GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State softball scored 21 runs and pounded out 23 hits in sweeping a doubleheader from visiting Austin Peay, 5-2 and 16-11, Saturday at University Field.
The Eagles began OVC play 2-0 and improved to 8-11 overall. APSU, which banged out 19 hits and launched four home runs in the doubleheader, fell to 3-15 and 0-2 in the league.
“I am happy with the two wins, but to allow 11 runs to any team is just unacceptable,” said coach Holly Bruder. “I was happy with our offensive production, and our defense was solid, so those are definitely positives, but we have to get more from our starters and our bullpen.”
MSU did not make an error on the day, while the Lady Govs committed five fielding mistakes in each game. Only six of the Eagles’ runs in game two were earned. The wins pushed MSU’s winning streak against APSU to 11 games dating back to 2007.
In the opener, MSU starter Ashley Imperial picked up the win. She allowed two APSU home runs, but those, plus just three other hits, were the only real blemishes as she improved to 4-5. Imperial also recorded a season-high five strikeouts. Morgan Brewer gave up all five MSU runs and fell to 1-7 with the loss.
At the plate, the Eagles had seven hits, including a 2-for-3 game for freshman second baseman Stephanie Etter. Sophomore first baseman Amber Riddle collected two RBI, and Kayla Brill hit her first homer of the year.
The Eagles opened the scoring in the second when Brill smashed a Brewer pitch over the wall in center field. Catie Cozart tied the game at 1-1 with a leadoff home run in the third. In the bottom of the inning, MSU scored four times, including a leadoff triple by Kayla Ashbrook and a two-run double via Riddle’s bat. Brill added the fifth run stealing home plate.
APSU got a solo homer from Shelby Norton in the fourth.
In the second game, the teams jockeyed for an advantage for the first three innings. After spotting the Lady Govs three runs in the top of the first, including a two-run homer from Lauren De Castro, the Eagles crossed the plate four times in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-3 lead. Elizabeth Wagner launched her first home of the year in the frame for MSU.
The Eagles gave up five runs in the top of the third. Jessica Ryan dealt a big blow with a three-run shot off MSU starter Kelcey McMurray, but she was bailed out when the Eagles put a seven-spot on the board in the bottom of the third to take a 12-8 lead.
MSU had six hits in the inning. Brill had a two-run single, and MSU scored once on a wild pitch and once on an illegal pitch from APSU reliever Taylor Mills.
The Lady Govs nearly tied the game in the fifth when they scored three to make it a 12-11 MSU lead. APSU strung together four straight singles and a walk off Jami Whitcomb before Imperial came in to shut down the rally. MSU opened the game up again with a trio of runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 15-11 game. APSU committed three errors in the inning, and the Eagles added their final run in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk.
Five Eagle players had multi-hit games, led by Wagner’s 4-for-5, four-RBI game. Brill was 2-for-2 with three RBI. Rebecca Butler hit a pair of doubles, while Sam Woodall and Taylor Sherritt each had two hits as well. De Castro was 3-for-4 with four RBI for the Lady Govs.
Whitcomb picked up her first Division I win, improving to 1-2, while Imperial secured her second career save. Mills was saddled with the loss to fall to 1-3.
The teams will conclude the series on Sunday with a single game scheduled to start at 1 p.m. EDT.
