WESTFIELD, Ind. - The University of Southern Indiana softball team picked up a pair of victories at Grand Park in the greater Indianapolis area Saturday, posting a wild 10-8 score over Ohio Dominican University before putting the clamps of West Virginia State University, 10-1.

Senior pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt electrified the Screaming Eagles (6-3) with 12 strikeouts, a save and a complete game win in the circle, adding a 4-for-9 performance from the plate with a triple, four RBI and three runs scored.

Game One: USI 10, ODU 8

The Panthers jumped onto the board first in the opening frame with a pair of unearned runs charged to USI freshman pitcher Allie Goodin, who took the day's first start in the circle. ODU was the thankful recipient of two errors in the field by the Eagles, capitalizing on the situation with a well-placed triple placed directly between the miscues.

USI responded immediately in the bottom of the first inning. Leonhardt reached base from the leadoff spot by forcing a fielding error at third then made it home with a triple to leftfield off the bat of freshman second baseman Rachel Martinez. Goodin came to the plate two batters later to rocket a double up the middle, scoring Martinez to knot it up 2-2.

The deadlock quickly became a 6-2 ODU lead in the following stanza, again tallying runs via a pair of fielding errors combined with three timely singles. Then came the calm before the storm.

The Eagles detonated a seven-run explosion in the bottom of the fourth, starting the inning with four consecutive singles from Goodin, sophomore catcher Courtney Schoolcraft, senior shortstop Taylor Ricketts and sophomore Elissa Brown, who moved into the circle for Gooin following the second inning. Cue Jennifer Leonhardt, who cleared the bases with her triple. Martinez scored Leonhardt with a single to left before Goodin collected her second hit of the inning.

With the score 9-6 USI, both lineups traded a run in the sixth, followed by ODU's eighth and final run in the seventh before Leonhardt came in to slam the door on the Panthers for her first save of the season. Brown took credit for the victory in the circle, going 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits.

Game Two: USI 10, WVSU 1

Leonhardt took the circle for Saturday's second game against the Yellow Jackets, pinning down the opposing bats wire to wire. The game remained scoreless until the USI bats woke up again for the day in the fourth inning.

Senior rightfielder Allison Schubert posted a pair of RBI in the fourth, scoring Schoolcraft and sophomore designated player Katie Back, who reached base on a walk and a single to left field, respectively.

The Eagles added three runs in the following frame, supplied by a two-RBI double to left field from Goodin, who scored Leonhardt and junior outfielder Alicia Webb after the pair opened the inning with singles. Senior shortstop Taylor Ricketts added the third tally, scoring Goodin on a single through the middle.

For good measure, USI collected five runs on six hits in the final frame. The Eagles opened with three straight extra-base hits, with doubles from Martinez and Goodin and a triple from Webb. Schoolcraft, Leonhardt and freshman outfielder Mikaela Domico wrapped up the scoring with a base hit each and a RBI each.

Up Next

USI Softball rounds out the Midwest Region Crossover Sunday with Lake Erie College bright-and-early at 9 a.m. before the 1 p.m. contest with West Liberty University.