Eutectics Drop Two Games in Greenville

GREENVILLE, ILL. - The Eutectic softball team took a break from Conference competition and travelled to Greenville, Ill., on Thursday to take on the Greenville University Panthers (17-5). A strong offense by the home team contributed to the Panthers sweeping both games of the double header in five innings with scores of 10-2 and 11-3.

The Panthers got on the board in their first at-bat off back-to-back two-out doubles to score one run. After a scoreless second inning, the home team batted in four more with four hits and an error before UHSP pitcher Emma Henley was able to finish the inning with a strikeout.  

Down 5-0 in the top of the fifth, singles from Makenzie Ness and Jacy Knox, along with a Panther error, pushed two runs across the plate for UHSP to cut the Greenville lead to 5-2. But, the Panther offense got right back at it in the bottom of the inning, ticking off four singles and a home run to score five runs before a second out. That put Greenville up 10-2 in the bottom of the fifth, so the eight-run rule came into effect and the game was called in favor of the home team.

Greenville pitcher Sydnee Garrett earned the win with two hits, one walk, no strikeouts, and no earned runs. Emma Henley took the loss on the mound for the Eutectics, tallying four strikeouts, no walks, 15 hits, and nine earned runs.  

The Panthers maintained the momentum going into Game 2, scoring four runs in their first at-bat with five hits (and a UHSP error) against pitcher Lexi Knoll. The Greenville team would score another two runs in the bottom of the second off two hits and an error to go up 6-0. The Eutectic bats made some noise in the top of the third, as back-to-back singles from Kailey Samar and Hunter Noto set up Lexi Knoll for a two-RBI single to center field to make it 6-2.

The Panthers extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth off three hits and two errors, adding three more runs to their total (9-2) before Noto caught a line drive at short stop to end the inning.

In what seemed like a repeat of the third inning, it was Samar and Noto who came up with back-to-back singles again in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Sydney Hinaj's single to right field drove Samar home before the inning ended and brought the score to 9-3.

Greenville started off the bottom of the fifth with two singles to set up the two-RBI single from Madi Case that would put the Panthers up 11-3 – eight runs ahead in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.

Valerie Greenley pitched five innings for the Panthers, totaling eight hits, one strikeout, one walk, and three earned runs. Lexi Knoll took the loss for the Eutectics with one strikeout, one walk, 13 hits and six earned runs.    

The Eutectics, now 8-18 will continue with non-conference competition on Friday at their home field at Affton Athletic Association. UHSP will host Mission University (Mo.)(6-17) for a doubleheader with first pitch at 2 p.m.