Blaine Kinsey
GoSycamores.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Senior pitcher Yvette Alvarez pitched the Sycamores out of a jam in relief and sophomore Mary Turitto hit her first career home run as a Sycamore as the Indiana State softball team defeated Belmont 6-3 in the final game of the Music City Classic Sunday.
The Sycamores threatened early, getting a pair of runners on with one out in both the first and second inning before striking the scoreboard in the top of the third.
With two outs, sophomore Erika Crissman hit a double to right field and then scored the very next batter when Megan Stone hit an RBI single through the right side to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Bruins answered the Sycamores call, as the first five batters reached base. Alvarez then came into the game in relief with the bases loaded and no outs before pitching out of the inning without allowing any additional runs, keeping the score 2-1 Bruins.
The Sycamores didn't stay behind for long and in the top of the fifth, they scored two runs off three hits to retake the lead 3-2. Sophomores Kassie Brown and Rylee Holland led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Crissman then scored Brown and tied the game with an RBI single to right field. Sophomore Brooke Riemenschneider then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Holland and make it 3-2.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Sycamores extended their lead again as senior Aubre Carpenter hit a one out single before Brown reached on an error on a sacrifice attempt. Holland then scored Carpenter on a squeeze to make it 4-2 going into the seventh.
Sophomore Mary Turitto added two extra insurance runs for the Sycamores in the top of the seventh when she crushed her first career home run over the left field wall on a changeup to give the Sycamores a 6-2 advantage.
Belmont plated one run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning before the Sycamore defense ended the game by a final score of 6-3.
Riemenschneider finished the game 3-3 at the plate with an RBI, run scored and a sacrifice while Turitto was 2-3 with two RBI's and a sacrifice.
The Sycamores will now take a weekend off before traveling to Arizona State on Feb. 20.
