EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team returns to action Friday when it hosts McKendree University in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader at the USI Softball Field. The Screaming Eagles also host Bellarmine University in a conference twinbill Saturday at noon.
USI (13-8, 3-5 GLVC) is coming off a doubleheader split with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside this past weekend. Sophomore
Brooke Harmening had a no-hitter in USI's 3-0 game-one victory, but the Rangers earned a 2-1 decision in game two.
Harmening is leading the Eagles in the pitching circle and at the plate. She is 9-3 with a 1.31 ERA and a .168 opponent batting average; while her .348 batting average, six doubles, three home runs, and 18 RBIs are all team-bests.
McKendree (4-13, 2-7 GLVC) has lost three straight and eight of its last nine after opening the season with a 3-5 record. Sophomore Kelcie Stoszkus leads the Bearcats with a .282 batting average, while freshman Taylor Barnouski is 1-1 with a 3.26 ERA to pace McKendree inside the circle.
Bellarmine (14-12, 7-4 GLVC), which hosts Kentucky State University Wednesday before visiting Kentucky Wesleyan College Friday, snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Saint Joseph's College last Saturday.
The Knights, who had won seven in a row before their three-game skid, have a season-high 32 home runs as a team, including a league-best eight from freshman Ally Foster. Foster leads the Knights with a .431 batting average and 21 RBIs; while her 1.64 ERA and .128 opponent batting average in four appearances inside the circle also are team-bests.
Bellarmine also has been bolstered by the efforts of sophomore left-hander Alicia Miller, who is 8-3 with a 2.26 ERA and .272 opponent batting average in 15 appearances.
USI swept a non-conference doubleheader from McKendree a year ago and split the season-series with the Knights last season.
