Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of Evansville softball team came up empty-handed in the day two of the Southern Mississippi Invitational. The Aces fell to Nicholls State, 5-3, in the first game today before dropping a 6-1 decision to Troy in their final game of the tournament.
The Aces (1-8) will return to action Thursday, traveling to Knoxville, Tenn., for a single game against the Tennessee Volunteers.
Game 1: Evansville 3 Nicholls State 5
The Aces jumped out to one run lead when sophomore Alicia Betancur scored on junior #Amy Gaertner’s# sacrifice fly to centerfield in the top of the first inning. The Colonels answered with two runs off of four hits in the bottom of the second, including a solo home run to lead off the inning.
Trailing by one run in the top of the third, senior Jen Stahlhut and Gaertner hit a pair of singles to score Betancur, who had walked earlier in the inning. Taking advantage of a Colonel error, Stahlhut crossed the plate to give the Aces a 3-2 lead.
Evansville’s defense held off the Colonels until the bottom of the fifth inning, when back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases to start the inning. Freshman Emily Morris was called from the bullpen to get the Aces out of the jam. Morris didn’t give up a hit in the inning, but Nicholls State was able to put the ball in play twice to bring home two more runs.
The Colonels’ final run came in the bottom of the sixth inning off a two-out double.
Stahlhut and senior Kelci Alsip each had two hits for the Aces. Gaertner led the team with two runs batted in. Junior Maggie Little (0-3) was charged with the loss.
Game 2: Evansville 1 Troy 6
A single by freshman Katie Sears brought in the first run of the second game, giving UE a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Sophomore starting pitcher Kendall Kautz only allowed three hits through the first three innings to hold the Trojans scoreless before running into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, the Trojans managed back-to-back home runs off Kautz before freshman reliever Taylor Perry was able to shut the rally down.
The Trojans were able to use a four-hit sixth inning to take a five run lead and secure the 6-1 victory.
Sears went 2-for-3 at the plate, accounting for both of the Aces’ hits.
Kautz (0-1) took the loss in the circle.
