WESTFIELD, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball used big innings to dispatch a pair of Midwest Region opponents Saturday afternoon at Grand Park.
 
The No. 9 Screaming Eagles (5-1) scored five times in the second inning to defeat Ohio Dominican University, 5-2, in the opener; then scored 10 times in the sixth inning to defeat Cedarville University, 14-6.
 
Junior second baseman Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) led the Eagles at the plate, going 4-of-7 (.571) with four RBIs, while sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) hit .429 (3-7) with a double, two triples and two RBIs.
 
USI returns to action Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (CST) when it takes on 2017 NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament opponent Saginaw Valley State University at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. The Eagles also play Purdue University Northwest Sunday at 3:30 p.m. (CST).
 
USI 5, Ohio Dominican (3-4) 2
The Eagles sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second inning as they racked up five hits and scored five times to take a 5-0 lead.
 
Johnson, junior pitcher/designated player Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana), junior catcher Lindsey Barr (Whitesville, Kentucky) and freshman outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) each had RBIs for the Eagles, who got a strong relief effort from Leonhardt in the circle.
 
Leonhardt (3-0) earned the win after allowing two runs off three hits and two walks, while fanning eight batters in 6 2/3 innings of work.
 
USI 14, Cedarville 6 (6 inn.)
USI scored 10 times in the top of the sixth inning to rally from a 6-4 deficit and earn its fifth straight victory.
 
Barr led off the frame with a solo home run to cut the deficit to a single run. Four batters later, Leonhardt doubled into the left-centerfield gap to drive in both runs and give USI a 7-6 edge.
 
Leonhardt scored two batters later on an RBI-single by sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky) and the route was on. Freshman first baseman Haley Shouse (Borden, Indiana) had a two-run single and USI tacked on another run when junior pitcher Haylee Smith (Florence, Kentucky) had her sacrifice fly dropped by the leftfielder.
 
Johnson, who tripled and scored in the second inning, ended the onslaught with a two-run double as USI sent 13 batters to the plate.
 
Leonhardt was a problem for Cedarville pitching throughout the contest as she had triples in both the first and second innings. She scored USI's first tally in the first frame on a Schubert RBI-single.
 
USI scored three times in the second inning as Johnson and junior pitcher Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) each had RBI-triples to put USI up 4-1.
 
Cedarville (0-2) answered USI with four runs in the third and another in the fourth to build the two-run advantage.
 
Smith (1-1) earned the win for the Eagles after giving up an unearned run off two hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief work.
 
Notes: Leonhardt tied a single-game record with her two triples against Cedarville…USI has nine triples in its first six games, just 10 away from the single-season program record of 19.