Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

OXFORD, Ala. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team picked up a pair of wins in elimination games, before falling in the third one of day three at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
 
EKU (34-20) won game one, 3-1, against Belmont University, defeated Austin Peay State University, 4-3, in game two, before falling in game three against No. 1 seed Southeast Missouri State, 11-8.
 
In game one Eastern scored two in the bottom of the second and one in the bottom of the sixth to defeat No. 6 seed Belmont.    
 
Destinee Lizzmore and Emily Corbitt started the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second with no one out. After advancing to second and third on a passed ball, Erica Bowers delivered with a two RBI single up the middle to give Eastern the early 2-0 lead.
 
Belmont (31-23) cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth. Chelsea Thomas took a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to make the score, 2-1, but the Bruins could never get any closer.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hannah Clark took the 0-1 pitch off the base of the wall for a leadoff double. After advancing to third on a ground out by Lizzmore, Corbitt delivered some insurance with a RBI single to left field to bring home Clark and take a 3-1 lead.
 
Sammi Reynoso started in the circle going four and one-third innings striking out one and allowing one run on the game. Mollie Paulick picked up her eighth save of the season, going two and two-third innings and striking out four.
 
Bowers went 1-for-3 with one single and two RBIs. Corbitt chipped in a 2-for-3 performance with one RBI.
 
 
_
 
In game two Eastern scored the first four runs of the game and then held on late against No. 3 seed Austin Peay in the second elimination game of the day.
 
Sammi Miller got things started in the bottom of the first taking 1-2 pitch into the left center gap for a stand-up double. After a Melissa Jacobsen sacrifice bunt advanced her to third, Clark singled to right to bring home Miller and give Eastern the 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Corbitt reached via an error by the third baseman and that is when the bats got going for Eastern. Zoe Mihalicz sent the 2-2 pitch over the shortstop's head to put runners on first and second with one out. Bowers delivered again, she took the 1-0 pitch off the center field wall to bring home Corbitt and take a 2-0 lead. Carly Robinson followed suit with a single to left field to bring home Mihalicz and give Eastern the 3-0 lead. Eastern was not done there, Miller sent the first pitch of the at bat down the left field line to take a 4-0 lead after four innings of play.
 
Austin Peay (33-22) did not go down without a fight.
 
Kelsey Acree started the top of the sixth with a single through the right side. After stealing second base, Bailey Shorter brought her home with a RBI single to make the score 4-1. Carly Mattson brought home Shorter with a ground out to make it 4-2, after five and a half innings.
 
In the top of the seventh Lexi Osowski sent the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to cut the lead to, 4-3. Kelsey Gross singled to right field to put the tying run at first with no one out. Paulick came in and recorded three straight outs including a strikeout to end the Austin Peay comeback.
 
Murphy McRoberts started in the circle going six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits. Paulick picked up her ninth save on the season and second of the day throwing an inning and striking out one.
 
_
 
 
In game three, Southeast Missouri State scored eight runs in the first two innings and never looked back.
 
Mykaela Arellanes got things started taking the 0-1 pitch back up the middle for SEMO. Claudia Gallo reached with a walk, followed by Ashley Ellis reaching via the error to load the bases. That is when Addison Barnouski, Sarah Messex and Parker Bandy all got hits to give the Redhawks a 5-0 lead after the top of the first.
 
Southeast Missouri (43-16) scored three more in the top of the second after three home runs to take the 8-0 lead.
 
Eastern did not go down without a fight. In the bottom of the fourth, Corbitt put the Colonels on the board with a solo shot over the left field fence to make the score 8-1 after four innings of play.
 
Miller and Jacobsen started the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second with no one out. Lizzmore pushed across the second run of the game with a single to left field bringing home Miller. A double steal by Lizzmore and Jacobsen pushed the second run of the inning across for the Colonels making the score 8-3.
 
Southeast Missouri pushed one more across in the sixth and two in the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Clark started it off by getting hit. Lizzmore wasted no time taking advantage, sending a two-run shot over the left field fence to make the score, 11-5. A single by Corbitt, followed by Mihalicz reaching on an error and Bowers getting hit loaded the bases with no one out. Robinson and Harrison with back-to-back ground outs brought home two runs to make the score 11-7. Jacobsen brought home the final run with an infield single to make it 11-8.
 
Miller went 3-for-4 with three singles. Corbitt went 1-for-3 with one home run and one RBI.