at Southern Indiana (11-17): 10, 8
Brescia (11-9): 2, 1
Game 1 Box Score (5 innings)
Game 2 Box Score
Photo Gallery (Coming Soon)
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team scored a combined 18 runs and had 23 hits as it swept Brescia University in a doubleheader Tuesday night at the USI Softball Field. The Screaming Eagles took the first game 10-2 in five innings before claiming an 8-1 triumph in the nightcap.
In game one, the Eagles (11-17) scored six times in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding 6-0 advantage. The Eagles capitalized on back-to-back walks when junior third baseman LeAnn Collins hit a run-scoring double to put the Eagles up 1-0.
Junior centerfielder Reva LeDune-Bourgasser hit a run-scoring double three-batters later to give USI a 3-0 advantage, while junior shortstop Dani Finkelstein had a two-run single later in the inning to give USI a 5-0 lead.
In all, the Eagles had six players record an RBI, with Finkelstein and junior first baseman Brittany DeWeese leading USI with two each. Senior designated player Sara Loete and junior leftfielder Heather Swarts each had an RBI as USI scored twice in the second inning and once in both the fourth and fifth frames to complete the five-inning victory.
Sophomore hurler Hadley Clark picked up the victory after giving up two runs off five hits in five innings of work. She improves to 5-9 with the decision.
Collins gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the last half of the first inning in the nightcap when she singled in a run. The Eagles added to their lead in the third frame when LeDune-Bourgasser singled in a run to stake USI to a 2-0 cushion.
A lead-off double in the fourth inning by Finkelstein, followed by a one-out triple by freshman pitcher/infielder Stephanie Bittner two batters later, put USI up 3-0.
Bittner, who was 2-for-2 at the plate in her first collegiate start inside the pitching circle, scored in the next at-bat on an RBI-ground out by freshman Katherine Belsito to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead heading into the fifth frame.
USI tacked on another run in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead; then finished its scoring with three more tallies in the sixth frame. Freshman outfielder Jessica McCullough had a two-run double in the sixth, while sophomore third baseman Kristen O'Haver hit a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles an 8-1 cushion.
Bittner (1-1) picked up the victory after scattering one run off three hits in seven innings of work. The Mater Dei High School graduate struck out five batters to record her first collegiate victory.
USI resumes GLVC play Saturday when it travels to Rensselaer, Indiana, to take on Saint Joseph's College in a noon doubleheader. The Eagles also visit the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday.
