CLERMONT, Fla.—University of Southern Indiana Softball rallied from a 6-2 deficit to defeat Wayne State College (Nebraska), 12-6, Wednesday morning to complete a two-game sweep of day four of The Spring Games.
The Screaming Eagles, who slipped to No. 16 in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, began the day with a 6-0 win over Concordia College (New York).
USI (13-3) resumes action Thursday when it takes on Le Moyne College (Noon CST) and Southwest Minnesota State University (2:30 p.m.) in Lake County, Florida. Le Moyne is receiving votes in the latest NFCA Top 25 poll.
Southern Indiana (13-3) 6, Concordia (NY) (1-2) 0
USI Softball scored six times in the bottom of the second inning to breeze past Concordia (New York), 6-0, to open the fourth day of The Spring Games.
The Eagles sent 10 batters to the plate and got RBIs hits from three different players in the second frame, including a two-run double by senior shortstop
Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana).
Junior outfielder
Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) began the scoring with an infield single to push across the first run. Sophomore infielder/catcher
Lindsey Barr (Whitesville, Kentucky) crossed the plate when Concordia catcher Allison Beltz threw the ball to second trying to get Clark-Kittleson out on a stolen base attempt.
A walk and an error led to Reese's two-run double to left-centerfield, while senior catcher
Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana) capped off the scoring with an RBI-single.
Sophomore pitcher
Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) earned the win after facing just two batters over the minimum in a two-hit, complete-game shutout. Atkisson (4-2) fanned two batters and did not issue a walk.
Southern Indiana 12, Wayne State (NE) (2-14) 6
Freshman pitcher
Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) not only earned a win in a relief appearance, but she also went 2-of-3 from the plate with a home run, a double and four RBIs as the Eagles rallied from a 6-2 deficit to defeat Wayne State (Nebraska), 12-6.
Leonhardt (6-1) allowed just three hits and no runs, while striking out five batters in 4 1/3 innings of work as she earned her third straight decision. Her two-run double in the last half of the fifth inning capped off a four-run frame and tied the contest at 6-6.
In the sixth, USI got a two-run double from senior outfielder
Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana) to go up 8-6. Sophomore second baseman
Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) followed two batters later with a two-run single, while Leonhardt completed the Eagles' six-run sixth inning with a two-run blast that put the USI in front, 12-6.
USI scored twice in the first inning as a sacrifice fly by Hodges followed by an RBI-double by junior first baseman
Marleah Fossett (Brownsburg, Indiana) put USI up, 2-0.
Wayne State answered with a pair of runs second and four more in the third as the Wildcats built a commanding 6-2 advantage. Sophomore utility player
Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana), who had a two-run single in the fifth, gave up three runs off six hits in 2 1/3 innings of work, while Atkisson was chased out after allowing three runs off three hits in 1/3 innings pitched.
