NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The IU Southeast softball team swept their doubleheader against St. Francis on Sunday, winning game one 5-4 in eight innings and game two 10-2 in six innings.
 
Game one began as a pitchers' duel as the game remained scoreless after the first three innings. St. Francis jumped on the board in the top of the fourth, using back-to-back hits to take a 1-0 lead. After a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly made it 2-0 St. Francis.
 
The game remained 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Savannah Gaither led off the inning with a single for IU Southeast. Issy Wright was hit by a pitch, and after a flyout, Josie Lemmons loaded the bases with a bunt hit. Autumn Oehlstrom singled to make it 2-1, and Erin Templeman followed with a 2-RBI double to give IU Southeast a 3-2 lead.
 
St. Francis answered with two runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead at 4-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Kendall Brown led off with a double. Savannah Gaither attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw got away which allowed Brown to score from second. The score was tied 4-4 after six innings.
 
St. Francis led off the top of the seventh with a double. IU Southeast made a pitching change, and Maci Warner was able to strand a runner at third to keep the score tied. The game remained tied after seven innings.
 
In extra innings, both teams started with a runner at second base. Maci Warner stranded the runner in the top of the eighth to give IU Southeast a chance to win it in the bottom half of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Macie Zink attempted a sacrifice bunt to advance pinch runner Grace Stapleton to third, but the throw ricocheted off Zink, allowing Stapleton to score and give IU Southeast a 5-4 win.  
 
Madison Wathen got the start for IU Southeast and allowed three runs on two hits in five innings. Hallie Foley followed with an inning of work. Maci Warner got the win, allowing no runs and no hits in two innings while striking out five. McKenzie Walters, Autumn Oehlstrom and Erin Templeman each had two hits in the win.
 
IU Southeast got the offense started early in game two. Issy Wright drew a bases loaded walk to give IU Southeast a 1-0 lead. McKenzie Walters drove in two runs with a single, and Josie Lemmons drove in a run with a groundout. Autumn Oehlstrom doubled to drive in a run, giving IU Southeast a 5-0 lead.
 
St. Francis got a run back in the third to make it 5-1. IU Southeast responded in the bottom of the third when Lillian Mackey doubled home Kendall Brown to give the Grenadiers a 6-1 lead. Issy Wright delivered an RBI single to make it 7-1, and Autumn Oehlstrom singled to make it 8-1.
 
St. Francis scored on an error in the sixth to make it 8-2. In the bottom of the sixth, Macie Zink singled to drive in Alaina Winzeler to make it 9-2 IU Southeast. The Grenadiers secured a 10-2 win when a run scored on a grounder by Hannah Nunemaker.
 
Maci Warner got the win for IU Southeast, throwing all six innings while allowing three hits and two runs (one earned). Autumn Oehlstrom had four hits in the win. Macie Zink had three hits, and Lillian Mackey had two. Kendall Brown was on base three times, scoring two runs.
 
IU Southeast (3-4) returns to action on Monday for a home doubleheader against No. 5 Marian.