Eagles Softball Sweep Union on the Road

David Finney | photo by Gian-Luca Fahling

Barbourville, KY - If you have not been paying attention, Eagles Softball has been on a roll as of late. They have a current 5 game winning streak and they have won 15 of their last 20 games. They seem to be hitting their stride at the right time as the final two weeks of the regular season approach. They have solid hitting throughout the lineup and on the bench and their starting pitching has been able to hold down conference opponents in the last several games.

Today's game was on the road with the Bulldogs of Union College, who are in the middle of the pack in the AAC standings.  Reinhardt has worked its way up to the fourth position and they will look to keep moving up over the next couple of weeks. The Eagles would take both games with Union today, 3-2 in game one and 8-5 in game two. Game one was more of a pitching duel similar to the Truett McConnell games from Monday afternoon. In game two, the bats would open up and the Eagles would get 8 runs across the plate. It has been several innings since they have had a breakout game hitting like game two.

Game One

In game one, Bella Krauth would get the start and she would get through 2.1 innings before being relieved by Whitney Shepherd. Krauth was able to strike out two batters in her innings and only give up two hits, however, she did walk four and gave up one run before coming out. Shepherd got the remaining 4.2 innings and she would strike out three batters. She would also have three hits against her and gave up one run in the bottom of the seventh.

The pitchers did their jobs in this game to keep the runs low so the Eagles' batters could do their work. Jill Martinet would come up with the big hit in the third inning. Alexis Teems was able to get a hit after two outs in the inning and then she used her speed to steal second.  Martinet came up to bat next and hit a triple to left which scored Teems. The Bulldogs would also score in the third inning which made the score 1-1 after three.

In the fifth inning, Ansley Evans was walked to start the inning. Emily Loveless doubled to center which moved Evans to third. Martinet came up to bat later in the inning and grounded out to short, but she was able to score Evans before the inning ended. This put the Eagles up 2-1 after five innings.

The next run for the Eagles would come in the top of the seventh and Evans would lead off again where she hit a double to left. Martinet would come up a few batters later and she would single to right field. This would get Evans home to put the score, 3-1 Eagles.  Union was able to get a run in the bottom of the seventh from an inside-the-park home run, but Shepherd was able to get a strikeout and two groundouts to finish out the game with the Eagles taking game one, 3-2.

Game Two

In game two, the bats would open up some and give the starting pitcher, Ally Andriano, some breathing room. The Eagles would get 16 hits in the game and 5 of those hits would come off the bat of Alexis Griffith would have an outstanding game at the plate going 5 for 5 with one of the hits being a triple. She also scored one run in the game.

Andriano would have another great game pitching all seven innings. She would record 6 strikeouts and give up 9 hits over the seven innings. Union would score five runs on the Eagles, but they put up eight runs making the final, 8-5. Union would get their runs in the bottom of the first and then the bottom of the fifth.  The Eagles would have big innings in the first and third where they scored three runs in each. 

Griffith would lead off the first with a single and she was hit home from a double by Emily Loveless. Jill Martinet then singled and moved Loveless to third. Loveless would eventually score from a wild pitch and then Martinet made it home from a sac fly to center by Kyra Lightner. After one, it was 3-2 Eagles. Hannah Kate Singleton would lead off the second inning with a solo homer to left field, which would be their only run for the inning. 

The Eagles would take a 4-2 lead into the fourth inning where they would get their next three runs. Singleton would lead off the fourth with a single and she was followed by Lauren Parker would homer to get 2 RBIs. Next, Evans would get a walk and she would eventually make it to third. She was hit home for the final run of the fourth from a single by Loveless. The score after four was 7-2 Eagles.

Jill Martinet would get the final run of the game in the sixth inning. She hit a solo shot to deep center for her second home run of the day. In the second game, Martinet would go 2 for 5 and score 2 runs for the Eagles. There would not be any more runs in the game after the sixth with the final going to the Eagles, 8-5.

The Eagles are playing really good softball right now and look for them to keep making their way up the conference standings. The team has a chance to make a lot of noise in the AAC Tournament in beyond, The balance between the good pitching staff and hitters is solid and when both sides are clicking - they are very hard to beat.  The next game for the Eagles will be another doubleheader with Point University on Tuesday, April 12th, at Ken White Field.