The University of Southern Indiana softball team started its day with a stunning 2-1 victory over fourth-ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, handing the Cougars their first Great Lakes Valley Conference loss of the season. However, a late rally in the second game of the doubleheader spoiled any plans of a USI sweep as the Screaming Eagles lost, 5-4, to SIUE this evening at Cougar Field in Edwardsville, Illinois.
USI took advantage of a couple of SIUE errors in the top of the third inning of game one to score the contest's first run. Sophomore catcher
Kristen Houseworth (Martinsville, Indiana) came through with a two-out single to score junior shortstop
Jenny Duell (Lafayette, Indiana) from third base, giving USI a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles used a two-out rally to add another run in the top of the fifth inning. Junior centerfielder/pitcher
Rachel Bowling (Middletown, Indiana) got the rally started as she recorded a single. After making it to third, Bowling crossed the plate on a wild pitch by SIUE's RyAnn Spann.
Senior hurler
Danielle Garnett (Griffith, Indiana) threw all seven innings to pick up the game-one victory. Garnett gave up just four hits and one run while striking out eight batters and allowing just one base-on-balls as she improved to 9-6 on the season.
USI jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game of the evening, but the Cougars fought back to score three runs in the bottom of the third inning and tacked on the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to upend the Eagles, 5-4.
Bowling started the scoring in the top of the second inning by blasting her team-leading eighth homerun of the season. The Eagles added two more runs in the inning and another in the top of the third inning to take the 4-0 lead.
Bowling (5-6), who came on in relief, was charged with the loss after giving up the two runs in the bottom of the seventh. SIUE improved to 30-7 overall and 9-1 in the GLVC while the Eagles fell to 14-12 overall and 4-5 GLVC.
USI will host the University of Missouri-St. Louis this Saturday, April 6, and Quincy University this Sunday, April 7. Both doubleheaders are slated for 1 p.m. starts at the USI Softball Field.
