EVANSVILLE, Ind. – It was a tough day for the Tennessee Tech softball team as Southern Indiana took both games in Friday's doubleheader.

 

The Screaming Eagles (8-17, 5-5 Ohio Valley Conference) held the Golden Eagles (10-22, 4-7 OVC) to two hits in game one as USI won 5-1, then the hosts took game two 3-0.

 

The series will conclude Saturday morning. With the potential threat of inclement weather, the finale has been moved up to a 10:30 a.m. start time.

 

In the opener, Southern Indiana got on the board early as Whitley Hunter hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the first. USI added two more in the fourth with a two-run single to score runners from second and third.

 

Tech scored its lone run as Abby Shoulders drove in pinch runner Julie Martin on a grounder to second.

 

Emily York took the loss, working the first 3 1/3 innings as she allowed five runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three. Peyton Wagner threw the final 2 2/3, yielding three hits with one strikeout.

 

USI pitcher Josie Newman went the distance, allowing an unearned run on two hits, striking out six. Shoulders and Brooklyn Stewart collected the two Tech hits.

 

In game two, neither team scored until the fourth inning as USI scored first with a single to short. The Screaming Eagles then added two more runs in the sixth inning with an RBI triple and a score on a wild pitch.

 

Tech got four hits in the game with Shoulders, Alina Schlageter and Ella Bishop collecting singles and Stewart hitting a double.

 

Lainey Fitzgerald took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits as she walked three and struck out eight.  Her counterpart, Kylie Witthaus, pitched all seven innings without allowing a run, striking out four.