The IUS softball team lost both games of a doubleheader against Campbellsville University on April 7 by losing 4-2 in the first game and 4-3 in the second game.
“I felt like we competed,” Todd Buckingham, IUS head coach, said. “We played hard, but I think our defense let us down a little bit.”
Megan Sutherland, sophomore second baseman, scored a run during the first inning after Amber Eckstein, freshman pitcher, hit the ball while she was at-bat.
In the second inning, Sutherland was able to get Becca Cook, Campbellsville freshman infielder, out after the Grenadiers fumbled to gather the ball.
When the fourth inning arrived, Cook ran to second base after being at-bat while allowing two of her teammates to score runs.
Eckstein replaced Kayla Duke, junior pitcher, during the sixth inning.
“Kayla pitched a great game,” Buckingham said. “She just didn’t have the defense behind her.”
Allie Alford, junior center fielder, hit the ball out of the park and scored a home run for the Grenadiers in the seventh inning.
The first game ended with a score of 4-2.
“We left five runners in scoring position,” Buckingham said, “and it doesn’t make sense how you can get three doubles and a home run and still only score two runs.
“We just didn’t come through when it mattered,” he said. “The good thing about it is we’ve got another chance to get them in the second game.”
Katie Jelinek, sophomore third baseman, also noticed the Grenadiers’ timing was off during the first game.
“We just kind of psyched ourselves out a little bit,” she said. “It’s not like we didn’t hit. We just didn’t have timely hits.”
When the second game started, the Grenadiers had Eckstein on the pitcher’s mound.
The Grenadiers were able to get three of the Tigers out during the second inning, and the Grenadiers came back when Jelinek hit a home run.
IU Southeast was able to score two more runs when Nicole Mills, junior shortstop, hit the ball far into the outfield bringing the score to 3-0.
The Tigers came back and scored two doubles during the sixth inning with Bailey Dillender, junior infielder, and Natalie Duncan, freshman infielder.
Morgan Bullock, Campbellsville senior catcher and infielder, hit the ball out of the park and scored a home run for the Tigers, and two other runs were added to their score.
The Tigers won once again, ending the game 4-3.
“It’s very frustrating when you let people take something from you on your home field,” Buckingham said.
By JENNIFER HARRINGTON
Staff
jeharrin@umail.iu.edu
