April 09, 2009

Eagles miss on early opportunities,
Drop both games of twinbill to Lewis

Lewis (27-12, 9-5 GLVC): 4, at Southern Indiana (9-29, 1-11 GLVC): 0
-Box Score

Lewis: 8, Southern Indiana: 4
-Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team could not capitalize on early scoring opportunities as it suffered a 4-0 setback in the first game of a GLVC doubleheader to visiting Lewis University Thursday afternoon at the USI Softball Field. The Screaming Eagles also lost the second game, 8-4.

USI (9-29, 1-11 GLVC) had a total of four runners get into scoring position with no outs in the first three innings, but base-running miscues as well as some solid fielding by the Flyers prevented the Eagles from scoring.

Lewis (27-12, 9-5 GLVC) took advantage of a one-out walk in the top of the fifth inning to plate the game's first run and take a slim 1-0 advantage. The Flyers capitalized on a lead-off double in the second inning to claim a 2-0 lead, then took advantage of an error to score two more runs in the seventh frame.

After recording four hits in the first three frames, USI was held to just three base runners in the final four innings as the Flyers completed the opening-game win.

Sophomore pitcher Dawn McClellan (Valparaiso, Indiana) threw well for the Eagles despite suffering the loss. She allowed just two earned runs off seven hits in a complete-game effort. She falls to 3-11 with the decision.

The Eagles spotted the Flyers a pair of runs in the top of the first inning of game two, but rallied with two tallies in the last part of the first inning and another in the third frame to take a 3-2 lead.

Brittany DeWeese

Sophomore first baseman Brittany DeWeese (Evansville, Indiana), who was 4-of-7 at the plate with two doubles and a pair of RBIs in the two games, put the Eagles on the board with a two-out, two-run double in the first inning. McClellan's RBI-double in the third inning capped off a two-out rally for the Eagles as they took the one-run advantage.

Lewis, however, sent 10 batters to the dish in the fourth inning as it scored six times to take the momentum away from the Eagles and grab a commanding 8-3 lead.

USI took advantage of an error in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to four runs, but Lewis hurler Diana Pickrum sent the Eagles down in order in the seventh inning to hand USI its fourth straight loss.

Freshman Hadley Clark (Owensboro, Kentucky) was charged with the loss in the second game. Clark (2-6), who was just one strikeout away from her season-high (7), allowed eight runs, seven earned, off 10 hits in 7.0 innings of work.

The Eagles return to action Friday when they host Quincy University in a GLVC doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. at the USI Softball Field.

Dan McDonnell,
USI Sports Information