April 09, 2008

Eagles blast Hillsdale in regional doubleheader

at Southern Indiana (25-15): 7, Hillsdale (7-23): 1
-Game 1 Box Score

at Southern Indiana: 8, Hillsdale: 0 (5 innings)
-Game 2 Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team racked up a combined 22 hits as it swept Hillsdale College, 7-1 and 8-0 in five innings, Wednesday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.

Kathy Wood

In game one, USI (25-15) battled back from an early 1-0 deficit when senior leftfielder Kathy Wood (Lynnville, Indiana) hit a two-out, RBI-triple down the right field line in the bottom of the third inning to even the score at a run apiece.

The Screaming Eagles, who had four hitters record at least two hits in the opening game, took advantage of three Hillsdale errors to plate five runs in the fifth inning. USI sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth frame and got a two-run double from junior rightfielder Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois) as well as a run-scoring single from junior shortstop Allyn McKinley (Sullivan, Indiana) to break the game wide open.

Amy Harrison

Wood, who was 4-for-4 in the first game and 2-for-3 in the second game, drove in another run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give senior hurler Amy Harrison (Graceville, Florida) more than enough runs to pick up her third straight win.

Harrison (12-8) scattered four hits throughout seven innings, while striking out five batters to pick up the victory.

Sara Loete

In game two, the Eagles struck first when sophomore designated player Sara Loete (Pekin, Illinois) blasted a three-run shot over the leftfield fence in the bottom of the first inning to give USI a 3-0 advantage. It was Loete's team-high ninth home run of the season and GLVC-best 47th RBI of the year.

USI tacked on another run in the second inning when Ligmanowski singled to left-centerfield to drive in freshman infielder Dani Finkelstein (Windsor, Colorado), who reached via a lead-off double.

Kristin Eickholt

The four runs was more than enough for senior third baseman/pitcher Kristin Eickholt (Van Wert, Ohio) to pick up the win. Eickholt (2-3) scattered five hits throughout five innings to pick up her first complete-game shutout of the season.

For good measure, the Eagles recorded four singles and a walk to lead-off the fifth frame and end the contest via the eight-run rule. Freshman first basema