Southern Indiana (13-19, 10-8 GLVC): 7, 0
at UW-Parkside (16-12, 7-7 GLVC): 2, 4
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
SOMERS, Wis.—Early offense propelled the University of Southern Indiana softball team to a 7-2 victory in game one of a doubleheader with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday. The Screaming Eagles' bats, however, were silenced in the night cap as the host Rangers took game two, 4-0, to salvage a split.
The Eagles (13-19, 10-8 GLVC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the opening contest as senior designated player Sara Loete drove in freshman rightfielder Katherine Belsito, who led the game off with a single. USI capitalized on two UW-Parkside errors in the inning to claim the early advantage.
Loete's three-run shot over the centerfield fence capped off a four-run second inning for the Eagles. Junior shortstop Dani Finkelstein led the frame off with a solo home run over the left-centerfield fence.
Junior third baseman LeAnn Collins extended USI's advantage to five runs in the sixth inning when she drove in Belsito, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with a sacrifice and a pair of runs scored.
Freshman pitcher Stephanie Bittner picked up her third win of the week as she allowed just two runs, one earned, off five hits in seven innings of work.
UW-Parkside (16-12, 7-7 GLVC) used a three-run blast off the bat of catcher Krista Kelly in the bottom of the fourth inning of game two to claim a 3-0 advantage. The Rangers tacked on another tally in the sixth inning and benefitted from the strong pitching performance of hurler Jill Vondrak, who held USI to just five hits en route to the complete-game shutout.
The Eagles left six runners on base, including runners at second and third in the top of the sixth inning. Junior second baseman Amanda Brendel led USI with a pair of hits, including a lead-off double in the seventh inning.
Sophomore pitcher Hadley Clark was charged with the loss after giving up four runs off five hits in six innings. Clark (5-11) retired the first eight batters she faced, but a lead-off walk followed by a single led to the three-run fourth inning for the Rangers.
USI returns to action Saturday at noon when it hosts No. 20 Lewis University in a GLVC doubleheader at the USI Softball Field.
