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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Morehead State softball rallied for four runs via three East Tennessee State errors and then got a two-run walk off homer by shortstop Kayla Ashbrook to rally and defeat the Bucs 7-5 Friday at the College of Charleston Cougar Classic. Later on, the Eagles fell 6-4 to Canisius.
The Eagles won their first game of 2011 against ETSU and are now 1-5 with the setback to CU.
Against ETSU, MSU jumped on top 1-0 in the first thanks to an illegal pitch by ETSU's Jessica Duncan that allowed Ashbrook to trot home from third.
But, ETSU tied the game in the fourth and scored twice in the fifth to go on top 3-1. They added runs in the sixth and seventh to gain a 5-1 advantage heading into the final inning.
"For the first six innings, I thought they outplayed us, but we didn't quit and I thought we outplayed them in the final two," said coach Holly Bruder. "I thought our defense was solid again today and what can you say about Kayla Ashbrook. She stepped up again today, played great defense, and hit a game-winning homer. I also was proud of (pitcher) Ashley Imperial today. She wanted the ball and when we needed it, she got some big outs in the final two innings. I think this win should help our confidence."
The Eagles had just two hits in the seventh inning but took advantage of the three errors and some timely strategy to send the game into extra innings.
Sophomore Anna Sommer opened up the frame by reaching on a fielding error. Elizabeth Wagner singled to move Sommer to second. Ashbrook hit into a fielder's choice as the Bucs gunned out Sommer at third. Amber Riddle followed with a walk to load the bases. Freshman Stephanie Etter rapped a two-run single to make it 5-3 and went to second on ETSU's second fielding error of the inning.
ETSU committed its third mistake next as Rebecca Butler reached via an error. Kayla Brill drew a walk to force Riddle in with the Eagles' fourth run. Brooke McCartney then recorded the game-tying RBI on a fielder's choice to score Etter.
The teams used the tiebreaker rule starting in the eighth, and ETSU had runners on second and third with one out, but Imperial coaxed a ground out to herself and one to short to end the threat.
In the Eagles' half of the eighth, Sommer started on second base to begin the inning and went to third on a Wagner sacrifice. Ashbrook then stepped up and belted her second homer of the year out of the park down the left field line.
Ashbrook, Wagner and Riddle led an eight-hit offensive output for the Eagles with two hits each. Ashbrook upped her season RBI total to six with two and scored three times. Imperial won her first career Division I decision by tossing 7.2 innings and giving up only two earned runs.
Against Canisius MSU led 4-2 after four innings but the Golden Griffons struck for three runs in the fifth and another in the seventh to rally and beat the Eagles.
MSU had just five hits. Ashbrook extended her hitting streak to five games and Etter hit her first career home run, a two-run shot in the second, to tie the game at 2-2.
