MONTICELLO, Ark.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team rallied from a two-run deficit and a pair of one-run deficits, but it was not enough as the Screaming Eagles fell to Arkansas Tech University, 7-6, in eight innings Friday at the University of Arkansas-Monticello Super 8 Classic. USI's setback followed a tough 10-2 loss to Delta State University in its season-opener earlier in the day.

USI (0-2) plated a pair of runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to take a 6-5 lead over Arkansas Tech. However, ATU second baseman Shanda Jimeson had a two-out single to tie the contest in the top of the seventh inning.

The Golden Suns (4-3) capitalized on the international tie-breaker rule to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning, then forced the Eagles to strand the tying-run at third base in the bottom half of the inning to end the contest.

Sophomore first baseman Brittany DeWeese (Evansville, Indiana) had a two-run shot in the fifth inning to give the Eagles their first lead of the contest (4-3), while sophomore pitcher/utility player Dawn McClellan (Valparaiso, Indiana) had a two-run double in the sixth inning to give USI a 6-5 edge.

Sophomore utility player Dani Monks (Evansville, Indiana) had a run-scoring double to get the Eagles on the board in the fourth inning, while sophomore outfielder Heather Swarts (Gas City, Indiana) followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.

McClellan (0-1) took the loss against Arkansas Tech after giving up seven runs, five earned in eight innings of work.

Senior hurler Stephanie Schneider (Birdseye, Indiana) was tagged with the loss against Delta State after giving up seven runs, three earned, in 5.1 innings of action.

Delta State (3-1) ran up a 3-0 lead with runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. The Lady Statesmen tagged USI for six mores runs in the sixth inning to take a comfortable 9-0 lead before the Eagles answered with a two-run sport in the last half of the sixth frame.

Sophomore second baseman Dani Finkelstein (Windsor, Colorado) and junior outfielder Lindsay Raikes (Speedway, Indiana) each had run-scoring doubles in the sixth inning to provide the Eagles' offense.

USI returns to action Saturday when it takes on host Arkansas-Monticello at noon and Ouachita Baptist University at 2 p.m. The Eagles also play Ouachita Baptist and Arkansas-Monticello Sunday at 10 a.m. and noon, respectively.