GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
MARTIN, Tenn. — The Morehead State softball team gave defending Ohio Valley Conference champion UT Martin two good battles Saturday at Bettye Giles Field, but the Eagles finished on the short end of both games, losing the opener 1-0 before falling 6-3 in the nightcap.
MSU slipped to 12-26 overall and 6-11 in the league, while the Skyhawks moved to 23-14 and 12-3 in the OVC.
Game one turned into a great pitcher’s duel between UTM’s Chelsea Jones and Eagle junior Ashley Imperial. Jones struck out 12 MSU batters and gave up just four hits to pick up the win. Imperial was hit with a tough-luck defeat as she also only allowed a season-low four hits while walking just two in six complete innings.
UT Martin scored the game’s lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Chelsea Cary scored on Leah Taylor’s double.
Stephanie Etter had two of the Eagles’ four hits.
MSU got into early trouble right off the bat in the second game as they fell behind 5-0 after one frame. Eage starter Kelcey McMurray (4-8) did not make it out of the inning before allowing all five runs.
The Eagles did fight back though as they plated three runs in the top of the fourth. Elizabeth Wagner singled to lead off, and Rebecca Butler doubled to send Wagner to third. After a fly out, Amber Riddle sliced a single through the left side to score Wagner. Freshman Corie Roberts continued her clutch situational hitting with a two-run single to make it 5-3 as Butler and pinch runner Samm Sparks scored.
Amanda Brandenburg hit a solo home run off Ashley Boyd in the fifth to set the final score at 6-3.
Boyd pitched the final 5.1 innings and only surrendered three hits while striking out three. Brandenburg pitched 3.1 innings in relief and gave up just two hits and no runs to be credited with the win.
Butler and Wagner each went 2-for-3 at the plate. Butler needs just two more hits to tie MSU’s career hit record of 197.
The teams will play the finale of the series on Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT.
