WINTER HAVEN, Fla.—University of Southern Indiana Softball used a five-run fourth inning to defeat Midwest Region foe Ashland University, 7-1, in its final game at The Spring Games Tuesday. The Screaming Eagles first game of the day against No. 7 Grand Valley State University was canceled due to wet field conditions.
 
Ashland (3-4), which defeated USI 10-3 nine days ago at the Blue Bridge Battle in Owensboro, Kentucky, jumped out to a 1-0 lead as a pair of walks followed by a pair of two-out singles put the Screaming Eagles in an early hole.
 
USI (14-8), however, quickly responded with three hits in the bottom of the first inning, including an RBI-single by junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) that tied the game at 1-1.
 
The Screaming Eagles took advantage of an error in the second frame to score another run as freshman outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) pushed across a run on a fielder's choice to give USI a 2-1 edge.
 
Nalley's two-run single in the fourth inning gave the Eagles a 4-1 lead, while sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) hit a three-run bomb later in the inning to stake USI to a commanding 7-1 advantage.
 
On the defensive side, USI got some key double plays, including one in the third inning that wiped an Ashland run off the board when the runner at third base failed to properly tag on a flyball out. Junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) had just entered the circle in relief and walked a runner to load the bases with no outs before getting the game-altering double play.
 
Goodin (2-0) earned the win after scattering four hits throughout four scoreless innings.
 
USI returns to action Friday at 11 a.m. (CST) when it opens Great Lakes Valley Conference play with a doubleheader at No. 5 University of Indianapolis.