NASHVILLE – University of Southern Indiana Softball dropped both games of a road doubleheader against Belmont University on Saturday, falling 8-4 and 5-0.
 
USI Softball (3-13) made the short trip on Saturday to Belmont (12-5) from Clarksville, Tennessee, as part of the Austin Peay State University Governors Classic.
 
The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 start in the first inning of game one before the Screaming Eagles answered with a pair in the top of the third inning to tie the game. Junior outfielder Kate Satkoski recorded a sac fly, and sophomore designated player Grace Huffman singled in a run in the inning.
 
Belmont responded quickly with three runs in the bottom of the third and later added three more runs in the fifth inning, including two on a home run, to take an 8-2 lead.
 
While USI scored once in the sixth and another in the seventh on an RBI knock by junior infielder Sydney Long, the Eagles ran out of outs to complete a comeback bid.
 
Offensively, USI totaled nine hits with Long and Huffman registering a pair of hits. Freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley also had two hits alongside freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx, who also scored two runs.
 
On the pitching side, sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus (1-4) took the loss after 4.2 innings pitched with two strikeouts, allowing eight runs with five earned. Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp came on in relief with 1.1 innings and no runs surrendered.
 
Belmont pitcher Hannah Leierer (2-4) gave up four runs – three earned – in the complete-game win.
 
In game two, Belmont went ahead early again with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. With a 3-0 lead, the Bruins added an unearned run in the second frame and another unearned run in the home half of the fourth before being shut out in the late innings.
 
Freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (1-5) suffered a loss in the start. Kemp took the ball again in relief in the second game and was solid, going 5.1 innings and allowing two unearned runs on only two hits and striking out a pair. Overall, on the day, Kemp pitched 6.2 innings of relief and did not allow a single earned run.
 
For the Bruins, Mackenzie Willis (2-0) got the win in the backend of the twin bill after striking out 11 and giving up only one hit in six shutout innings.
 
The Screaming Eagles look to conclude the weekend in Tennessee on a high note on Sunday morning when USI heads back to Clarksville for a single game against Central Michigan University at 10 a.m. Coverage and live stat links are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.