RENSSELAER, Ind.--- After a disappointing two-game drop to 11
th-ranked University of Indianapolis Saturday, 15
th-ranked University of Indiana softball bounced back in dominating fashion with a doubleheader sweep over Saint Joseph's College Sunday afternoon, which featured a 9-1, five-inning game two win.
The Screaming Eagles improve to 25-5 overall, 12-4 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action, returning home this week for a 12-game slate.
In the opening inning of game one, sophomore
Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) sent the ball flying out to left field, sending senior
MacKenzi Dorsam (Dubois, Indiana) home for what would be the final 2-0 score.
Following USI's 2-0 lead in the first inning, senior pitcher
Brooke Harmening (Whiteland, Indiana) allowed just two hits off, eventually earning the win and improving to 15-1 on the season.
Clark along with junior
Toni Braun (Evanston, Indiana) led Southern Indiana at the plate, registering half of its eight runs, both going 2-for-3.
Sophomore Sarah Monroe Owens (Indianapolis, Indiana) led USI in the circle, during game two, allowing just four hits off, while Saint Joseph's entered three pitchers as the Eagles tallied 17 hits in its 9-1 win.
Following a pitching change by the Pumas, in the top of the third, the Eagles went on a five-run streak beginning with a RBI-single by Harmening that was then followed up with a single down the left field line by sophomore
Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana), sending Grace and Harmening home for a 3-0 lead.
An RBI-single by freshman
Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) along with a run by junior
Janna Green (Glenwood, Indiana) left the Pumas trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the third.
Sophomore
Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) and Harmening tallied RBIs off a single to deep right field and a sacrifice fly, respectively, for a 7-0 lead in the Eagles' portion of the fourth.
USI added its final two runs in the fifth, leaving the Pumas trailing 9-0 and in search of runs to prevent the eight-run, game-ending rule.
Saint Joseph's was only able to come up with one run in the fifth, as the Eagles tallied another sweep, ending the weekend with a 2-2 record.
Sarah Owens earned the win, improving to 7-3 on the season, while Briana Wagner was tabbed with the loss for the Pumas, falling to 4-3.
