WHITING, Ind. – The Indiana University South Bend Softball team (8-20, 2-2 CCAC) split their midweek conference doubleheader with Calumet College of St. Joseph (8-16, 3-1 CCAC) with a comeback win in game one beating the Crimson Wave 9-4 and dropping game two 6-3 despite getting a few runners on base in the final inning.
Game 1 (W 9-4)
The Titans fell into an early hole giving up two runs in the first inning and two runs in the second inning giving CCSJ a 4-0 lead through two innings of play. Both teams were held scoreless through the third and fourth innings, until the Titans exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth inning. IUSB tied the game at 4-4 on four hits and a walk and then Summer Johnson came in clutch hitting a two run home run to give the Titans a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning. The Titans would go on to extend their lead with three more runs in the sixth inning on four hits bringing IUSB in front 9-4. Savannah Hamilton shut down the Crimson Wave after giving up four runs in the first two innings, allowing the offense a chance to comeback late in the game. Hamilton picked up her fifth win of the season throwing seven innings giving up four runs, four earned, on ten hits and five strikeouts. The Titan offense came out to play scattering 15 hits over seven innings led by Summer Johnson who was 3-4 with two RBI’s and a home run, while Elyse Starr added two RBI’s as well in her 1-2 game at the plate.
Game 2 (L 6-3)
The Titans looked to cary over their late offensive prowess from game one into game two and jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but CCSJ responded immediately with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead after one inning of play. The Crimson Wave added another run on a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. The Titans cut the deficit to one run scoring a single run in the top of the third inning trailing 3-2 with four innings remaining in the game. CCSJ tried to pull away in the fifth inning scoring three runs on an RBI single and a two run home run to give them a 6-2 lead with just two Titan offensive innings left. After a scoreless sixth inning the Titans were down to their final three outs, a leadoff single and a walk sparked another potential comeback but the Titans were only able to push one run across on a sacrifice fly from Summer Johnson before being retired by the CCSJ defense dropping game two of the doubleheader 6-3. Jordan Watts and Summer Johnson were each had two hits in the game with a double, while Johnson had the lone RBI for the Titan offense. Jaylah Harlan picked up the loss in her start throwing five innings giving up six runs on 10 hits and two strikeouts.
The Titans currently sit at seventh place in the CCAC with their 2-2 record in the early conference slate. The Softball team will be back in action Thursday April 3rd against #19 Saint Xavier University (19-6, 2-0 CCAC) as they travel to Chicago, Ill. to face the Cougars for another CCAC doubleheader that was rescheduled from last weekend. First pitch is currently slated for 4pm ET.