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Southern Indiana: 9                            Southern Indiana: 7
Southwest Minnesota: 0                    Concordia-St. Paul: 5
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla.--- The University of Southern Indiana softball team opened its run at the Rebel Spring Games in Winter Haven, Florida, with a 9-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State University, and kept the momentum going into game two defeating Concordia University-St. Paul, 7-5.
 
The Screaming Eagles improve to 6-3 overall, while the Mustangs and Golden Bears drop to 1-10 and 2-6, respectively.
 
Sophomore pitcher Sarah Owens (Indianapolis, Indiana) spent the whole first game in the circle, improving to 3-1 on the season. Owens allowed just two hits and had a game-high four strikeouts. The Mustangs used the arms of Alex O'Conner and Rachel Hoeppener, with O'Connor taking the loss, dropping to 1-5.
 
In game one, the Eagles saw no action until the bottom of the third when seniors Kyla Gogel (Fulda, Indiana) and Alison Nord (Gentryville, Indiana) were walked and then advanced one base each off a wild pitch, putting USI in perfect scoring position. After freshman Sadie Foster (Plainfield, Indiana) struck out swinging, Junior MacKenzi Dorsam (Dubois, Indiana) answered the call with a single to right field, bringing Gogel and Nord home for a 2-0 lead.
 
Freshman catcher Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) registered another run for the Eagles in the third with an RBI-single down the left field line.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, four straight balls sent Dorsam to first, who was then able to advance to third off a sacrifice bunt by Braun and grounder by Clark, respectively. Junior Brooke Harmening (Whiteland, Indiana) sent Dorsam home with a single to right field for a 5-0 lead.
 
USI sealed the deal in its portion of the sixth with RBI-singles by Nord and junior outfielder Jolynn O'Haver (Odon, Indiana), along with two more RBIs by Clark.
 
In the nightcap, Harmening earned the win for USI, while Stephanie Kappes, who pitched all seven, took the loss for Concordia-St. Paul. Harmening pitched six innings, allowing just three hits, one run, and ended with a game-high 10 strikeouts.
 
Up 7-1 after the top of the seventh, Devon Rutherford (Newburgh, Indiana) entered the circle in the seventh for USI, giving up four runs.
 
With the score knotted at 1-1, the Eagles took to their portion of the second to take the lead.
 
Gogel had a leadoff homerun down the left field line, which was followed by RBI-singles by Dorsam and Braun, respectively.
 
USI scored three more runs before the Golden Bears tacked on four in the seventh to end the game 7-5.
 
The Eagles return to action Wednesday at 8 a.m. (CDT) when they take on Northern State University, followed by Minnesota State University-Mankato at 10 a.m. (CDT). USI closes out the Rebel Spring Games Thursday against Midwest Region Foe Ferris State University and Southwest Minnesota State University.