GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. — Visiting Murray State used 11 extra-base hits, including five home runs, to power past the host Morehead State Eagle softball team in a doubleheader sweep Saturday. The Racers hit five doubles in the opener, winning 7-4, and rallied behind three long balls in the nightcap to win 8-6.
Morehead State fell to 10-24 and 4-9 in the OVC, while Murray State moved to 9-18 and 4-8 in the league.
The Racers chased Morehead State starter Ashley Imperial (6-11) from the circle in the second inning of game one. Ellyn Troup doubled to lead off and scored on Meghan Sims’ two-baser. Taylor Wilson lined the third double of the inning into center to score two more and make it a 3-0 Murray State lead. The Racers added a solo tally in the third.
Morehead State got on the board in the bottom of the third via Elizabeth Wagner’s RBI single that scored Kayla Ashbrook. But, the Racers busted the flood gates open with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to push ahead 7-1. Jenna Bradley and Troup homered in the inning off MSU reliever Jami Whitcomb.
The Eagles got another clutch hit from Wagner in the bottom of the sixth to score a pair of runs, and Stephanie Etter’s sacrifice fly brought the hosts to within three in the seventh. But, with runners on second and third, Racer pitcher Shelby Kosmecki, who tossed a complete-game, coaxed an infield grounder to end the threat.
Kosmecki struck out five and improved to 4-3. Wilson, Bradley and Troup totaled two hits each for Murray State, while Wagner Amber Riddle and Kayla Brill had two safeties each for the Eagles.
The Eagles appeared to be in control of game two, leading 5-2 heading into the fifth, but Stephanie Edwards hit a one-out solo homer and Troup blasted a three-run homer following two walks and Murray State grabbed a 6-5 lead it never relinquished.
Meghan Glosser added an RBI single later in the inning, and Leslie Bridges made it 8-5 Murray State with an RBI double in the sixth.
Rebecca Butler hit her sixth home run of the year in the bottom of the seventh to set the final score at 8-6. The Eagles also a bases-clearing double by Etter in the first as the Eagles grabbed a 4-2 lead after one. Brill led off the third frame with her sixth round-tripper of the season.
Kelcey McMurray pitched solidly until the fifth when she was chased from the game during the Racers rally. McMurray recorded five strike outs over 4.1 innings but was hit with the loss to fall to 3-7. Ashley Boyd tossed the final two innings and collected four of her six outs via strike outs.
Murray State starter Chelsey Sullivan went the distance to pick up her fourth victory of the season.
The teams will conclude the OVC series on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT.
