GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
DAYTON, Ohio — Senior Rebecca Butler set the Morehead State career hit record with a 10th inning home run in game one, and junior Kayla Brill drove in eight RBIs in the doubleheader as the Eagles took both ends of the double-dip Wednesday at Dayton, 6-1 in 10 innings in game one and 14-2 in five innings in game two.
Butler needed two hits to surpass Beth Owens’ record of 197 hits. She got a single early in game one and then set the record by launching her seventh homer of the year into the river beyond center field late in the contest. She also set the MSU career walk record when she was intentionally put on base in game two, giving her 70 career free passes. The Eagles scored five runs in the top of the 10th to break a 1-1 tie. Brill, meanwhile, did most of her damage in the nightcap, hitting a two-run home run, a two-run double, and a bases-clearing triple while piling up a school-record seven RBIs.
MSU improved to 14-27, while UD fell to 13-21.
In the opener, the Eagles broke a scoreless stalemate in the top of the fourth without the benefit of a hit. An error and two fielder’s choices left Rebecca Butler on third and Stephanie Etter on first. Etter broke for second on a steal attempt and purposely got caught in a run-down between the bases so Butler could score the first run before she was tagged out.
The Flyers tied the game at one in the bottom of the inning when Brandy Brown got a two-out single and pinch runner Alicia Nichols stole second base. Courtney Kutsulis drove in Nichols with a single to right center field.
MSU had the bases loaded with just one out in the top of the seventh, but pitcher Alicia Isaacson coaxed a ground out to herself which began a double play to end the threat. UD had the potential winning run on second base with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but Kayla Brill caught a line drive and doubled off the runner at second.
The Eagles finally broke through in the top of the 10th. Kayla Ashbrook led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a fielding error in center. Taylor Sherritt laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first eluded the fielder and wound up down the right field line as Ashbrook motored around to score. Sam Woodall drove in Sherritt with a single, and Kayla Brill drove a triple off the right field wall to score Woodall and make it 4-1.
Butler followed suit by crushing her two-run homer to center field to make it 6-1 and set the MSU career hit record with her 198th, extending her hitting streak to 14 games.
Kelcey McMurray (6-8), the third of three MSU hurlers, was credited with the win as she finished the game, pitching 1.1 innings. Isaacson tossed 9.2 innings and allowed just one earned run but was tagged with the loss. Woodall and Butler each contributed two of the Eagles’ nine hits.
Brill got the second game started off the right foot as she nailed her eighth home run of the year – a two-run shot – to left field in the top of the first. It scored Woodall, who had led off the contest with a single. After Dayton plated a run in the bottom of the frame, Brill struck again in the second, drilling a three-run triple off the top of the fence in right field to make it 6-1. It scored Brooke McCartney and Woodall, who reached via errors, and Elizabeth Wagner, who had singled.
Riddle launched her sixth round-tripper of the year off the scoreboard in left field in the top of the third. In the top of the fifth, Ashbrook hit what appeared to be a two-run homer down the line, but it was ruled foul. Two pitches later, she got a second chance and crushed a home run just inside the foul pole to push MSU’s advantage to 9-1. The Eagles went on to tack on five more in the frame, totaling seven hits in the inning.
McMurray came in during the first inning and finished the contest to collect her second win of the day.
Brill was 3-for-4 with the seven RBI. Etter and Riddle each had two hits also as the Eagles pounded out 14 in the game.
MSU will be at home this weekend to host Tennessee State. Saturday’s doubleheader will start at 1 p.m. Sunday is “Go Green” Day at University Field and also Senior Day. The Eagles will wear special green jerseys and Butler, McCartney, and Kelsea Bullock will be honored before the 1 p.m. single game.
