BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Sycamores dropped both games on Day One of the Samford Tournament, falling to UAB 2-1, and Samford 3-1.
Game 1: UAB 2, Indiana State 1
The Indiana State Sycamores fought hard against UAB but ultimately fell short in a 2-1 loss after a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
Lauren Sackett set the tone early, striking out two in the first inning to keep UAB off the board.
The Blazers took the lead in the second, scoring the game's first run, but the Sycamores made a key defensive play by throwing out another runner at home to prevent further scoring.
Kenzie Cornwell notched Indiana State's first hit in the third inning, but the Sycamores remained scoreless. UAB threatened in the bottom half with a triple but failed to extend their lead.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Madison Poulson sparked the offense with a leadoff single. Sophie Esposito followed with a sacrifice bunt, setting up Hannah Welch for a game-tying RBI single.
Poulson then made a big defensive stop, turning a double play to strand two UAB runners and end the fourth inning.
The Sycamores continued their offensive momentum in the fifth. Whitley Wischmeier led off with a single, followed by a Lauren Marsicek base hit. After Goodrich executed a sacrifice bunt, the runners were left stranded.
Poulson came through once again on defense in the fifth inning, turning her second double play of the game to keep UAB scoreless in the bottom half.
Indiana State remained locked in a 1-1 tie heading into the seventh. Brailey Mills led off with a single to left, and Welch reached on a fielder's choice but the Sycamores were unable to pull ahead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Aguilar lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Wiggins to score the game-winning run on a Sycamore throwing error.
Lauren Sackett threw a complete game, giving up eight hits and two runs while striking out six.
Game 2: Samford 3, Indiana State 1
The Sycamores suffered a tough 3-1 loss to Samford in the second game of the day, despite a solid performance on the mound by Hailey Griffin.
Indiana State took an early lead when Erschen reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Esposito to second. Goodrich, who reached third on an error by Samford's second baseman, scored on the throw, giving the Sycamores an early 1-0 lead.
Samford answered quickly in the second inning, with Campbell's two-run single to right field, scoring Shaw and Squillace, both unearned after errors earlier in the inning.
Indiana State showed promise as Waggoner singled, Mills walked, and Marsicek reached on an error by Samford's shortstop. However, the Sycamores were unable to push across a run, with Waggoner being thrown out at home on a fielder's choice.
Samford extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth when Cothran reached on an error, and Hargis scored an unearned run.
In the final frame, Lauren Marsicek led off with a double but was left stranded as the Sycamores were unable to capitalize, ultimately falling 3-1.
Griffin delivered a strong performance in the circle for Indiana State, surrendering only one hit and striking out six batters.
Up Next:
The Sycamores will play two more games tomorrow at the Samford Tournament, facing Samford at noon (streamed on ESPN+) and UAB at 2:30 p.m ET.
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