CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Softball fell in its first two games of the Governors Classic in Tennessee on Friday, dropping a pair of 8-0 decisions against Austin Peay State University and Ohio University.
 
USI (3-11) struggled to get the ball to find green grass in the first game against Austin Peay (9-8), while the Governors struck early with runs in each of the first three innings and scored in four of the five innings played.
 
The Governors totaled 11 hits, as the Screaming Eagles tallied one off the bat of freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley.
 
Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (1-4), who pitched one inning in the start, and sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus were each tagged for four runs by the Governors' offense. Witthaus pitched 3.2 innings in relief.
 
Austin Peay's starting pitcher Alanah Jones (5-3) struck out four in five innings of work.
 
In Friday's second game against Ohio (11-5), the Bobcats came out swinging with five runs in the opening frame, three of which came on back-to-back home runs. Ohio added three more runs in the second inning.
 
Despite some solid contact and quality at-bats as the game settled in, USI could not get anything to string together. Senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton and sophomore designated player Grace Huffman each had a hit.
 
Following the first two innings, Ohio was shut out the rest of the way. The Bobcats posted seven hits.
 
Freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (1-4) went 1.1 innings, giving up only three earned runs. Witthaus came on once again to toss 3.2 innings in relief, striking out two with no runs allowed.
 
Ohio starting pitcher Skipp Miller (5-1) hurled four shutout innings with four strikeouts toward the winning effort.
 
Next, the Screaming Eagles make the short trip to Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday for a twin bill against Belmont University. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Coverage and live stat links are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.