at Southern Indiana (17-23): 8, 2
Oakland City (18-23): 0, 5
Box Scores: Game 1 (5 inn.) | Game 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team had to settle for a doubleheader split with Oakland City University Thursday at the USI Softball Field.
After drilling the visiting Lady Oaks, 8-0, in six innings in the opener, the Screaming Eagles saw Oakland City score five times in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap en route to a 5-2 setback.
Behind a dominating pitching effort from freshman hurler Stephanie Bittner, the Eagles breezed through the opening game. Bittner (6-2), who had four strikeouts, allowed just one hit and two base runners as she went the full six innings to pick up her sixth win over the season.
USI (17-23) scored four times in the bottom of the second inning to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Sophomore catcher Alexandra Dunfee started the scoring with an RBI-single, while Bittner gave the Eagles a 3-0 advantage with a two-run single later in the frame.
Junior third baseman #LeAnn Collins had a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to finish the four-run rally for the Eagles.
The Eagles made it 7-0 on the strength of junior centerfielder Reva LeDune-Bourgasser's three-run home run in the fifth frame, while senior designated player Sara Loete ended the game in the sixth inning as she drove in the game-clinching run.
Junior pitcher Katie Harmon (5-6) took the loss for the Lady Oaks after giving up six runs off three hits in four innings of work. She walked seven batters in the loss.
In the nightcap, USI jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI-single by junior first baseman Brittany DeWeese in the third inning.
Oakland City (18-23), however, racked up seven hits in its five-run fifth inning, including three doubles in a string of six consecutive base-knocks, as it grabbed a 5-1 advantage.
The Eagles, who stranded 11 runners on the base path, cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth frame as junior shortstop Dani Finkelstein drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded to give USI its second tally.
Oakland City, however, went to its bullpen and senior Sarah Bonnet, who gave up the three-run shot by LeDune-Bourgasser in the first game. Bonnet, however, got the Oaks out of the inning and held the Eagles in check throughout the final two frames to pick up her first save of the season and give Oakland City its first win over USI in 28 meetings (1998).
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Kristen O'Haver was charged with the setback after giving up four runs off eight hits in 4.1 innings of work. O'Haver (1-1) had three strikeouts and one walk.
Junior pitcher Colleen Prendergast (8-4) got the win for the Oaks after giving up two runs off nine hits in 4.2 innings of work.
USI, which is seventh in the GLVC standings, conclude the regular season this weekend as it visits GLVC front-runner Quincy University Saturday in Quincy, Illinois, and Rockhurst University Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri. Both GLVC twinbills are slated for noon starts.
