Golden Eagles see season end in 1-0 loss to USI in OVC tourney
PEORIA, Ill. – With heavy hearts, Tennessee Tech softball walked off the field for the last time on Wednesday. Despite a tough battle with No. 6 Southern Indiana, the No. 7-seeded Golden Eagles endured. Neither team had the upper hand – that was until the sixth inning.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 1 | 3 | 0 |
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
PEORIA, Ill. – With heavy hearts, Tennessee Tech softball walked off the field for the last time on Wednesday.
Despite a tough battle with No. 6 Southern Indiana, the No. 7-seeded Golden Eagles endured. Neither team had the upper hand – that was until the sixth inning.
To preface that, junior pitcher Emily York was throwing a gem of a game. Through the first five frames, York had allowed just two hits, didn't walk anyone and struck out five.
But Southern Indiana flipped the script in the sixth. After retiring L Brown for her sixth strikeout of the outing, Caroline Stapleton hit a ball to left fielder Olivia Evans, but the ball got away from her, putting the go-ahead run at first.
Stapleton advanced to second on a grounder to short, then S Long hit a single that just dropped into right field, driving in the game's only run as an unearned one.
The Golden Eagles tried to crack it open in the top of the seventh under extreme pressure. They knew if they didn't get anything there, their season was done. After a leadoff fly out, Ella Bishop poked a single up the middle, then Ella Grace Harvey followed up with a ball through the right side.
Addison McElhaney pinch hit for Evans and grounded out to first, moving the runners up to second and third. With first base open, the Screaming Eagles walked Sofia Carroll on five pitches to face pinch hitter Faith Rush. Kylie Witthaus ended the game in an exclamation point for USI, striking out Rush to end the potential rally.
The pitchers' duel was a good one, even as a tough-luck loss to York. She worked six complete innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits with six strikeouts. Witthaus went the distance, allowing five Tech hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles close out their 2026 season with a 16-34 record.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
