(Sortable)
Southern Indiana (2-0): 5, North Alabama (0-1): 4
Southern Indiana: 2, Georgia College & State (6-8): 1
-HTML Box Scores:
USI-UNA |
USI-GC&SU
DECATUR, Ala.—Behind the efforts of freshman pitcher
Brooke Harmening, the University of Southern Indiana softball team rallied for a pair of wins to open the 2012 season Friday at the Ringor Charger Chillout.
The Screaming Eagles (2-0) scored five times in the top of the seventh inning to overcome a two-run deficit in a 5-4 victory over the University of North Alabama to begin the day; then rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Georgia College & State University, 2-1.
USI got two-run singles from freshman first baseman
Elizabeth Prince and senior third baseman
Kristen O'Haver in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-2 advantage against North Alabama.
Trailing 2-0 with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh, the Eagles tied the game when Prince singled through the middle of the infield. USI capitalized on a wild pitch in the next at-bat to take its first lead of the game; then extended its lead on a two-run single by O'Haver.
O'Haver's single would prove big as the Lions (0-1) got a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull to within a run. Harmening, who entered the pitcher's circle in the sixth inning, got the final out via a strikeout after giving up the two-run shot in the previous at-bat.
Harmening (2-0) was sharp in USI's win over Georgia College & State (6-8), giving up just one run off four hits while striking out seven batters to earn the complete-game victory.
After setting down 17 of the final 20 batters she faced, Harmening's two-out, walk-off single in the last half of the seventh inning gave the Eagles the 2-1 victory and their first 2-0 start since the 2003 season.
USI, which trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth inning, capitalized on a pair of Georgia College & State errors to match the Bobcats on the scoreboard. The Eagles, though, could not push across the go-ahead run in the fifth inning despite having the bases loaded and no outs. USI, which had seven hits in the contest, left 10 runners on base.
The Eagles return to action Saturday when they take on Truman State University at 8:30 a.m. and No. 2 University of Alabama-Huntsville at 12:30 p.m. Both games were moved up to avoid the inclement weather forcasted in the Decatur, Alabama, area Saturday afternoon.
