TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—University of Southern Indiana Softball suffered a pair of setbacks to open the 2024 season Friday at the Easton Bama Bash. The Screaming Eagles fell to the University of Virginia, 5-2, in the opener, before falling, 5-0, to the University of St. Thomas in the second game.

USI (0-2) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the Cavaliers in the opener. Senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) had an RBI-single in the bottom of the third inning to cut Virginia's lead in half, while junior outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) scored the tying run in the fourth frame on a throwing error following a single by senior centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana).

Virginia (4-2), which took the lead on a two-run home run in the top of the third, struck again in the sixth with its second two-run blast to take a 4-2 advantage. The Cavaliers tacked on another run in the seventh and held the Eagles to just one hit in the final three innings to secure the victory.

Offensively, the Eagles had five hits but stranded seven runners on base, including three in the third inning. Junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up five runs, four earned, off eight hits. She finished with a pair of strikeouts in the complete-game effort.

Early defensive miscues hampered the Eagles in their second game as St. Thomas took advantage of an error to score its first run in the top of the first inning.

The Tommies (1-5) tagged USI for four runs off four hits in the second inning to build a 5-0 advantage. USI threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases, but could not push a run across the plate. Like the first contest, USI left seven runners on base.

Junior pitcher Whitley Hunter (Nashville, Tennessee) was charged with the loss after giving up five runs, four earned, off four hits in 1 2/3 innings of work. Sophomore pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) scattered four hits throughout 5 1/3 innings to keep the Tommies off the board throughout the remainder of the contest.

USI faces the same two teams on the second day fo the Bama Bash Saturday. The Eagles square off with Virginia at 4 p.m., while USI and St. Thomas are set for a 6:30 p.m. start time. The Eagles finish the weekend Sunday at when the take on No. 11 University of Alabama.

Notes: USI's game against Virginia marked the first-ever regular-season meeting between the Eagles and a Power 5 school since USI made the jump to Division I last season...Bedrick went 3-fo-4 at the plate against Virginia.