BOCA RATON, Fla. – University of Southern Indiana Softball wrapped up play at the Florida Atlantic University Joan Joyce Classic on Sunday morning with a 2-1 walk-off victory over Villanova University.
USI Softball (3-9) walked off the Wildcats (0-15) in the bottom of the seventh inning on an RBI knock by junior infielder
Sydney Long that scored freshman outfielder
Katelyn Marx from second base. The walk-off winner came following a tight pitcher's duel through early innings.
The Screaming Eagles scored the game's first tally in the bottom of the first inning when junior outfielder
Kate Satkoski drove in Marx from second base on an RBI single to give USI a 1-0 lead.
The 1-0 lead held through five innings, as freshman pitcher
Anna Kemp was sharp in the pitching circle. The right-hander struck out six and allowed only one run off four hits in five innings pitched. Kemp ended up with a no-decision in the start.
Kemp ran into a bit of a jam in the top of the sixth with two runners on base before handing the ball over to sophomore pitcher
Kylie Witthaus. Villanova scored and tied the game at one by creating motion on the basepaths. Witthaus limited the Wildcats to a single run in the frame, which set up USI for Long's walk-off winner in the bottom of the seventh.
Witthaus (1-3) ended up with her first win of the season after striking out two and surrendering only one hit in two innings of relief.
Villanova's starting pitcher, Kat Gallant (0-6), went the distance in the losing effort, striking out six and giving up two runs – one earned.
Offensively, USI totaled seven hits compared to Villanova's five.
Next up, the Screaming Eagles will head back north to the Midwest for one more preseason tournament before the start of Ohio Valley Conference play in two weeks. USI travels next weekend to Clarksville, Tennessee, and Nashville, Tennessee, for a combination tournament at Austin Peay State University and Belmont University. In addition to the two host schools, USI will also face Ohio University and Central Michigan University. More details will be available on usiscreamingeagles.com in the coming days.