GAME 1 BOX SCORE (HTML) | GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 1 BOX SCORE (HTML) | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky.—Morehead State softball lost both ends of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader on late-inning action against Southeast Missouri Saturday afternoon at University Field.
The Eagles lost game one 14-7 after an eight-run SEMO sixth inning and dropped game two 4-3 after a rally scored two runs and loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh.
“I’m disappointed in today’s 0-2 performance,” MSU coach
Holly Bruder said. “Our bullpen didn’t help us out in the first game and our infield gave up four or five infield hits with bunts and stolen bases. I don’t think this team performed like we played Ohio State yesterday in a 2-1, 10-inning game and a 6-3 game two. That’s not the team that showed up today.”
Rebecca Butler was able to extend her hitting streak to 26 games with a 4-for-6 performance Saturday. The streak was the fourth-longest in the nation entering the week. The Eagles also added to their school-record single-season home run total with a pair of bombs in game one to establish the new record at 45.
Game two was a pitchers’ duel for the first five innings, but SEMO recorded four runs, all unearned, in the top of the sixth. Taylor Cowan’s RBI single drove in Carmen Fowler and Shelby Kuryllo drove in Renee Kertz with her own RBI single. Cheyenne Gipson tripled to score pinch runner Amber Ewert and Cowan.
The Eagles began a rally in the sixth inning, tallying their first run on their own RBI single by
Amber Riddle, who drove in pinch runner
Anna Sommer. Butler’s seventh-inning single scored #Samantha
Woodall#, who reached on a leadoff single.
Kayla Ashbrook hit a double that drove in
Kayla Brill, who also reached on a single.
Stephanie Etter was hit by a two-out pitch, loading the bases with Butler and Ashbrook on third and second, but
Samm Sparks’ fly ball to right center was caught by Melissa Walker, ending the rally and the game. MSU stranded five runners in the final two innings.
Woodall went 4-for-4 in game two to lead the Eagles. Gipson and Fowler each had a team-high two hits for Southeast Missouri.
Starter Cowan (5-6) earned the win, allowing 11 hits and three runs and Shea Cothren picked up her second save of the season. Eagle starter
Kelcey McMurray (10-12) took the loss, surrendering seven hits and four runs, none of them earned in 5.2 innings of work.
SEMO also struck first in game one, scoring three runs in the second inning. Alene Bethel hit an RBI ground out that scored pinch runner Renee Terry. Kaitlin Wallace then singled to score Gipson, who reached on a single, and Ewert, in as a pinch runner, scored on an error.
“[SEMO] had the poise, they had the presence, they had the determination and they set the tone in both games,” Bruder said. “They scored first in both games and that set the tone. I’m very disappointed in how our team played.”
MSU got one of the runs back in the fourth inning when Etter’s sacrifice fly to left scored Butler.
Butler, erased the SEMO lead in the fifth with a three-run home run over the centerfield fence. Her ninth dinger of the season drove in Woodall and
Elizabeth Wagner and gave MSU a 4-3 lead.
But SEMO responded in the sixth with a trio of runs to retake the lead. Gipson scored on an RBI single by Sallis. Walker then scored on a groundout RBI by Fowler and Evan Sallis scored when Kertz singled down the right field line.
Morehead State tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh, but an eight-run SEMO sixth made the comeback difficult. The Redhawks batted around in the sixth, collecting six hits to take a 14-4 lead. The MSU rally began when Wagner doubled, followed by a home run by Brill. MSU added one more run on an Etter double that scored Butler.
Butler went 3-for-4 in game one with three RBI to lead MSU. Kuryllo also went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead SEMO, but Kaitlin Wallace collected a team-high three RBI.
Alora Marble (13-6) picked up the win for SEMO, throwing a complete game, allowing 12 hits, six earned runs while striking out six. MSU starter
Ashley Imperial (7-15) took the loss, throwing six innings, allowing nine runs on 14 hits.
Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The game will be MSU’s annual Strikeout Cancer game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and bring a donation for the fight against cancer.
