CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Indiana State softball split a pair of games on Sunday, falling to Marshall 1-0 then defeating the host Chattanooga 4-2 to close out the weekend in Tennessee.
 
The Sycamores are now 3-2 on the season and will continue their pre-conference slate next weekend at the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
 
Game One
Similar to Saturday, it came down to the wire against the Thundering Herd. Both teams got strong efforts from their starting pitchers as Cassi Newbanks and Sydney Nester both went the distance.
 
Marshall scored on an RBI double in the top of the first inning which would end up being the winning run as the Sycamores were not able to get anything going offensively all afternoon.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Olivia Patton ended Nester's no-hit bid with an infield single. Patton stole second but was left stranded as Marshall kept ISU off the scoreboard.
 
Newbanks finished with three strikeouts in the complete game loss, allowing four hits and five walks. She is now 0-2 on the season. Nester struck out five Sycamores while walking one batter and allowing just one hit.
 
With the ISU loss, they drop to 2-5 all time against Marshall.
 
Game Two
The Sycamore bats were much more active in game two, getting off to a quick start with two runs in the first inning. Olivia Patton led off the game with a single then stole second base. She came around to score after a Chattanooga error to put ISU up 1-0. Two batters later, Isabella Henning singled to left field to drive in Abi Chipps to give Indiana State a 2-0 lead after one inning.
 
TeAnn Bringle added to the Sycamore lead in the third inning with a double down the left field line which scored Isabella Henning to put ISU up 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the third, Chattanooga put a dent in the lead with a single up the middle to make it a 3-1 game. ISU starter Lexi Benko got her third strikeout of the game to end the inning and limit the damage from the Mocs. That would be her final frame as she would be replaced by Lauren Sackett. Benko finished with three strikeouts and allowed just one run on three hits and a walk.
 
Abi Chipps began the fifth inning with a leadoff walk and would move to second on a wild pitch. Isabella Henning drove her in with a single through the right side for her second RBI and third hit of the game which put ISU up 4-1. Lauren Sackett escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom half of the frame to maintain the three-run lead.
 
Henning picked up her fourth hit of the day in the top of the seventh with a double to left field to finish a perfect 4-4.
 
Chattanooga would tack on a run in the bottom half of the seventh to make it 4-2 but Lauren Sackett was able to limit the damage and pick up her second victory of the season. She finished with five strikeouts, allowing one run on two hits and three walks across four innings.
 
Indiana State finished with nine hits, getting multi-hit efforts from Isabella Henning (4), Olivia Patton (2) and Kennedy Shade (2). TeAnn Bringle's double in the third inning rounded out the hit total for ISU.

The victory for the Sycamores moves the all time series to 6-4 in favor of the Mocs. 

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