EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball fell in both games of Thursday's home doubleheader against Morehead State University, coming up just short in the series opener, 2-1, before Morehead State rallied in the seventh inning to take the second game, 10-6.
With Thursday's results, USI Softball dropped to 10-21 overall and 7-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Meanwhile, Morehead State snapped a five-game losing streak and doubled its season win total by improving to 4-24 overall and 3-11 in conference action.
The day began with a low-scoring pitcher's duel, as all three combined runs between the two teams were scored in the third inning. Morehead State scored twice on a single in the top half of the frame, while USI tallied one back in the home half of the inning on a sac fly by junior outfielder
Kate Satkoski.
Outside of the third inning, it was a battle of the pitchers. USI sophomore pitcher
Kylie Witthaus (2-6) suffered a hard-luck loss after tossing a complete game with one earned run allowed off seven hits with two strikeouts.
Morehead State starting pitcher Ainsley Stubbs (4-8) recorded her first win of the day after pitching the first four innings and surrendered one run before giving the ball to Rylie Burney for the final three innings to notch her first save of the season.
At the plate, USI totaled six hits in game one. Satkoski and junior catcher
Alyssa Mumaw each tallied a pair of hits.
The Screaming Eagles jumped out first to a 1-0 lead in game two off an RBI double by freshman infielder
Jadyn Tinsley, but Morehead State evened the game at one in the top of the second inning.
USI reclaimed the lead with a couple of runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 advantage after an RBI single by junior infielder
Sydney Long and a sac fly from Mumaw.
USI built on its lead with three runs in the home half of the fourth to surge ahead 6-1. Sophomore
Jordan Mackey drove in the first run of the inning on an RBI single before two bases-loaded walks later in the inning scored two more.
Despite the five-run difference, USI ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. Morehead State rallied and scored nine runs to take the lead, 10-6, before closing out the comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh.
Each side posted 10 hits in the second game. Senior outfielder
Caroline Stapleton, freshman outfielder
Katelyn Marx, Mackey, and Long all finished with two-hit games. Mumaw and Tinsley collected two RBIs apiece.
On the pitching side, freshman pitcher
Elly Robbins took a no-decision after starting the first 6.1 innings, giving up six runs and four earned with two strikeouts. Freshman pitcher
Anna Kemp (3-9) was dealt the loss in relief, allowing four runs but only one earned.
Stubbs registered her second win of the day as the third Morehead State pitcher used in game two. Stubbs pitched 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Screaming Eagles look to respond and snap a six-game losing skid in Friday's series finale against Morehead State. First pitch is at Noon from USI Softball Field. Coverage and live stat links for this week's series are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
