Knoxville, Tenn. – Indiana State Softball delivered a pair of impressive victories on Saturday at the Tennessee Invitational, defeating Delaware State 9-1 in six innings before shutting out UT Martin 4-0 behind a no-hitter from Hailey Griffin. With the two wins, the Sycamores secured a spot in Sunday's championship game against tournament host Tennessee.
Game 1: Indiana State 9, Delaware State 1 (6 Innings)
Indiana State opened the day with a 9-1 win over Delaware State, powered by a balanced offensive attack and strong performances in the circle.
Abby Widmar led the way offensively, going 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs, including a key two-run double. Madison Poulson added two hits and two runs scored, while Sophie Esposito contributed a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI. Hannah Welch had a productive day with a hit, an RBI, and three runs scored, and Whitley Wischmeier chipped in two hits and an RBI of her own.
The Sycamores struck first in the opening frame when Poulson led off with a double and later stole home to give Indiana State an early lead.
Indiana State's defense held strong in the third inning, escaping a bases-loaded jam to hold the 1-0 advantage.
Indiana State plated two runs in the fourth, capitalizing on a Delaware State error and timely hits from Whitley Wischmeier and Morgan Goodrich.
In the fifth, Abby Widmar delivered a clutch two-run double, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Sycamores sealed the win with a four-run sixth inning, highlighted by run-scoring hits from Esposito, Welch, and Widmar.
The Hornets managed to score one run in the bottom of the inning, but it wasn't enough to extend the contest, as the Sycamores closed out the 9-1 victory in six innings.
Cassi Newbanks (2-2) earned the win, working 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out three. Lauren Sackett came on in relief, pitching the final 2.0 innings and recording one strikeout.
Game 2: Indiana State 4, UT Martin 0
In Game 2, Hailey Griffin tossed the 13th no-hitter of her collegiate career to lead Indiana State to a 4-0 shutout win over UT Martin. Griffin was dominant in the circle, striking out 10 in the complete-game effort.
Indiana State's offense set the tone early, building a 3-0 lead in the opening inning.
Morgan Goodrich and Abby Widmar started things off with consecutive hits, followed by Sophie Esposito connecting on a two-run triple to right. Esposito then came home on a UT Martin throwing error, giving the Sycamores an early three-run advantage.
Hannah Welch added insurance in the third inning, launching her first career home run, a solo shot to left field, extending the lead to 4-0.
The Sycamores strong all-around performance secured their second victory of the day and punched their ticket to Sunday's championship game against Tennessee.
Up Next: Indiana State will face host Tennessee in the championship game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on SEC ESPN+.
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