SMYRNA, Tenn.—University of Southern Indiana Softball racked up a combined 20 hits, including 10 of the extra-base variety, as it cruised to a sweep on day two of the Music City Invitational Saturday afternoon.
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The Screaming Eagles (6-4) began the day with an 8-0, five-inning victory over Kentucky Wesleyan College before defeating the University of Findlay, 5-1, in their second game.
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USI had a sacrifice fly in the first, second and third inning to take a 3-0 lead over the Panthers. Junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) had two of the sacrifices and senior catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois) had the other as the Eagles took command of the contest.
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The Eagles scored three times in the third as sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) followed Martinez’s sacrifice fly with a run-scoring double to put USI up, 4-0, while sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) followed Fair with an RBI-single to put the Eagles in front, 5-0.
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Freshman outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) had a solo home run to lead the fifth inning off, while Martinez’s triple in the next at-bat set up an RBI-single by junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana), who was 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.
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Two batters later, Kihega hit a walk-off, RBI-groundout to clinch the 8-0 victory.
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Senior pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) earned the complete-game victory in the circle. Back (2-1) allowed just five hits while fanning four batters in five innings of scoreless work.
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USI took advantage of an error in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Findlay answered with a tally in the home half of the second to tie the score at 1-1.
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Senior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois), whose at-bat in the second inning drove in the first run, had a sacrifice bunt in the fourth to put the Eagles in front 2-1.
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The Eagles got an RBI-double from Fair and an RBI-single from Back in the fifth to put USI up, 4-1, while Fair scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to give USI a four-run advantage.
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Freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) earned her third win in the circle as she scattered seven hits and five walks throughout seven innings to pick up the victory.
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USI finishes the Music City Invitational Sunday with a 9 a.m. bout against Ferris State University and an 11 a.m. contest against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
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The Screaming Eagles (6-4) began the day with an 8-0, five-inning victory over Kentucky Wesleyan College before defeating the University of Findlay, 5-1, in their second game.
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USI had a sacrifice fly in the first, second and third inning to take a 3-0 lead over the Panthers. Junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) had two of the sacrifices and senior catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois) had the other as the Eagles took command of the contest.
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The Eagles scored three times in the third as sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) followed Martinez’s sacrifice fly with a run-scoring double to put USI up, 4-0, while sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) followed Fair with an RBI-single to put the Eagles in front, 5-0.
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Freshman outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) had a solo home run to lead the fifth inning off, while Martinez’s triple in the next at-bat set up an RBI-single by junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana), who was 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.
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Two batters later, Kihega hit a walk-off, RBI-groundout to clinch the 8-0 victory.
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Senior pitcher/designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) earned the complete-game victory in the circle. Back (2-1) allowed just five hits while fanning four batters in five innings of scoreless work.
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USI took advantage of an error in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Findlay answered with a tally in the home half of the second to tie the score at 1-1.
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Senior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois), whose at-bat in the second inning drove in the first run, had a sacrifice bunt in the fourth to put the Eagles in front 2-1.
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The Eagles got an RBI-double from Fair and an RBI-single from Back in the fifth to put USI up, 4-1, while Fair scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to give USI a four-run advantage.
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Freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) earned her third win in the circle as she scattered seven hits and five walks throughout seven innings to pick up the victory.
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USI finishes the Music City Invitational Sunday with a 9 a.m. bout against Ferris State University and an 11 a.m. contest against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
