Saturday
Highlights
ECU 4, James Madison 2
Facing a 2017 NCAA regional team in front of a packed house Sunday, ECU proved up to the task and emerged with a 4-2 victory over JMU inside Veterans Memorial Park. Redshirt senior catcher Alex Mycek gave the Pirates a lead it would not relinquish in the top of the first. Freshman infielder Ashleigh Inae singled with one out and stole second base before a foul out put two outs on the board. Redshirt sophomore infielder Tate McClellan then drew a walk and Mycek belted a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left center field to give ECU a 3-0 advantage. JMU loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with one out, but ECU turned a 5-2-3 double play to escape the inning unscathed. ECU added an insurance run in the top of the fifth. For the third-straight inning, the Dukes loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, but freshman RHP Whitney Sanford entered the contest and recorded a looking strikeout as well as a fly ball to right that terminated the rally.
Houston 11, Eastern Kentucky 3
Pitcher Savannah Heebner, who relieved sophomore starter Trystan Melancon, limited EKU to one run on four hits while walking none and striking out three in four and two-third innings pitched. Against EKU, freshman designated player Aspen Howie finished a perfect 4-for-4. The Austin native recorded a home run, double and two singles to account for three RBI and three runs scored. The Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a three-run homer by Howie. After EKU scored three runs in the top of the third, Houston responded with two runs in the bottom frame. In the sixth, Howie collected her fourth hit of the game, a two-out double to left center. Stewart and junior Breelyn Thames (pinch-hit) and Hill all followed with RBI singles for the 11-4 final.
USF 8, North Florida 0
Freshman Georgina Corrick pitched USF's first no-hitter since 2015 in an 8-0 victory over North Florida on Sunday. Corrick became the first USF freshman to accomplish the feat since 1996 by striking out five batters in five innings. The British National Team pitcher threw 55 strikes in 88 pitches and finished her fourth complete game. During the weekend, she pitched 11.1 innings in three appearances and allowed just two hits. The Bulls' offense rallied around Corrick, batting in one or more runs in each of the Bulls' four chances at the plate for a total of eight in the shutout victory. The win improved USF's streak to 15, with its ninth shutout of the season. Senior Astin Donovan went 2-for-2 with one run and an impressive four RBI. Junior Macy Cook had a near-perfect day at the plate. She went 2-for-3 and batted in three runs.
Dartmouth 6, Houston 4
Starter Presley Bell surrendered six runs (three earned) across three innings against Dartmouth before Savannah Heebner tossed four innings of one-hit relief. Sophomore third baseman Sarah Queen went 3-for-4, recording her team-leading fifth home run of the season. She finished with two RBI and one run scored. After the Big Green scored five runs in the opening frame, Houston responded with two runs in the bottom of the first. James led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Thomas. After Kaylin Crumpton drew a walk, Arielle James scored on an infield error. One batter later, Lindsey Stewart plated Crumpton with a single to make it 5-2. Dartmouth added an unearned run on the top of the third. Queen opened the bottom frame with a solo home run to center field. Howie walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Stewart before scoring one batter later on a Brooke Vannoy single.
Wichita State 12, Iowa 5
Paige Luellen and Ryleigh Buck led the Wichita State softball team to a 12-5 victory against the Iowa Hawkeyes on day two of the Creighton Tournament. Luellen went 2-for-4 with four RBI while Buck went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Mckenzie Weber earned her first career start in the circle, knocking down her first career looking strikeout on the first batter. It didn't take long for the Shocker bats to come alive. Mackenzie Wright fought back from two strikes to draw a walk in the first with Laurie Derrico singling through the left to get two on base. Luellen then hit a deep single to center field to get both home and give Wichita State an early 2-0 lead. The Hawkeyes cut the lead to 2-1 in the second, but the Shockers came straight back in the bottom half, scoring five runs on three hits. Wichita State added another four in the fifth, and it became 12-5 in the sixth with Buck leading off the inning with a single; Luellen singled down the left to get her home for her fourth RBI of the day.
Memphis 5, Tennessee Tech 1
Multi-hit games by Brooke Lee and Baylee Smith propelled the Tigers in game one over the Golden Eagles. Kyler Trosclair Klatt also played a crucial role in the Memphis scoring as she drove in the first two runs of the game with a single up the middle. Mariah Nichols pitched a complete game for the Tigers and held on to a no-hitter until the top of the sixth inning. She finished with five strikeouts en route to her seventh victory of the season. Brooke Lee led the second inning off with a line-drive single off the glove of the shortstop. A fielder's choice play on Regan Hadley combined with a walk to Jessie Lamb loaded the bases for the Tigers. Klatt singled up the middle to bring in two of those base runners with two outs. Smith proceeded to back Trosclair Klatt's efforts up with a single up the middle to bring in Erin Parker. A single run in both the third and the fifth held off the Golden Eagles.
Wichita State 9, Creighton 1
Bailey Lange's two hit game led the Wichita State softball team to a 9-1 victory over the Creighton Bluejays to close out the Creighton Tournament. Lange led both the offense and defense going 2-for-3 at the plate, knocking in three runs and striking out three on the defense. With a 2-1 Shocker lead, Paige Luellen smoked a deep shot to center field in the third for a leadoff double, Perrigan's sacrifice bunt getting Kaylee Huecker, who came in to run, to third. Nickerson then knocked one into left field for an RBI single to push the lead 3-1. Three became five with back-to-back doubles by Lange and Ryleigh Buck getting Nickerson and then Lange home. The visitors then plated two more runs apiece in the sixth and seventh to pad the lead.
Memphis 1, SIUE 0
The hits were harder to come by against the Cougars as the squads combined for just six hits through the first seven complete innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning with the international tiebreaker rule in affect, Kyler Trosclair Klatt recorded a hit to put runners on first and third. A walk to Baylee Smith loaded the bases and with no one out, Addison Maxwell hit a ball over the left fielders head, driving in the game-winning run. Molly Smith finished the complete game shutout with 13 strikeouts. The victory marked Smith's 11th this season, which matches her previous career-high set during her sophomore and junior campaigns. With Erin Parker on second due to the international tiebreaker rules, Trosclair Klatt singled to put runners on first and third. A walk to Baylee Smith loaded the bases and Addison Maxwell singled Parker home for the victory.
Coming Up: Tuesday, March 18
| Wichita State at Omaha |
3 p.m. |
| Houston at Sam Houston State |
4 p.m. |
| Houston at Sam Houston State |
6 p.m. |
| No. 22/23 Ole Miss at Memphis |
4 p.m. |