EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In its home-opening doubleheader against Illinois State, the University of Evansville softball team battled to the finish, dropping both games by just a single run. The opener was a defensive battle with ISU taking a 3-2 win. In the second game, the Redbirds scored five in the first inning, but UE battled back to tie the game at 5-5 before ISU scored the decisive run in the top of the 9^th.
 
Game 1 – Illinois State 3, UE 2
 
A quick start by Illinois State saw them plate two runs on three hits to take the lead. Evansville cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first. Brooke Voss led off with a walk before advancing to second on a sacrifice by Taylor Howe. With two outs, Morgan Adams singled through the left side to bring in Voss.
 
One inning later, the Aces tied the score. Emma McDonald drew a 2-out walk. After moving to second on a single by Voss, she scored the tying run when Howe singled up the middle. The Redbirds quickly retook the advantage in the third, scoring a run while earning three walks. Kate Ridgway limited the damage as she forced a strikeout to strand the bases loaded.
 
Evansville's defense kept the deficit at a single run with a big play in the top of the fourth. With a runner on second and two outs, ISU hit a single to right field. The baserunner rounded third, but a laser from Ashtyn Holbrook to Niki Bode recorded the out at home to keep it a 3-2 game.
 
Over the final innings, the Aces picked up a pair of hit but could not push the tying run across the plate as the Redbirds clinched the 3-2 win. Paige McLeod threw six innings allowing two runs to earn the win while Hannah Meshnick earned the save. UE starter Kate Ridgway tossed the complete game allowing three runs on eight hits.
 
Howe registered two of UE's six hits in the game. The Redbirds had eight hits with Morgan Calhoun picking up three.
 
Game 2 – Illinois State 6, UE 5 (9 innings)
 
It did not take long for the Redbirds to pounce in game two. Up 2-0, Hannah Meshick hit a 3-run home run to left field to make it a 5-0 game in the top of the first. Brooke Voss immediately cut into the deficit. Her leadoff home run to deep center got UE on the board in the bottom of the first.
 
Two more runs scored as UE inched closer in the bottom of the third. Taylor Howe reached on a 1-out walk before consecutive 2-out doubles by Morgan Adams and Niki Bode saw the Aces make it a 5-3 game.
 
Evansville fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. Bode got things started with a leadoff walk while Jess Willsey followed with a single. Ashtyn Holbrook singled up the middle to bring in pinch runner Keghan Pye. With the bases loaded and two outs, Howe earned a walk to bring in the tying run.
 
The game remained tied until the top of the ninth. ISU put runners on second and third with one out. Voss threw a baserunner out at home to secure the second out, but Bella Atkinson hit the go-ahead double to put the Redbirds back on top.
 
Down to their final three outs, the Aces staged a rally. Maliyah Wilkins was hit by a pitch to open the inning while Dori Brown came in to pinch run. With one out, Niki Bode doubled to put runners on second and third. Unfortunately, the Redbirds picked up the final two outs to take the win.
 
After taking the win in game one, Paige McLeod was the winner of the second contest. She threw the final four frames with one run scoring. Alexis Tucker went the distance after a tough start. Tucker allowed one run on four hits over the final eight innings after ISU scored five in the first.  UE had 10 hits in the game with Voss, Adams, and Bose recording two apiece.