HUNTSVILLE, Ala.----The University of Southern Indiana softball team opened its 2015 campaign with two wins Friday afternoon at the Charger Chillout in Huntsville, Alabama, beginning the day with a 3-0 win over University of West Georgia, followed by a 9-3 route of Miles College.
Senior pitcher
Brooke Harmening (Whiteland, Indiana) came up with the win, in the circle, over West Georgia, tallying a game-high eight strikeouts and zero runners walked after throwing 72 pitches.
Time in the circle was shared by both Katie Shultes and Katie Turner of UWG with Shultes ultimately taking the loss for the Wolves following four innings of work.
While the Eagles outhit the Wolves 10 to two, it was two singles by Harmening and junior
Toni Braun (Evanston, Indiana), in the third and sixth, that them to their 3-0 win.
In USI's nightcap, junior
Sarah Owens (Indianapolis, Indiana) grabbed the win in the pitcher's circle, throwing 100 pitches and striking out nine players, while Grayson Culliver of the Golden Bears was tabbed with the loss after walking three players and throwing three strikeouts.
Following two-straight outs in the opening inning, Harmening got the ball rolling for USI with a single to left field.
After a Golden Bear error, which allowed
Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) to reach first, and Harmening to advance home, junior
Janna Green (Glenwood, Indiana) and sophomore
Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana) laid down back-to-back doubles to extend Southern Indiana's lead to 3-0.
Up 6-2 in the top of the sixth, Reese sent the ball flying to right center field, tallying another two RBIs, while pinch hitter
Alisha Ludwig (Terre Haute, Indiana) earned an RBI in the following play solidifying USI's 9-3 win.
Talana Brown crossed home all three times for Miles College after a wild pitch in the bottom of the first and two RBIs by Jamellya Ducker in the third and fifth.
The Eagles continue their run at the Charger Chillout, taking on University of Montevallo and Midwest Region opponent Ferris State University Saturday at Noon and 4 p.m.
USI faces tournament host No. 12 University of Alabama Huntsville Sunday at 11 a.m., before closing out the Charger Chillout with University of North Alabama at 1 p.m.
