PHOTO GALLERY
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GAME 2 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Morehead State softball rallied for a 5-3 win in game two of its doubleheader at Tennessee Tech Friday after MSU had dropped a 7-2 decision in the opener.
The Eagles sit at 19-28 now and 10-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The split allowed MSU to remain ahead of Tech (17-24/8-14) in the standings.
The games were complete opposites of each other. In the opener, MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Eagles left 11 runners on base, including the bases loaded twice, and Tech scored seven unanswered runs. In the nightcap, the Eagles saw the Golden Eagles start with a 3-0 lead. MSU then scored five unanswered runs, including four in the fifth inning when they took the lead for good.
Freshman pitcher Kelcey McMurray factored in both decisions for the Eagles. She allowed only two earned runs in three innings in the opener but took the loss to even her mark at 9-9. In the second game, she relieved starter Ashley Imperial and only surrendered two hits and no runs in four innings to pick up the win.
Junior shortstop Kayla Ashbrook extended her hitting streak to eight games by going 5-for-8 with three RBI in the doubleheader. Three of her five safeties were doubles. Senior third baseman Rebecca Butler also extended the nation’s now third-longest hitting streak to 21 with singles in both games. Junior Sam Woodall had three hits, extending her hitting streak to nine games.
In the second game, Tech took a 3-0 lead after three frames, scoring three in the bottom of the third. Callie Schmidt had a two-run double. Lacie Cocquerille also had an RBI single but was thrown out trying to score the fourth run by MSU centerfielder Elizabeth Wagner.
The Eagles cut the Golden Eagle lead down to 3-1 in the fourth when Ashbrook singled home Kayla Brill on a one-bagger to the left side hole.
MSU scored four times in the fifth to build the 5-3 lead. Jamie Massaro scored the first run of the inning on Wagner’s single up the middle. She slid in under the tag of Schmidt at the plate. Brill picked up an RBI on a ground out next to score Woodall, who had walked. Wagner then scored on Butler’s single to short center field, and Ashbrook finished the rally with an RBI double to deep left field.
McMurray entered the game in the bottom of the fourth and was the beneficiary of MSU’s rally. TTU had runners on in each of the last four frames, but McMurray recorded four strikeouts, and Amber Riddle made a diving catch at first to end the game.
In the first game, MSU got out to a 2-0 lead after two innings. Woodall led off with a single, one of two singles for her in the contest, and scored when Ashbrook’s grounder was misplayed by Tech’s shortstop.
The Eagles added a tally in the third. Ashbrook launched a double to right field and later scored from third when Stephanie Etter attempted to steal second, and Tech’s throw went awry allowing her to trot home.
TTU tied the game in the bottom of the third, scored three times in the fourth, and finished the seven-run outburst with two more in the fifth. Whitney Cummings hit a solo home run in the fourth to give TTU the lead for good. Schmidt annihilated a pitch by MSU reliever Jami Whitcomb for a two-run homer in the fifth.
Tech out-hit the Eagles in both games, registering nine hits in both. MSU totaled eight hits in the game two win and had seven in the opener. The game was marred by errors as well with both teams combing for 11 mistakes – seven by TTU.
The teams will conclude the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT.
