FULTON, Mo. – The Spalding softball team dropped their opening game of the SLIAC Tournament, 7-4, to regular season champion, Eureka College, sending Golden Eagles into tomorrow's elimination game against Iowa Wesleyan at 2:00 pm ET.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Eureka 7 – Spalding 4
LOCATION: Blue Jay Field | Fulton, Mo.
RECORDS: Spalding: 26-14 | Eureka: 25-6
HIGHLIGHTS
The Golden Eagles fell behind, 1-0, in the bottom of the first. With two outs and bases loaded, a
Lindsey Hubbard fielding error allowed Sydney Shubert to score from third. After a scoreless second inning, Spalding scored three unanswered runs over the next three innings to pull ahead, 3-1. The first, on an
Olivia Carter groundout to short that drove in
Jaycee Head from third to even it at one run apiece. In the fourth,
Addie Morris doubled to left, moved to third on an
Avery Morris single and came home on a double by
Brooke Smith. SU added a run in the fifth on a
Grace Sweat single up the middle driving in
Addie Morris extending the Golden Eagles lead to two runs. The Red Devils rallied in the bottom of the fifth plating, six runs to pull back in front, 7-4. Morgan Ledbetter hit the game-tying home run to knot it at three runs apiece. Spalding looked to be working through the inning, but with two outs, the Red Devils were able to drive in three more runs on Raelyn Payne two-run single and Shubert RBI-single. The Golden Eagles took a run back in the top of the sixth, with
Avery Morris on third, Allly Klein hit a fly ball into foul territory in left field allowing Morris to tag and come home. However, Ledbetter answered with a leadoff solo home run to open the home half of the sixth pushing Eureka's lead back to three runs. Down to their last three outs, Spalding loaded the bases with one out. However,
Avery Morris hit a line drive to left for an out.
Kailey Reed raced home looking to score, but the throw beat her to the plate and the catcher tagged her for the final out of the game.
NOTABLE STATS
Olivia Carter (13-7) suffered the loss, allowing six earned runs, on 11 hits, including two home runs, while striking out one batter and walking four.
Addie Morris,
Avery Morris and
Grace Sweat led the Golden Eagles at the plate with two hits apiece, while Carter, Klein, Smith and Sweat drove in one run apiece.
UP NEXT
Spalding is back in action tomorrow in the elimination game taking on Iowa Wesleyan. First pitch 2:00 pm ET in Fulton, Mo.
