The University of Southern Indiana softball team opened its 2003 home schedule with a pair of wins against the University of Missouri-St. Louis Sunday afternoon at the USI Softball Field in Evansville, Indiana. The Screaming Eagles won the first game, 4-3, and the second game, 8-0, as they improved to 6-9 overall and 2-2 in the GLVC. UMSL falls to 6-7 overall, 2-2 in the GLVC.

In game won, USI jumped out to a 2-0 lead after posting runs in the bottom of the first and third innings. Junior second baseman Brooke Biggs (Osceola, Florida) reached on a single to left-centerfield in the first inning and eventually scored on an errant throw by UMSL catcher Heather Burr.

USI tacked on its second run of the game when senior shortstop Jenny Duell (Lafayette, Indiana) scored on a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Kristen Houseworth (Martinsville, Indiana) in the bottom of the third inning. Duell started the inning with a double down the leftfield line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore right fielder Sunny Oelling (Valparaiso, Indiana).

The Eagles saw their lead slip after UMSL put up a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning and another run in the top of the fifth inning.

UMSL's lead did not last long as the Eagles tied the game in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Once again, Duell came around to score on a sacrifice fly, this time by senior centerfielder Rachel Bowling (Middletown, Indiana).

Junior third baseman Nichole Pike (Fairfield, Illinois) doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Houseworth started the rally with a two-out single up the middle and advanced to second off a Bowling single through the right side of the infield. Houseworth came around to score on Pike's double.

In game two, the Eagles put five runs across the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning and another three runs across in the bottom of the fifth inning to win the contest via the eight-run rule.

Bowling started the Eagles off in the fourth with her second home run of the season, the 35th of her career. Pike scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single and junior first baseman Monica Tepe (Granger, Indiana) scored the third run off a Duell single to centerfield.

Oelling's double to right-centerfield pushed across Duell and junior hurler Shannon Emmons (Boonville, Indiana) for USI's fourth and fifth runs of the contest.

Houseworth, who went 5-of-6 on the day with an RBI and a pair of runs scored, came across to score USI's first run of the fifth inning when Pike singled to centerfield. Pike and Tepe, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored the seventh and eighth runs of the game on Emmons' double to right-centerfield.

Emmons picked up the victories in both games to improve to 4-6 on the season. In the first game, Emmons came on in relief to pitch 2 1/3 innings, giving up just one hit and striking out three batters. She gave up just five hits in the second game and struck out four batters while allowing one walk.

The Eagles, who have won 16 straight home games, will host Lewis University next Saturday, March 29. First pitch is slated for noon.