MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – University of Southern Indiana Softball closed its trip to The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida, on Tuesday with a 5-0 shutout victory over the University of North Dakota.
 
Southern Indiana struck first in the bottom of the second inning Tuesday. USI loaded the bases with two outs when sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) brought a run in on an infield RBI hit.
 
The Screaming Eagles built onto their lead in the next inning. Senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) led off the third frame with a home run, her first of the season. Later in the inning, USI did some more damage with two outs. Freshman infielder Sydney Long (Haubstadt, Indiana) and senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) tallied back-to-back RBI singles to put USI ahead 4-0. Southern Indiana scored one more time before the end of the third inning to lead 5-0.
 
From that point on, North Dakota kept USI off the scoreboard, but the five-run cushion was all that USI starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) needed. The right-hander shut down the Fighting Hawks, hurling a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. For Newman, Tuesday's performance was the ninth complete game and second shutout this season. The junior moved to 5-4 on the campaign with the win.
 
Offensively, Southern Indiana recorded its five runs off eight hits. Bedrick ended up with a two-hit game with an RBI. Junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) tallied a hit and scored two runs.
 
North Dakota (5-17) mustered just the one hit at the plate, while junior pitcher Makaela Carr was charged with the loss to move to 3-4 this season. Carr lasted 2.2 innings, giving up five runs – two earned – off seven hits and two walks.
 
With Tuesday's win, the Screaming Eagles improved to 6-9 this season as they head back north to begin Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday and Sunday at Tennessee Tech University. Saturday is set for a doubleheader starting at Noon. Sunday's series finale is also scheduled for Noon.
 
All three games at Tennessee Tech can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription. Live stats and coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.