Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville softball team fell in both games of today’s doubleheader against Wichita State, dropping game one by a score of 1-0 before the Shockers posted a 7-1 victory in the second half of the day.

With the losses, the Aces (11-25) fall to 4-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play while Wichita State pick up its first two league victories to improve to 2-12 in the Valley, 9-31 overall.

Game 1: UE 0, WSU 1
The series opener remained at a 0-0 stalemate through the first three innings, but a two-out solo homerun off the bat of Wichita’s Erin Carney gave the Shockers a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

The Aces threatened to score in the bottom of the frame, with senior Amy Gaertner leading off the inning with a single through the left side. Sophomore Niki Rahming followed with an infield grounder, reaching on a fielder’s choice as Gaertner safely advanced to second on a throwing error by second baseman Layne Greenlee. With one out on the board, senior Allison Aguilera hit an infield groundout to move the runners to second and third, to bring pinch-hitter junior Alicia Betancur to the plate with two outs. But Wichita starter Katie Armagost forced a flyout to right field to end the inning and hang on to the 1-0 lead.

The Shockers threatened to score again in the top of the sixth, using a hit by pitch, a single and an intentional walk to load the bases. But with two outs on the board, UE starter Sarah Patterson managed an infield groundout to end the inning.

Down to its final two outs of the game, Evansville threatened a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, sparked by a pinch-hit single by senior Maggie Little. A follow-up single by sophomore Katie Sears moved freshman Mariah Ferguson, who entered as a pinch-runner for Little, to second . With two runners on, junior Tamara Robey hit a hard chopper to Armagost, who tried to get the lead out at third, but Ferguson was able to beat the throw, loading the bases for Evansville. Relief pitcher Sloan Anderson then entered the game for the Shockers, striking out freshman Kayla Fortner before Gaertner hit a line drive to left field to end the game.
Patterson dropped to 6-12 on the season, allowing just four hits while fanning four Shockers in the complete -game loss. Armagost improved to 4-9 on the year and Anderson was credited her first save of the season.

Game 2: UE 1, WSU 7
The Shockers struck first in the second half of the doubleheader, using five hits to push across five runs in the top of the third. Sydney Stuever ignited a two-out rally, hitting a double to left before scoring on a single by Greenlee. A hit by pitch gave Wichita State two runners on the bases before back-to-back singles by Carney and Melissa Jaegers brought  in two more runs. Hayley Temple followed with a single down the line, scoring the final two runs of the inning before being thrown out at second.

Leading 5-0 in the top of the sixth, the Shockers strung together four singles off reliever Kendall Kautz to add two more runs to the board, taking a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the frame.

The Aces avoided the shutout with a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Fortner tallied her fourth home run of the season with a solo shot over the left field fence to score the Aces’ only run of the game. Gaertner then reached on a Shocker fielding error before freshman Alli Nolan delivered a pinch-hit double to put runners at second and third with two outs. Betancur, who entered as a pinch-hitter, then worked a walk to load the bases for freshman Lauren Lum. But Anderson was able to force a fly out from Lum to end the threat and secure the win.

Sophomore Taylor Perry (3-5) was credited with the loss, giving up five runs on six hits in her ninth start of the year. Kautz ended the day giving up two runs on five hits while collecting three strikeouts in four innings of work.