Box Score

AMES, Iowa – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team used a five-run second inning to roll past the University of South Dakota, 7-2, on Friday in the second round of the National Invitational Softball Championship.
 
EKU (35-21) got started with a one out single by Carly Robinson. After back-to-back walks by Brooke Harrison and Melissa Jacobsen loaded the bases, the bats got going for the Colonels. Sammi Miller delivered the first punch with a single into left center to bring home Amanda Sjoberg and give Eastern the 1-0 lead. Destinee Lizzmore followed suit with a single of her own to bring home Harrison to push the lead to 2-0. Hannah Clark continued the inning with the team's third straight single, this time to bring home two and extend the EKU lead to 4-0. After a walk by Emily Corbitt, Zoe Mihalicz brought home the last run of the inning with a single to left field to make it 5-0 after one and a half innings.
 
In the top of the fourth Eastern added to its lead. Miller reached via a throwing error by the South Dakota pitcher. After a Lizzmore walk, Corbitt sent the 2-2 pitch down the right field line to bring home Miller and take a 6-0 lead. Lizzmore scored on a double steal to bring home the last run of the game for the Colonels.
 
South Dakota (33-28) chipped into the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, the Coyotes used a walk and three straight singles to push two across in the bottom half of the inning and make the score 7-2.
 
Murphy McRoberts started in the circle while striking out four and allowing two runs over six innings. Mollie Paulick pitched a scoreless inning in the top of the seventh with one strikeout to close the game out.
 
Clark went 1-for-3 with two RBIs on the game. Corbitt chipped in a 1-for-2 with one walk and one RBI.
 
Eastern returns to the field tomorrow at 10 a.m. in its second straight elimination game against Purdue University.