EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team lost both games of a hard-fought GLVC doubleheader to No. 13-ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Tuesday afternoon.
USI (19-17, 6-8 GLVC) fell victim to the long-ball in game one as it lost, 3-1. The Screaming Eagles overcome a 4-2 deficit in the top of the seventh inning of game two, only to fall 5-4 in extra innings.
After seeing the Cougars (30-7, 12-4 GLVC) jump out to a 1-0 lead in game one, the Eagles tied the contest when sophomore rightfielder
Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois) singled up the middle in the top of the fifth inning.
SIUE, however, answered with a two-run shot by junior catcher Ashley Price in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 advantage. USI went quietly in the sixth and had the tying run at the plate in the seventh, but could not push anymore runs across as it lost the opener.
In game two, senior first baseman
Jennifer Mullikin (Greenwood, Indiana) hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning and freshman outfielder
Lindsay Raikes (Speedway, Indiana) had an RBI single in the top of the fifth as the Eagles raced out to a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles, however, stranded three runners on base in the fifth inning and watched the Cougars answer with three runs in the bottom of the inning. SIUE tacked on another run in the sixth inning to take a 4-2 advantage heading into the seventh inning.
With SIUE's top pitcher, Kaitlin Colisimo, in the circle, the Eagles responded in the seventh inning with RBI-singles by senior second baseman
Audra Lindenschmidt (Evansville, Indiana) and sophomore shortstop
Ally McKinley (Sullivan, Indiana). Both were infield hits as the Eagles knotted the score at 4-4 to force extra innings.
SIUE, however, got a walk-off, RBI-double off the bat of senior leftfielder Jodie Ohlau in the bottom of the ninth to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Junior hurler
Amy Harrison (Graceville, Florida) was charged with both losses despite a solid effort. Harrison (10-7) allowed just three runs off seven hits in the first game, before giving up a run off two hits in three innings of a relief appearance in game two.
Colisimo (17-2) picked up the complete-game victory in game one after giving up a run off seven hits. She came in during the fifth inning of game two and allowed two runs off seven hits in four-and-two-thirds innings of work.
USI takes a break from conference play this weekend when it competes in the X-Trem Graphics Classic in Dahlonega, Georgia. The Eagles play host North Georgia College & State University Friday at 2 p.m. (CDT) before taking on Lander University at 6 p.m. They play the University of South Carolina-Aiken and Lander Saturday at noon and 4 p.m., respectively.
