USI Softball battles #11 Alabama to very end, falling 2-0

TUSCALOOSA, AL. (WFIE) – University of Southern Indiana Softball battled No. 11 University of Alabama to the final inning on Sunday to conclude the Easton Bama Bash, but the Screaming Eagles came up just short in a 2-0 final against the Crimson Tide. 

Trailing 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning against ranked Southeastern Conference power Alabama (10-0), Southern Indiana (1-4) gave itself a chance by bringing the tying run to the plate and potential go-ahead run to the on-deck circle. Following a leadoff single up the middle by junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana), senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) stepped up to the dish. Unfortunately, for the Screaming Eagles, a groundball right to the second baseman led to a 4-3 double play, preceding a game-ending strikeout. 

Runs were at a premium on Sunday with only five combined hits. The game’s only two runs were scored in the bottom of the first inning. The Crimson Tide scored their first run on a bases-loaded walk and the second run in the next at-bat with a bases-loaded sac fly. From there, USI junior starting pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) settled into a pitcher’s duel against the Alabama pitching staff. 

Newman backed up her first win and first complete game of the season on Saturday with another strong effort in the circle on Sunday against Alabama. The right-hander went the entire way, allowing only two runs off two hits, three walks, and one hit-by-pitch. Newman struck out three in six innings of work. Newman finished the outing with three consecutive 1-2-3 innings, holding the Crimson Tide hitless after the third inning. The hard-luck loss moved Newman’s record to 1-2 in 2024. 

For Alabama, right-handed pitcher Alea Johnson picked up her first win, hurling 5.1 innings of relief. Johnson struck out six and surrendered three hits. 

Offensively, for the Screaming Eagles, senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) and sophomore Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) tallied USI’s other two hits next to Gotshall’s single in the seventh. 

At the Easton Bama Bash, the Screaming Eagles faced their first Power 5 opponents against Alabama and the University of Virginia since USI made the jump to D-I last season. Plus, Sunday marked the first game for USI Softball against a Division I top-25 team since reclassifying. 

With their opening weekend in the books, the Screaming Eagles will next make a return trip to the state of Alabama next weekend, Friday through Sunday, for five games in the Cocky Classic at Jacksonville State University. USI faces the University of Southern Mississippi on Friday at 12:30 p.m., Jacksonville State at 10 a.m. and Belmont University at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, and Southern Miss at 10 a.m. and Jacksonville State at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. Coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page at usiscreamingeagles.com

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