GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
RICHMOND, Ky. — The Morehead State softball team split a high-scoring doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky Wednesday, falling 12-10 in game one – despite once holding a 10-2 lead – and rallying with 11 runs in the final two innings to win 18-11 in the nightcap at frigid Gertrude Hood Field.
MSU put the skids on an 11-game losing streak with the second game victory. The Eagles are now 10-22 and 4-7 in the OVC. EKU sits at 19-12 and 6-6 in the league.
The Eagles pounced on EKU for five runs in the first inning of game two. Amber Riddle and Anna Sommer produced two-run singles each. Sam Woodall scored from third via a throwing error. EKU came right back though in the bottom of the inning with a three-run homer by Shyenne Hussey to make it 5-3.
Sommer gave the Eagles a boost in the top of the fourth by lifting her second home run of the year over the fence in left field.
EKU scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth, however. One big play came off the bat of Raquel Howes. She singled to right field with the bases loaded, but Woodall had the ball escape her glove and go all the way to the fence. It cleared the bases, and Howes wound up on third base as EKU tied it 6-6. Larkyn Wood then cleared the bases later with a grand slam off MSU reliever Elizabeth Wagner to make it 10-6.
The Eagles batted around the entire lineup and erased EKU’s lead in the top of the sixth. Kayla Ashbrook delivered a two-out, two-run single down the left field line that scored Woodall and pinch hitter Brooke McCartney, who had singled earlier. MSU tied it 10-10 a batter later when Wagner’s pop fly to short was dropped, allowing Ashbrook to score from second base. Butler then smashed a two-run homer to left center field to give the Eagles a 12-10 lead. Brill followed suit and nailed her fifth homer of the year to almost the exact same spot over the fence in left center.
After EKU plated one tally in the bottom of the sixth, MSU pinch hitter Corie Roberts laced a two-run double to left field to up the Eagles’ lead to 15-11. MSU added three more to increased the margin to 18-11.
Ashley Imperial (6-10) was credited with the win, tossing the final three frames. Noelani Esperas gave up eight runs in 5.2 innings and was tagged with the loss.
Sommer was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Riddle and Butler had a trio of
In game one, MSU scored twice in the first inning. Woodall led off with an infield single before Kayla Ashbrook reached on a fielding error. Rebecca Butler singled to right field to load the bases. Kayla Brill drove in Woodall on a grounder, and Riddle picked up an RBI on a ground out to score Ashbrook.
EKU got a two-out, two-run Texas League single to tie the game in the bottom of the first, but the Eagles answered with two more to take a 4-2 lead. Wagner ripped a two-run single that plated Sommer and Stephanie Etter. Riddle cranked her fourth home run of the season to make it a 5-2 game in the top of the third.
The Eagles broke it open with a four-spot on the scoreboard in the fourth to push ahead 9-2. Ashbrook and Brill tallied RBI doubles and Butler collected an RBI on a single. After the Lady Colonels scored once in the bottom of the fourth, Etter launched a solo home run to right field in the top of the fifth.
But, EKU crept a little closer in the bottom of the fifth when Ashley Dollins crushed a three-run homer off Jami Whitcomb to bring the Lady Colonels to within 10-6. EKU sent 11 batters to the plate and took advantage of three MSU errors to rally for six runs in the bottom of the sixth and take the 12-10 lead.
Kelcey McMurray (3-6) was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs. However, every EKU run that crossed the plate on her watch was unearned. Hannah Driver (5-2) tossed the final 3.2 innings and collected the win.
Woodall was 3-for-5, Etter was 3-for-4, and Riddle had a team-high three RBI. Dollins totaled six RBIs for the host squad.
The Eagles will host Murray State in a three-game OVC set this weekend. First pitch Saturday is set for 1 p.m.
