Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville (3-1) softball team split with Detroit and UMKC  in day one of the UE Tournament. The Aces extended their winning streak to three games with 2-1 walk-off win over Detroit in game one of the day before dropping a 4-3 decision to UMKC in the night cap.

UE totaled 12 hits and five runs over both games. Sophomore Katie Sears led Evansville’s lineup with three hits on the day while senior Allison Aguilera picked up a team-high three RBI.

In the opening games of the tournament, Butler posted an 8-0 win over Detroit before losing 2-0 to UMKC.

The tournament will resume tomorrow morning with Detroit taking on UMKC at 9:30 a.m. The Aces are scheduled to face Detroit at 11:30 a.m. before wrapping up the tournament against Butler at 3:30 p.m

Game 1: UE 2, Detroit 1
The Titans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, using a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. With two outs, UE starter Taylor Perry was able to get the strikeout against Kat Hoffman, but Vanessa Garcia took advantage of the dropped third strike to steal home as Hoffman reached base, giving Detroit the 1-0 advantage.

The Aces led off the bottom of the fifth with a pair of singles by senior Aguilera and junior Halie Malone. A  Detroit error on a one-out chopper by Sears then loaded the bases, but pitcher Julia Maksym forced two infield pop-ups to end the inning and hold the Aces scoreless.

Down to the last three outs of the game, Malone worked a full-count walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Victoria Dellorto followed with a sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner Brianna Villanueva to second base. Sophomore Sears then belted a line drive through the left side, forcing a Titan error in the outfield that allowed Villanueva to score the tying run. With Sears moving to second on the error, Gaertner forced another walk to bring designated-player Kendall Kautz to the plate. Kautz came through in the clutch, driving a liner to right center to score Sears and secure the walk-off win.

Sophomore Emily Morris was credited with the win, tossing two innings of hitless, scoreless relief. Perry scattered four hits while picking up six strikeouts in five innings of work in her first start of the season.

Game 2: UE 3, UMKC  4
The Kangaroos jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, after Kaelene Curry opened the game with a leadoff walk issued by UE starter Sarah Patterson. Curry used a wild pitch and a stolen base to advance to third before scoring on a fielder’s choice.

The Aces quickly answered back in the bottom of the frame as Gaertner sparked a rally with a two-out double. Freshman Kayla Fortner followed with a walk before Aguilera blasted another double to left center to pick up both RBI and give UE the 2-1 lead going into the second inning.

UMKC responded in the top of the third, taking advantage of a single and a UE fielding error to push across a solo run and tie it up 2-2 before the Aces could close out the inning.

The Roos then posted another single run inning in the top of the fourth, using a double and two infield singles to score their third run of the game.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Fortner hit a two-out double to left field before coming in to tie the game on an error in the UMKC outfield.

Tied at 3-all, Patterson issued leadoff walk in the top of the seventh put Megan Vicino on base for UMKC.  After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, Vicino advanced to third on an infield groundout before scoring on a UE throwing error in the same play. The one-run lead would prove to be all the Kangaroos would need, as the Aces would be unable to answer in the bottom of the frame to give UMKC the 4-3 win.

Patterson (1-1) took the loss in the complete game effort, tallying six strikeouts while scattering seven hits.