University of Southern Indiana Softball swept a Midwest Region doubleheader from former Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Kentucky Wesleyan College Wednesday night at the USI Softball Field. The No. 10 Screaming Eagles earned an 8-0 win in six innings in game one before defeating the Panthers, 2-1, in the night cap.
USI (26-6), which jumped four spots to No. 10 in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, returns to GLVC action Saturday when it visits McKendree University for a noon doubleheader in Lebanon, Illinois.
Southern Indiana (26-6): 8, Kentucky Wesleyan (18-12): 0
USI scored three runs in each of the first two innings as it cruised to a 6-0 lead over Kentucky Wesleyan. Senior catcher Haley Hodges(Portage, Indiana) had an RBI-double to put the Eagles on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, while senior outfielder Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a two-run double two batters later to put USI in front, 3-0.
Sophomore utility player Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) led the second inning off with a solo home run, while junior first baseman Marleah Fossett (Brownsburg, Indiana) had a two-run home run later in the frame to give USI a commanding 6-0 advantage.
Junior designated player Alex Logan (Carleton, Michigan) had an RBI-double in the third inning to give USI a 7-0 lead, while freshman outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky) drove in the game-ending run with an RBI-groundout in the sixth frame.
Freshman pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) earned her sixth complete-game shutout of the season. Leonhardt (14-1) struck out a pair of batters while allowing just two hits in six innings of work.
Southern Indiana: 2, Kentucky Wesleyan: 1
The Eagles got an RBI from Hodges in the bottom of the first inning and an RBI from junior outfielder Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) in the fourth frame to build a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish.
Kentucky Wesleyan (18-12) got a run in the sixth inning to cut the deficit in half. The Panthers had the tying run on first in the top of the seventh inning, but a game-ending double-play ended the threat and gave USI sophomore pitcher Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) the complete-game victory.
Atkisson (9-3) allowed just one unearned run off five hits in seven innings of work to earn her ninth win of the year. She recorded three strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
Southern Indiana 8, Kentucky Wesleyan 0 (Mar 29, 2017 at Evansville, IN) (Game 1)
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Kentucky Wesleyan… 000 000Â -Â 0Â 2Â 1Â Â Â Â Â (18-11)
Southern Indiana…. 331 001Â -Â 8 12Â 0Â Â Â Â Â (25-6)
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Pitchers: Kentucky Wesleyan – Grady, Autumn; Smith, Casey(2) and Dawson, Maddie.
Southern Indiana – Leonhardt, Jennifer and Hodges, Haley.
Win-Leonhardt, Jennifer(14-1)Â Loss-Grady, Autumn(6-3)Â T-1:35Â A-277
HR USI – Fossett, Marleah (4); Bradley, Caitlyn (3).
Weather: 70s, partly cloudy
Game: 31-KWC
Southern Indiana 2, Kentucky Wesleyan 1 (Mar 29, 2017 at Evansville, IN) (Game 2)
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Kentucky Wesleyan… 000 001 0 -Â 1Â 5Â 1Â Â Â Â Â (18-12)
Southern Indiana…. 100 100 X -Â 2Â 4Â 1Â Â Â Â Â (26-6)
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Pitchers: Kentucky Wesleyan – Brown, Maci and Dawson, Maddie. Southern Indiana –
Atkisson,Courtney and Hodges, Haley.
Win-Atkisson,Courtney(9-3)Â Loss-Brown, Maci(8-4)Â T-1:20Â A-277
Weather: 60s, cloudy
Game: 32-KWC
