SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- 14^th ranked Southern Indiana swept Drury in the home opener for the Panthers with a 4-0 win in game one and a rain-shortened 5-2 win in five innings in game two on Friday at Thompson Field in Springfield.
 
The Screaming Eagles improved to 23-5 and 4-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference while Drury had a four-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 14-15 and 2-4 in the league. 
 
The Panthers fell behind 2-0 in the second inning of game one when Claire Johnson's double with two outs drove in a pair of runs. Drury stayed within two runs of the lead but Southern Indiana tacked on a run in the sixth and another in the seventh.
 
Screaming Eagles pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (12-1) retired the last 14 straight batters she faced and got the win allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out eight.
 
Rain halted play in game two in the top of the sixth inning as Southern Indiana completed the sweep with a 5-2 win.
 
The Screaming Eagles took a 1-0 in the in the second inning on a wild pitch and added a run in the fourth on a bases loaded walk.
 
Drury pulled within a run in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor Ellestad singled and reached third on an error in center field. She later scored on Hannah Hearst's ground ball.
 
Southern Indiana responded with three runs in the fifth, all scored with two outs in the inning.
 
Dominique Salinas went 2 for 3 at the plate for Drury with a double. Alex Logan led USI going 3 for 3 with a run and a RBI.
 
Friday's doubleheader was originally scheduled for Saturday but moved up a day due to the threat of inclement weather.
 
The Panthers return to action on Sunday when they host Bellarmine in a conference doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for noon at Thompson Field in Springfield.
 
 

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