Blaine Kinsey

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind.—Senior pitcher Taylor Lockwood threw a complete game shut out in the first game to lead the Sycamores to a doubleheader split against the Evansville Purple Aces Saturday at Price Field.

GAME ONE

After threatening early in the top of the first with a leadoff double, the Sycamore defense held the Aces scoreless  with the help of a strike out and groundout.

The Sycamores threatened in the bottom of the first before striking first in the bottom of the second when senior Abbie Malchow led off the frame with a single and two batters later, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Bailey Martin. 

The Sycamores then got on the board as junior Kassie Brown reached on a bunt single to score Malchow. Senior Kelsey Montgomery then reached on a bunt single before junior Rylee Holland reached on a bunt single and forced an Aces throwing error to score Brown and make it 2-0 Sycamores. Junior Erika Crissman added one more Sycamore run with an RBI single through the left side to score Montgomery to make it 3-0 after two complete.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Sycamores struck again as junior Brooke Riemenschneider led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman Shaye Barton then got all the way to second on a bunt single to put runners at second and third. Malchow then extended the Sycamore lead to 5-0 with an RBI single to right field to score Riemenschneider.

Freshman Monique Castillo then made it 5-0 with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Barton.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Sycamores added an insurance run as Barton was hit by a pitch with one out and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Castillo to make it a 6-0 Sycamore advantage.

Lockwood held the Aces scoreless over the final two innings to earn her second shut out in just five appearances this season after missing the first 35 games of the season due to a non-softball related injury.

GAME TWO

The Purple Aces jumped out to an early lead in game two and the Sycamores could never recover as they fell in the second game of the doubleheader 11-2 in five innings.

After a one-two-three first inning, the Aces got on the board with a leadoff solo home run in the top of the second before exploding offensively in the top of the third. The Aces plated six runs off seven runs in the inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Aces kept the offense going in the top of the fourth, addeing four more runs to make it an 11-0 advantage.

Indiana State answered in the bottom of the fifth, plating two runs with two outs in the inning. Senior Alexa Cavin reached on a base on balls before Brown hit a bunt single. Senior Kelsey Montgomery then singled before Holland hit a two-RBI double to left center but the Sycamores could get no closer as they fell by a final score of 11-2.

The rubber match of the three-game series will take place at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Price Field.