EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball lost its first two home games of the season, falling to No. 14-ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 9-5 and 10-4 Thursday at the USI Softball Field.
USI (12-12, 4-4 GLVC), ranked ninth in the latest NCAA II Great Lakes Regional rankings, fell behind 7-1 in the first game before scoring four straight runs to narrow the Cougar lead to 7-5.
SIUE (30-8, 8-0 GLVC), however, stopped the Screaming Eagles' momentum with a two-run double off the bat of sophomore first baseman Emily Lenart in the top of the fifth inning. Lenart single-handedly brought down the Eagles in game one, going 3-for-3 with two home runs, including a grand slam in the third inning, and seven runs batted in.
Sophomore catcher
Lisa Anderson (Chesterton, Indiana) led the Eagles with three RBI's in the first game, while senior centerfielder
Sunny Oelling (Valparaiso, Indiana) went 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of runs scored.
Junior
Missy Grover (Mishawaka, Indiana) was charged with her third straight loss after giving up seven hits and nine runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched. The loss drops Grover to 11-6 on the season.
In game two, the Cougars took advantage of an error in the top of the third inning to plate four runs and take a 4-0 lead. The Eagles answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but SIUE answered with three runs in the fifth inning and another three runs, coming on the strength of a three-run blast from senior shortstop Veronica Schmidt, in the sixth inning.
Schmidt finished the game with five RBIs, while Lenart was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
Freshman third baseman
Kristin Eickholt (Van Wert, Ohio) led the Eagles offensively, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Junior hurler Lyndsey McNaughton (Carmel, Indiana) fell to 8-5 on the season after being charged with the loss. McNaughton gave up 10 runs, five earned, off seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.
SIUE freshman pitcher Lindsey Laas picked up both of the Cougar's wins after coming on in relief during the first game. Lass (12-3) gave up six runs and 11 hits in 11 2/3 innings of work.
USI will return to action Saturday when it hosts the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The doubleheader is slated to start at noon at the USI Softball Field.
