MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Friday's opening day of the 901 Classic saw the University of Evansville softball team defeat defending Mid-American Conference champion Miami Ohio to earn its third win of the season. UE scored six runs in the third inning before cruising to the win. Saturday's action will see the Purple Aces face USI and Memphis.
 
Game 2 – UE 11, Miami Ohio 3
 
Maliyah Wilkins hit a 2-run home run while picking up three RBI to lead the Purple Aces offense in an 11-3 victory over Miami Ohio. Emma McDonald was 3-4 with two runs and two doubles in the winning effort. Taylor Howe went 2-5 with two runs and two RBI while Jess Willsey picked up two hits and two RBI. In the circle, Alexis Tucker tossed a complete game. In seven innings of work, Tucker allowed three runs on six hits while fanning six batters.
 
Morgan Adams scored the opening run of the game in the top of the second before the Evansville offense erupted for six runs in the top half of the third. Keghan Pye led things off with a walk and quickly scored on Howe's triple. With one out, Wilkins hit a home run to deep left field to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
Sydney Kalonihea hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Adams, who walked earlier in the inning. Brooke Voss and McDonald added 2-out RBI hits to push the lead to 7-0. The RedHawks broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, however, the Aces struck again in the fifth. Willsey's 2-run single was followed by an RBI hit by Wilkins to make it a 10-2 contest. Following a Miami run in the bottom of the frame, UE had the final score of the game in the 7^th when Howe's second hit of the game brought in McDonald to solidify the final score of 11-3.
 
Game 1 – Kansas City 6, UE 2
 
Kansas City scored six runs in the fourth inning to finish with a 6-2 victory in Friday's opener for the Purple Aces. Following a pair of scoreless frames, UE broke through with a run in the top of the third. Keghan Pye and Taylor Howe reached on infield singles to lead things off. Pye advanced to third on a fly out before scoring on an RBI groundout from Maliyah Wilkins.
 
Evansville held the lead until the bottom of the fourth when the Kangaroos plated six runs. Lauren Parker and Megan Johnston each had 2-RBI hits. Morgan Adams recorded a 1-out single in the top half of the sixth with Dori Brown coming in to pinch run. Brown advanced to second on a single by Sydney Kalonihea before scoring on a single from Niki Bode to make it a 6-2 game.
 
Pye led the seventh off with a walk, but three outs ended the rally with the Kangaroos winning by a 6-2 final. UE picked up six hits in the contest with Kalonihea finishing with two. Kate Ridgway suffered the loss. She allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings while walking six batters. Gracie Hollingsworth threw the final 2 1/3 frames and struck out two.