NASHVILLE – Indiana State softball opened their three-game series against Belmont with a 10-1 run rule victory, defeating the Bruins in six innings on Friday night at Rose Park.
 
The Sycamores finished with 10 hits in the win while holding Belmont to just five.
 
The Action
Sycamore starter Lexi Benko stranded a pair of runners to cap off a scoreless opening frame for both teams.
 
In the top of the second, Cassie Thomerson launched her first home run of the season to left field to put ISU on the board first. The blast brought home Kennedy Shade for a 2-0 lead. Belmont would get a run back in the bottom half with three hits to make it a 2-1 contest.
 
The Sycamore offense stayed hot in the third inning, stringing together four hits to plate three runs and take a 5-1 lead. Isabella Henning drove home Danielle Henning with a double to left center followed by a RBI single by Annie Tokarek. Kennedy Shade then reached on an infield single to bring up Cassie Thomerson who singled down the right field line to score pinch-runner Hannah Welch.
 
Benko worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third, getting a fly out and two groundouts to quickly sit down the Bruins.
 
The Bruins replaced starter Maya Johnson prior to the start of the fourth. Danielle Henning would extend the Sycamore lead with a two-out RBI single to center to score Kaylee Barrett and make it a 6-1 ballgame. Isabella Henning and Annie Tokarek drew back-to-back walks to load the bases but Belmont was able to escape the jam.
 
After the first two Belmont batters reached base in bottom of the fourth, Lexi Benko was replaced by Cassi Newbanks who got three-straight groundouts to escape the jam and keep the score at 6-1.
 
Kaylee Barrett made it a 7-1 lead with a RBI single in the top of the fifth, scoring Cassie Thomerson who was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. The Bruins were able to strand a pair of ISU runners to limit the damage in the frame. Cassi Newbanks continued her strong relief outing with a scoreless inning in the bottom half.
 
In the top of the sixth, Indiana State loaded the bases as Isabella Henning singled, Annie Tokarek was hit by a pitch and Kennedy Shade walked. Cassie Thomerson promptly cleared the bases with a double to right center to put the Sycamores up 10-1.
Newbanks worked another scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth to close out the Bruins. Lexi Benko got the win and improved to 9-6.
 
Cassie Thomerson finished a perfect 3-for-3 with six runs batted in on the day. Isabella Henning also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Up Next
The series will continue tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET at E.S. Rose Park.  
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Softball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.