CHARLESTON, Ill. – Morehead State softball didn’t allow an earned run Sunday to OVC champion Eastern Illinois. Unfortunately though the Panthers plated three unearned runs and the Eagles were held to just one themselves as they ended the 2011 season with a 3-1 loss to the host Panthers at Williams Field.
MSU finished the 2011 season at 19-36 and 10-19 in the OVC. EIU, which will host the league tournament this week, improved to 39-10 and 26-4 in the league.
The Eagles staked themselves to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on Kayla Ashbrook’s RBI triple, her third three-bagger of the year, which scored pinch runner Taylor Sherritt.
But, the Panthers took advantage of an Eagle error in the bottom of the inning to plate three unearned runs off Ashley Imperial, who took the loss to fall to 7-17.
MSU senior Rebecca Butler finished her prolific career today with another hit, a single in the sixth inning, to conclude her four-year span in an Eagle uniform by extending the nation’s longest hitting streak to 29 games. Butler finished her career with eight Eagle career records and several more single-season and single-game marks.
Amber May upped her pitching mark to 22-4 by striking out eight Eagle batters and allowing only three hits. Melise Brown was 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Panthers.
Kelcey McMurray relieved Imperial and tossed four innings while only surrendering three hits and no runs. The game also marked the final one for MSU's other two seniors, Brooke McCartney and Kelsea Bullock
