USI Softball blanks Eastern Illinois, for series win

CHARLESTON, IL. (WFIE) – College of Southern Indiana Softball picked up a highway sequence win at Jap Illinois College on Saturday, because the Screaming Eagles shut out the Panthers, 2-0, to complete off the sequence. 

Coming into Saturday’s sequence finale, USI was third within the Ohio Valley Convention standings with a 7-6 convention file. Jap Illinois was second within the league desk at 9-1 within the OVC, sitting proportion factors behind first-place Southeast Missouri State College. 

The beginning of Saturday’s sport was harking back to Friday’s sequence opener, as each beginning pitchers had been dialed in early. Southern Indiana sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) held Jap Illinois hitless by means of 3.1 innings. With one out within the backside of the fourth inning, the Panthers cracked the hit column with a double after which a single, putting runners on the corners. Newman was unfazed, as she struck out back-to-back batters to get out of the jam. The sophomore had 5 strikeouts by means of 4 innings. 

On the flip aspect, Jap Illinois junior pitcher Olivia Value was simply as strong as her sport 1 begin on Friday. Within the second and third innings, Southern Indiana sophomore infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) and senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) every had leadoff singles, however Value was in a position to attract a double play in every inning. 

The Screaming Eagles struck for the sport’s first run within the prime of the fifth inning. Gotshall led off the body with a single up the center and superior to second after a productive sacrifice from senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana). Senior Emma Tucher (New Palestine, Indiana) pinch ran for Gotshall at second base and got here round to attain on a two-out, RBI single into centerfield by Martinez.

Southern Indiana threatened once more and doubled its result in 2-0 within the prime of the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) started the inning with a single down the left-field line and superior to second on an EIU error, forcing Jap Illinois to take away Value for senior pitcher Rachel Kaufman within the circle. Two batters later, Bedrick crossed dwelling plate on an RBI single from senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana). 

Gotshall and Martinez led USI on the plate, ending 2-for-3, whereas Martinez and Goodin accounted for the RBIs. 

Newman locked within the 2-0 shutout win within the backside of the seventh inning, choosing up a pair of strikeouts. Newman earned her twelfth win of the season to maneuver to 12-7. She additionally tossed her twelfth full sport and fifth shutout of the 2023 marketing campaign. The fitting-hander struck out eight complete in seven innings of labor. 

Jap Illinois’ Value dropped to 8-3 with the loss, going 5 innings and permitting two runs – one earned – off 5 hits. 

With the win, the Screaming Eagles improved to 14-17 this season and 8-6 within the OVC. Jap Illinois dropped to 20-15 general and 9-2 in convention play, as each of EIU’s OVC losses got here by the hands of USI this weekend. 

The Screaming Eagles will return dwelling to USI Softball Discipline Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a midweek, non-conference matchup towards Butler College. Admission to all 2023 USI Softball dwelling spring video games is free, courtesy of The Ladies’s Hospital Deaconess. The sport will be seen with an ESPN+ subscription and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Extra protection hyperlinks are on the USI Softball schedule web page on usiscreamingeagles.com

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