The Screaming Eagles (6-15, 4-10 GLVC) suffered a 3-2 loss in the opener before earning a 3-1 win in the nightcap.
Freshman outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) paced the Eagles at the plate for the day, going a combined 5-of-7 at the plate with an RBI, run scored and three stolen bases.
Game 1: Rockhurst 3, USI 2
Rockhurst (16-10, 9-7 GLVC) reeled off three doubles and a pair of runs in the back half of the seventh inning to defeat the Eagles, 3-2 in the opener.
After spotting the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the first frame, the Eagles used a two-run fourth inning to take a 2-1 advantage. Sophomore catcher/designated player Sammie Kihega (Greenwood, Indiana) hit an RBI double into the left-centerfield gap to score senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) and put the Eagles on the board.
Kihega advanced to third on a throwing error on the play and, after sophomore outfielder Emma Tucher (New Palestine, Indiana) came on to pinch-run, USI took the lead on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.
After allowing just one run off two hits in the first six innings of work, it looked as if junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) was going to cruise to the game one victory, especially after the Eagles got out of the sixth frame on an inning-ending double play. Rockhurst, however, opened the seventh with a double, while a sacrifice bunt and a walk put runners at the corners with one out.
The Hawks tied the game on a double by sophomore lead-off hitter Allison Shakiba and, after a groundout put the Eagles within one out of pushing the contest to extra innings, Senior Emily Clark hit a walk-off double to push across the game-winning run.
Back (3-7) took the loss for the Eagles after giving up three runs off five hits in 6.2 innings of work. She had retired 10 consecutive batters at one juncture and gave up just one hit throughout the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth frames.
Game 2: USI 3, Rockhurst 1
USI scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning and another in the sixth en route to a 3-1 win in the nightcap.
Bedrick had an RBI-single in the second frame, while another runner came across the plate on a throwing error on the plate as USI took a 2-0 lead. Sophomore shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) had an RBI-double to put the Eagles up 3-0.
Rockhurst put together a two-out rally in the last half of the seventh inning and looked as if it was going to cut the Eagles’ cushion to a single tally after sophomore outfielder Jaden Santoni single to right field. Junior infielder Calli Wibbenmeyer, who put the Hawks on the board with an RBI-double in the previous at-bat, rounded third and was on her way home, had it not been for the strike Tucher threw to home plate from her position in right field.
Junior catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois) applied the tag on Wibbenmeyer and the Eagles walked off the field with their first road win of the year.
USI got a strong effort from junior pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana) in the circle. Brown (1-1) earned the win after giving up just one run off seven hits in 7.0 innings of work.
