EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball will honor its 2022 senior class this weekend when it hosts Maryville University and Missouri University of Science & Technology in a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheaders at the USI Softball Field.
The Screaming Eagles (32-10, 18-2 GLVC), who remained No. 17 in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, square off against Maryville Saturday at noon before hosting Missouri S&T for Senior Day Sunday at noon.
USI will honor its six seniors—pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana), third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois), pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana), outfielder Mikaela Domico (Naperville, Illinois), pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) and catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois)—following Sunday’s doubleheader with the Miners.
In addition to their standing in the NFCA Top 25, the Eagles were ranked No. 3 in the first NCAA II Midwest Region rankings.
USI’s games this weekend will be aired on the GLVC Sports Network as well as 95.7 The Spin, while live stats, audio and video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com. Â
USI Softball Notes
• Eagles ranked No. 3 in region rankings. USI checked in at No. 3 on the first NCAA Division II Midwest Region ranking of the year. Indianapolis (1st) and Grand Valley State (3rd) were listed above the Eagles, while Drury (4th) and Lindenwood (5th) rounded out the top five. Ohio Dominican (6th), Findlay (7th), Missouri-St. Louis (8th), Illinois Springfield (9th) and Saginaw Valley State (10th) rounded out the first of three regional rankings. Six of the teams listed are GLVC schools, while five GLVC teams are listed in the top eight.
• USI holds position in NFCA Top 25. The Eagles stayed put at No. 17 in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 poll. Indianapolis, which split a doubleheader with the Eagles last Friday, moved up two spots to No. 3, while Grand Valley State held its spot at No. 24.
• Senior Day. USI will honor its six seniors—pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana), third baseman Mary Bean(Schaumburg, Illinois), pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana), outfielder Mikaela Domico (Naperville, Illinois), pitcher Maddie Duncan(Lynnville, Indiana) and catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois)—following Sunday’s doubleheader with Missouri S&T. This group has helped USI to a 98-56 overall record and a 50-24 mark in GLVC play during the last four years.
• USI goes 2-2 last week. The Eagles went 2-2 last week, splitting a GLVC road doubleheader with Indianapolis before coming home to salvage another GLVC doubleheader split with visiting McKendree Saturday.
USI hit just .182 as a team on the week, but got clutch efforts from several players, including a walk-off home run by sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) in the bottom of the eighth inning of USI’s 2-1 win over McKendree and a two-run home run from Bean in the top of the seventh inning of USI’s 4-3 win over Indianapolis. Freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) came off the bench to keep the Eagles afloat en route to getting the win against UIndy, while freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) had the save against UIndy before striking out 15 batters in USI’s win over McKendree.
• Season leaders. Back leads USI with a .391 batting average, while Fair is hitting .389 with three triples and a team-leading 13 doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBI. The Eagles have nine players hitting .300 or better on the season and have six players with 20-or-more RBI on the year.
