RICHMOND, Ky. – EKU softball (14-8) doubles its win total from a season ago taking games one and two in a doubleheader over Valpo by scores of 4-3 and 15-2 on Saturday evening at Gertrude Hood Field.
A thrilling game one ended 4-3 on a
Jasmine Miller double play. Game two ended by way of mercy rule in the fifth inning.
Vianna Barron,
Maggie Pertee, and
Jaelin Haynes led the Colonels with four hits each in the doubleheader.
Lou Bowers and
Jasmine Miller followed with three apiece.
EKU hit five homers in Saturday's games: Bowers (2), Pertee (1), Barron (1), Miller (1).
Lauren Narvaez and
Emma Bethel earned wins on the day, improving their records to 7-4 and 3-2 on the season, respectively. Colonel pitchers combined for five strikeouts.
Game 1: EKU 4, Valpo 3
Freshman
Brooke Davis earned the starting nod in game one, EKU and Valpo kicked off the doubleheader keeping each other out of the score column through the first two innings. The Beacons' starter Caitlyn Kowalski led the way with three strikeouts.
EKU got its first run in the bottom of the third as Barron doubled to the right gap, followed by a Pertee double off the left center wall for a 1-0 lead. The Colonels left three on base to end the inning.
The Colonels recycled their lineup in the following inning, highlighted by a 2-run blast off the scoreboard by Barron, her fifth of the season, for a 3-0 EKU lead.
Valpo broke the shutout in the top of the fifth, bringing in a runner in scoring position from second base. The Beacons would load the bases in the next two at bats, prompting a call to the bullpen and Davis ending her day with 4.2 innings and one strikeout.
Narvaez held VU from scoring with bases loaded, keeping the contest at 3-3 entering in the fifth.
EKU broke the standoff in the bottom of the sixth, Bowers hit the Colonels' second scoreboard-hitting homer for a 4-3 lead.
Miller turned a double play to end the game, avenging her error earlier in the game, tagging the runner on third and throwing the ball across the field to beat the batter.
Game 2: EKU 15, Valpo 2 (5 inn.)
EKU used a five-hit bottom of the first to go up 5-0 against Valpo in game two.
Jeanay Riley and Miller doubled in the inning, each bringing in a run. Haynes, Bowers, and Pertee singled bringing in the other three runs.
The Beacons loaded the bases in the top of the second, scoring two runs to narrow its deficit, 5-2.
Pertee and Miller both hit towering homers off the indoor softball complex in the bottom half of the inning, their 4th and 3rd of the season, respectively.
Rylie Grantz tripled to end the inning giving EKU a seven-run lead, 9-2, heading to the third.
Bowers knocked a 3-run homer to kick off the fourth inning for EKU to put the home team up 10 runs, 12-2. A double from freshman
Lilly Davis and single from
Nikola Schwarzingerova ended the frame 15-2 Colonels.
Bethel tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, bringing her strikeout total to three for the game.
EKU ended the contest in the fifth inning, holding Valpo to no runs with runners on first and second.
The Colonels outscored Valpo 19-5 in Saturday's games. EKU had 15+ extra base hits, its largest total in over two seasons. 18 hits and 15 runs are the largest totals of the season
EKU will go for the sweep in game three tomorrow against Valpo at 1:00 p.m.
