EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana softball freshman pitcher Kathy Wood (Lynnville, Indiana) recorded her first-career shutout and freshman third baseman Kristin Eickholt (Van Wert, Ohio) hit her first-career home run as the Screaming Eagles defeated McKendree College, 7-0, to complete a two-game sweep of the Bearcats Monday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.

The Eagles (21-10) won the first game, 5-4, in dramatic fashion as senior centerfielder Sunny Oelling (Valparaiso, Indiana) threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate to record the final out of the contest.

USI rallied from a 2-0 deficit, scoring three straight runs off wild pitches in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning and junior pitcher Lindsey McNaughton (Carmel, Indiana) held on to earn her eighth consecutive decision. McNaughton (8-4) gave up just seven hits and two earned runs to pick up the complete-game victory.

Sophomore second baseman Kerrie Burton (Kokomo, Indiana) led the Eagles at the plate in game one, going 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

The Eagles stuck first in game two when freshman designated player Lisa Anderson (Chesterton, Indiana) lined an RBI single through the middle of the infield to score Oelling in the bottom of the first inning.

After scoring three runs in the fourth inning as part of a two-out rally, the Eagles iced the game in the fifth when Eickholt hit a ball down the leftfield line that barely cleared the fence. Eickholt's shot brought in three runs and increased the Eagle lead to 7-0.

Wood (2-0) scattered nine hits throughout seven innings to pick up her second win of the season. The left-hander got herself out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth inning to preserve the shutout.

USI will return to action Thursday when it hosts No. 14-ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at the USI Softball Field. The doubleheader is slated to start at 3 p.m.