Richmond, Ky. – The Sycamores battled through a challenging day in Richmond, Ky., falling 4-0 to Purdue Fort Wayne before a late rally by Eastern Kentucky handed them a 6-5 walk-off loss.
Game One: Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Indiana State 0
The Sycamores were held off the scoreboard in the opening game of the day despite a strong effort at the plate from Livi Colip, who accounted for two of Indiana State's three hits.
Purdue Fort Wayne struck early, plating two runs in the first inning behind a pair of RBI singles. The Mastodons added to their lead in the fifth on a two-run homer from Hollopeter.
Lauren Sackett took the loss in the circle, pitching 4.1 innings while allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Megan Asher provided 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to keep the game within reach.
The Sycamores threatened in the seventh, as Colip singled and Jordan Thatcher doubled, but Purdue Fort Wayne held on for the shutout victory.
Game Two: EKU 6, Indiana State 5
In the second game of the day, the Sycamores fell short, losing 6-5 to Eastern Kentucky.
Sophie Esposito led the offense with a home run and an RBI, while Kenzie Cornwell contributed a hit, scoring twice. Livi Colip and Hannah Welch each recorded two hits, with Welch adding a double. Lauren Marsicek also delivered a key double and drove in three RBIs.
After a scoreless first two innings, Eastern Kentucky capitalized in the third with a three-run homer from McLeod to take a 3-0 lead.
The Sycamores answered in the fourth, as Esposito blasted her first collegiate home run to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Indiana State mounted a rally in the fifth, as Cornwell and Colip hit singles, followed by a wild pitch that allowed Cornwell to score, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
In the sixth, the Sycamores surged ahead, capitalizing on walks and a single to load the bases.
Marsicek delivered with a clutch double down the left field line, clearing the bases and giving the Sycamores a 5-3 lead.
However, Eastern Kentucky responded with a rally in the seventh. After a run scored and the bases were loaded, Hailey Griffin was replaced by Annie Waggoner in the circle. EKU sealed the game with a walk-off RBI single, scoring two runs to win 6-5.
Griffin (3-5) was charged with the loss after pitching 6.1 innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking five.
Up Next: Indiana State will conclude the EKU Round Robin on Sunday with matchups against Purdue Fort Wayne at 10 a.m. and Eastern Kentucky at 12:30 p.m., with the EKU game streaming live on ESPN+.
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