SMYRNA, Tenn.—University of Southern Indiana Softball settled for its fourth straight split Friday at the Music City Invitational as it defeated Tiffin University, 13-5, in five innings to begin the day before falling to host Trevecca Nazarene University, 10-3, in game two.
USI (4-4) racked up 14 hits and took advantage of seven Tiffin errors in its victory over the Dragons. The Screaming Eagles saw seven different players drive in a run, with four players picking up a pair of RBI.
Junior shortstop
Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI to lead the Eagles at the plate. Senior designed player/pitcher
Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while senior third baseman
Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) was 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBI.
Sophomore catcher
Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) and freshman pitcher
Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) each drove in two runs for the Eagles, who scored five runs in the second and seven in the third.
Gotshall (2-0) was credited with the win after giving up four runs, two earned, off eight hits in four innings of work.
Despited jumping out to a 2-0 lead in their game against Trevecca, the Eagles found themselves playing catchup after the Trojans scored four times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
The Eagles answered with a tally in the bottom of the second and the two teams were held scoreless throughout the next two innings until a Trevecca run in the fifth raised its lead to 5-2.
Trevecca proceeded to score two more times in the sixth and three times in the seventh to run away with the 10-3 win.
Rager and sophomore first baseman
Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) were responsible for driving in two of USI's runs, while Back, sophomore outfielder
Mackenzie Bedrick (Huntingburg, Indiana) and freshman outfielder
Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) each had a hit and scored a run for the Eagles, who committed six errors.
Freshman pitcher
Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was charged with the loss. Newman (0-2) gave up seven runs, four earned, off six hits. She struck out seven batters.
USI returns to action Saturday to take on Kentucky Wesleyan College at 1 p.m. and the University of Findlay at 3 p.m.