EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball battled vigorously in 10 innings Saturday against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, but the Screaming Eagles fell, 4-3, as the visiting Cougars clinched a series win.
 
With Saturday's results, USI had its record go to 16-19 overall and 9-8 in Ohio Valley Conference play. SIUE improved to 17-22 overall and 4-9 in the OVC.
 
Saturday's game was reminiscent of the close, hard-fought games in Friday's doubleheader between the two schools that were renewing an old rivalry with the first series meeting since 2008.
 
The Cougars struck first in the top of the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead on a fielder's choice. The Screaming Eagles answered in the next inning to tie the game. Junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) started the third-inning offense for USI with a leadoff triple. Two batters later, junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) singled up the middle to bring Bedrick home.
 
Over the next two innings, USI starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and SIUE freshman starter Rylie Pindel became stingy in the circle. Each pitcher had their defense on its toes, pitching to contact.
 
In the sixth inning, the two sides exchanged two-run innings. SIUE grabbed a 3-1 advantage at first, but Southern Indiana answered right back in the home half of the sixth to tie the game, 3-3. Following an extra-base hit by junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana), senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) made it a one-run game with an RBI triple. Martinez soon scored the tying run in the next at-bat by senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana), who singled down the line. Rager's RBI hit ended the day for SIUE's Pindel, who did not factor in the final decision after going 5.2 innings with three runs allowed off seven hits.
 
The contest remained knotted at three through seven innings, forcing extra innings and staying tied through nine innings. In the top of the 10^th inning, SIUE had a single and a wild pitch that allowed the go-ahead runner to reach third base. A successful sacrifice scored the go-ahead runner, giving SIUE the 4-3 lead. For USI in the bottom of the 10^th inning, the Screaming Eagles were able to get a potential tying runner to second base before SIUE stranded the runner and closed out the game for the series win.
 
Southern Indiana was led at the plate by Bedrick and Rager, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Martinez tallied a hit, a run, and an RBI.
 
In the pitching circle, SIUE junior pitcher Sydney Baalman evened her season record at 8-8 with the win, giving up just one hit and no runs in 4.1 innings in relief of Pindel. On the other side for USI, Newman suffered a tough loss, dropping to 13-8 on the season. Newman pitched all 10 innings, a career long, allowing four runs with seven strikeouts.
 
The Screaming Eagles will return to action on the road next weekend for a three-game set against Tennessee State University from Nashville, Tennessee. The series is scheduled to start with a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. with the series finale slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links are on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.