EAST PEORIA, Ill.—The No. 24-ranked University of Southern Indiana softball team survived a furious rally from seventh-seeded Saint Joseph's College to post an 8-5 victory Friday night and stay alive in the GLVC Tournament.

USI (37-15) defeated the Pumas in the first game before falling to Lewis University, 7-6, in the second round. The Screaming Eagles play Northern Kentucky University Saturday at 1 p.m. in the elimination bracket. If USI wins, it will play the loser of the Lewis-Southern Illinois University Edwardsville game at 5 p.m.

USI got two wins out of senior pitcher Missy Grover (Mishawaka, Indiana) as well as two home runs from freshman rightfielder Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois). Ligmanowski went 6-for-11 at the plate with two home runs and six runs batted in. She also scored four times.

Southern Indiana 4, Saint Joseph's (26-17) 0
Senior designated player Lindsey McNaughton (Carmel, Indiana) hit a solo home run in the second inning and freshman centerfielder Ally McKinely (Sullivan, Indiana) cracked a three-run shot over the leftfield fence in the fourth inning as the Eagles downed the Pumas, 4-0, to open the GLVC Tournament.

The Eagles got an outstanding pitching performance from senior Missy Grover (Mishawaka, Indiana). Grover (20-6) had eight strike outs and allowed just four hits as she won for the 12th time in her last 13 starts.

Lewis (38-11) 7, Southern Indiana 6
USI's seventh inning rally came up a run short as Lewis held on for the 7-6 victory. Freshman rightfielder Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois) hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring the Eagles to within a run.

The Eagles had runners on first and second with two outs, but senior catcher Angie Davis (Greenwood, Indiana), who hit a two-run home run earlier in the game, flied out to Lewis leftfielder Robin Martz to end the game.

McKinley also had an RBI single in the second inning to give USI its first run of the contest.

The Eagles committed three errors and saw Lewis hitters belt two home runs as they fell behind 7-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

McNaughton (16-9) was charged with the loss after giving up all seven runs, four earned, off 13 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Southern Indiana 8, Saint Joseph's 5 (Elimination bracket)
Sophomore third baseman Kristin Eickholt (Van Wert, Ohio) hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Eagles to an 8-5 victory over Saint Joseph's in the elimination bracket Friday night. Eickholt's home run salvaged the win for a USI squad that had seen a 5-1 lead slip away.

USI capitalized on a pair of errors in the bottom of the first inning to open the scoring and, following a Saint Joseph's tally in the top of the second, the Eagles got a three-run home run off the bat of freshman rightfielder Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois) to build a four-run cushion.

The Pumas responded with solo tallies in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Eagles' lead in half; then got back-to-back RBI-singles in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.

Ligmanowski doubled to start off the sixth inning, while a single off the bat of sophomore outfielder Kathy Wood (Lynville, Indiana) in the next at-bat set up Eickholt's game-winning three-run blast.

Senior pitcher Missy Grover (Mishawaka, Indiana) earned the win after giving up five runs off 13 hits in seven innings of work. Grover (21-6), who faced Saint Joseph's twice Friday, had five strikeouts and no walks in the victory.