EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball hits the road for a second straight weekend in Ohio Valley Conference play when the Screaming Eagles head to Morehead State University for a three-game series.
The series was originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Morehead, Kentucky, but it was moved up a day to avoid rainy weather in the forecast later in the weekend. Friday's series opener starts at 1:30 p.m. CT, and Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT.
Southern Indiana (5-15, 2-3 OVC) has had bad luck with inclement weather lately. USI was supposed to play Austin Peay State University at USI Softball Field on Wednesday, but the game had to be postponed. Additionally, USI's series finale at Tennessee State University last Saturday was canceled due to thunderstorms in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the two games played at Tennessee State last Friday, Southern Indiana split the doubleheader against the Tigers. The Screaming Eagles were edged 6-5 in the opener against the Tigers before rebounding for a 9-2 win in the backend of Friday's twin bill.
Freshman catcher
Jordan Mackey had a stellar week for USI, hitting .600 with nine RBIs and three extra-base hits. Mackey had six RBIs, a double, and a home run in the two-game set against Tennessee State. Sophomore infielder
Sydney Long went 4-6 at the plate against the Tigers, and senior outfielder
Kennedy Nalley drove in three runs in the doubleheader.
In the pitching circle, freshman pitcher
Kylie Witthaus notched her second win and complete game of the season in the second game of the twin bill, striking out four with only two runs allowed. Senior pitcher
Josie Newman struck out 12 in a complete-game loss in the first game.
Following Mackey's standout week, the freshman moved into the team lead for doubles (5), RBIs (11), and into a tie for a team-best two home runs. Junior outfielder
Caroline Stapleton is USI's top hitter this season with a .338 batting average among qualifying batters. Stapleton has also scored a team-high 12 runs. Freshman first baseman
Lilly Brown has gotten more at-bats as of late and higher in the batting order, hitting .414. USI has three players tied for a team-high two home runs.
On the pitching side, Witthaus (2-5) has a team-best 4.17 ERA in 43.2 innings with 25 strikeouts. Newman (3-9) has a 4.59 ERA. Newman has thrown the most innings with 71.2 innings pitched, including eight complete games. Newman has an OVC-high 114 strikeouts.
Morehead State (1-25, 0-6 OVC) has had a rough go of it so far this season, dropping its last 17 games. Last weekend, the Eagles were swept on the road at Eastern Illinois University (7-3, 9-0 in five innings, and 6-5).
Sophomore infielder Kendra Lewis paces Morehead State at the plate with a .351 batting average and 16 runs scored. Lewis is also one of four players in the Eagles' lineup with 10 or more RBIs this season. Fellow sophomore infielder Sela Pickford, who is hitting .272, has a team-best 16 RBIs. Morehead State's pitching staff is still looking to find its footing this season. Junior pitcher Emma Solis is responsible for the Eagles' only win while striking out a team-high 31 batters. Junior pitcher Rylie Burney has thrown the most innings with 83 innings of work.
USI leads the all-time series against Morehead State, 7-4. The Screaming Eagles swept Morehead State at home last March, including an extra-inning win and a run-rule victory. Southern Indiana took two of three games in its last visit to Morehead State in 2023.
The three-game series can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage can be found at usiscreamingeagles.com.
