OWENSBORO, Ky.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from Kentucky Wesleyan College Wednesday afternoon at Panther Field. The Screaming Eagles won the first game 9-1, in five innings, and the second game, 6-5.

USI (12-11) scored a run in the first and third innings before putting up a pair of runs in the fourth inning and five runs in the fifth inning to win the first game via the eight-run rule. The Eagles pounded out 16 hits to overcome three USI errors.

Junior centerfielder Sunny Oelling (Valparaiso, Indiana) went 3-for-3 with a run scored, while senior catcher/utility player Kristen Houseworth (Martinsville, Indiana) went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs.

USI had six players record RBIs in the first game, including seniors Brooke Biggs (Osceola, Indiana), Nichole Pike (Fairfield, Illinois), and Shannon Emmons (Boonville, Indiana) as well as junior Nickole Henson (Princeton, Indiana) and freshman Lisa Anderson (Chesterton, Indiana).

Sophomore pitcher Missy Grover (Mishawaka, Indiana) picked up the victory in game one. Grover (5-6) gave up just one unearned run off two hits in five innings of action.

The Eagles had to battle back in the second game as they found themselves down 4-3 heading into the top of the fifth inning.

A single in the fifth inning by freshman pitcher/outfielder Nikki Nichols (Henderson, Kentucky) drove in the tying run and a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Alia Whitman (Grabill, Indiana) put the Eagles on top 5-4.

USI tacked on a crucial sixth run in the top of the seventh inning to go up 6-4 when freshman infielder Kerrie Burton (Kokomo, Indiana) was given a free pass to first base. The walk drove in Henson, who was in the game as a pinch runner.

KWC (1-15) scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but failed to score any more after having the tying run on second base and the winning run on first base with no outs.

Sophomore hurler Christie Schubert (Millstadt, Illinois) picked up her first win of the season after giving up four runs, two earned, off seven hits in five innings of work. Emmons was credited with her first save of the season after closing out the final two innings. She gave up an unearned run off three hits while striking out four batters.

The Eagles will return to action this weekend as they compete in the Great Lakes Regional Showdown at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Illinois. The first of USI's five games on the weekend will pit the Eagles with #14 Grand Valley State University Friday at 6 p.m.