leaders. Junior Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana) leads the Eagles in ERA (2.62), saves (1) and opponent batting average (.212), while sophomore Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) has struck out a team-leading 20 batters in a team-high 23.2 innings of work and is second on the team in ERA (2.66).
• Hitting streaks. Webb has hit safely in each of USI’s seven games this year and 11 straight games dating back to the end of the 2020 campaign. Bedrick and sophomore infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) have each hit safely in their previous four appearances.
• Player of the Week. Webb was named the GLVC Player of the Week following her performance in USI’s games against Wingate University, the University of North Georgia and Young Harris College. She hit .500 with three doubles, a home run and five RBI. She was a combined 6-of-10 from the plate with a double, home run and three RBI in USI’s three games against then No. 2 North Georgia and No. 5 Young Harris.
• USI picked to finish second in GLVC. League coaches predicted that the Eagles will finish second in the GLVC in 2021. USI received 170 points and two first-place votes, while Indianapolis was picked to finish first, receiving 190 points and four first-place votes.
• Eagles in 2020. USI finished the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign with a 15-4 record. The Eagles were set to host Indianapolis in their GLVC-opener when the season was canceled.
• Kunkle going for 600. USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle, now in her 20th year leading the Eagles, is 565-391-1 overall record. She is 35 wins from becoming the first coach in USI history with 600 wins.
• Eagles looking to continue NCAA run. The Eagles were on pace for their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2020 and their seventh in the last eight years when the season was cut short due to COVID. USI won back-to-back NCAA II Midwest Region titles in 2017 and 2018 before capturing the 2018 national championship.
