Extra-base hits the story as Eutectics split opening day DH

BRANSON, MO – It took three tries and nine extra days, but the Eutectics finally managed to play their first softball games of the 2025 season as they played a pair at the Turf's Up Tournament. Hallie Roper exploded on the scene in her debut game as a Eutectics going 2-for-4 with a homerun and driving in three in the opening game. Hunter Noto was 3-for-4 including a pair of doubles and drove in two as the Eutectics took down Crowley's Ridge 9-4. In game two, Southwest Baptist pounded out five extra-base hits including a pair of homeruns as the Bearcats outslugged the Eutectics, 16-1 in five innings. 

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Emma Henley picked up the win in her first start of the season going six strong innings. Of her four runs allowed, only one was earned as three runs scored with the help of errors. Henley allowed five hits, walked just one and struck out three.
• Eva Kameoka came in and pitched a shut-out seventh recording two of her outs on strikeouts.
• Halea Wells suffered the loss for the Pioneers getting lifted after four innings. She allowed seven runs on eight hits, walked one and fanned three.
• Trailing 4-2, UHSP took the lead via a 5-run fourth. All five runs came after there were two outs. Kailey Samora and Noto had back-to-back run scoring singles to center. Roper followed with her three-run homer.
• Kianna Pilling tripled to lead off the fifth and scored on a Hannah Duggan groundout.
• Lexi Knoll doubled to left center with two outs in the sixth to drive in Kendal Strozier and cap off the scoring in a season-opening win.
• UHSP had 11 hits including six extra-base hits in the win. Crowley's Ridge had five hits, two from Kourtni Jagneaux.
• Each team's defense committed three errors.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Talianna Joyner started for the Eutectics and went just an inning-and-two-thirds, facing 13 batters. She got touched for seven runs, but just one earned getting tagged with the loss. She surrendered five hits, three of which were triples and threw three wild pitches.
• Leading 3-0 after the first, SBU added an unearned run in the second. Lexi Detwiler followed later in the second with a triple to right center to drive in two more and make it 6-0. Detwiler scored on an infield single from Emma Vincent as the Bearcats led 7-0 after two.
• Kailey Samora got the Eutectics on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-out double to plate Alicia Kimble who had doubled.
• Karlea Frey relieved Joyner in the second and ended up going one inning allowing four runs on three hits while walking three.
• Southwest Baptist assembled a four-run two-out rally in the third to take a 12-1 advantage. Detwiler was back in the middle of the damage as she drilled a three-run homerun. After a pitching change, Audrey Rahlmann hit a solo dinger off the new Eutectics' hurler, Trysten Murphy. Murphy finished the contest going the final 2.1IP, 5R, 4ER, 6H, 2K, HBP
• Lexi Detwiler went 2-for-2 with five runs batted in and two runs scored.

UP NEXT:

The Eutectics (1-1) were slated to open their home schedule mid-week with a Wednesday doubleheader against Brescia, but those games have been postponed. UHSP will instead be back on the road on Saturday when they play a pair at Missouri Valley. That will be followed by 12 straight home games for the Eutectics.