CLERMONT, Fla.--University of Southern Indiana Softball dropped a pair of Midwest Region contests to end the PFX Spring Games Thursday morning. The No. 14 Screaming Eagles began the day with a 4-3 setback to the University of Findlay before concluding the day with a 6-1 loss to Grand Valley State University.
USI (11-8) returns to action Sunday at noon when it opens Great Lakes Valley Conference play with a home doubleheader against Maryville University at the USI Softball Field.
Findlay 4, USI 3
Despite a two-run double from senior third baseman
Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) in the second inning, the Eagles could not make a 2-1 advantage stick as Findlay rallied for the 4-3 win.
Down to their final out, the Oilers (4-9) scored three times in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-2 lead. A walk and a hit batter to begin the frame hurt the Eagles' defense, but after two straight outs, another hit batter followed by back-to-back hits put the Eagles into a two-run deficit heading into their half of the seventh.
A lead-off triple by junior catcher
Lindsey Barr (Whitesville, Kentucky) was a promising start, but a strikeout and back-to-back ground outs ended USI's hopes of its own comeback. Freshman infielder/outfielder
Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) had the RBI in the seventh on a pinch-hit groundout.
Sophomore pitcher
Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) suffered the loss after giving up four runs off six hits in seven innings of work. Leonhardt (4-5) struck out six batters, but issued two walks and hit three batters.
Grand Valley State (9-5) 6, USI 1
The Eagles seemed to have no answer for Grand Valley State junior pitcher Allison Lipovsky, who racked up 12 strikeouts. USI junior hurler
Courtney Atkisson (Bringhurst, Indiana) pitched well, but a two-run third frame and a grand slam in the last half of the fifth put the Lakers up, 6-0.
Junior pitcher/outfielder
Caitlyn Bradley (Forest, Indiana) had a solo home run in the top half of the sixth inning, but that was one of just two hits for the Eagles on the day.
Atkisson (4-1) surrendered all six runs off seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of work as she was charged with her first loss of the year.
Notes: Junior second baseman
Claire Johnson (Pittsboro, Indiana) hit her sixth triple of the year in the loss to Findlay...the program's single-season record is 11, set by Amber Huse in 1995...as a team, USI is just three triples shy of the program record of 19, set in 1994 and 1995.
