EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville softball team has clinched a berth in the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championship. UE will be the #6 seed and face the third seed on Wednesday at 3:05 p.m. in Carbondale, Ill.
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UE completed the regular season on Saturday with a 4-1 loss to Valparaiso at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at Cooper Stadium. Valpo scored a single run in the top of the first to open the scoring. Taylor Howe doubled in the bottom of the first while Morgan Adams and Ashtyn Holbrook walked in the second, but the score remained 1-0 in favor of the Beacons.
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Two more walks along with a Niki Bode single loaded the bases in the bottom of the third as the Aces continued to threaten before Valpo got out of each jam. In the top of the fourth, the Beacons broke through as a Cadan Brinkman bases-clearing double made it a 4-0 game.
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Looking to make a late comeback, Evansville loaded the bases with one out in the 7
th. Singles by Bode and Maliyah Wilkins along a walk by Howe loaded the bases. Morgan Adams hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run for the Purple Aces, but an out at third base ended the game.
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Kate Ridgway allowed four runs, only one earned, in four innings. Alexis Tucker threw the final three frames and allowed just two hits. UE had six hits in the game including a 2-4 effort by Niki Bode.
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