GAME 1 (HTML | PDF) GAME 2 (HTML | PDF)
NASHVILLE – The Morehead State softball team split with Ohio Valley Conference Eastern Division opponent Tennessee State, 5-1 and 8-6, on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field.
The Eagles move to 11-11 overall and 1-5 in the conference action with the victory, while the Tigers are now 11-22 on the season and 2-7 in league play.
MSU used a four-run seventh inning to earn the 5-1 victory in game one of the doubleheader. Senior Katie Pfost earned the win in the circle to improve to 6-5 on the season. She struck out eight in the contest and only surrendered one walk. Sophomore Shea Morris suffered the loss for the Tigers to put her at 7-11.
The Eagles registered 12 hits, including five in the seventh inning. Nine different players recorded hits for MSU, while seniors Amber Riddle and Elizabeth Wagner and junior Stephanie Etter picked up RBI. TSU only managed seven hits.
The Tigers got the scoring started in the second inning, when freshman Jayna Hanawahine connected on her third home run of the season with a solo shot over the left-field fence. MSU struggled to even the score until Etter connected on an RBI single in the top of the fourth that brought in Wagner.
MSU strung together a series of singles and three-run double from Wagner in the seventh to secure the victory.
In the nightcap, TSU took the early lead with runs in each of the first two innings. However, the Eagle offense generated three runs in the top half of the third off a two-run double from senior Kayla Ashbrook and an RBI-single from Riddle.
The Tigers were able to regain the lead off a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth, but it was short lived as MSU put up a pair off a fielder’s choice from Etter and throwing error that scored senior Samantha Woodall and freshman Dana Hutchins. The Eagles tacked on an additional run off a passed ball in the sixth.
The final lead change of the contest went to the Tigers when they added four runs in the sixth to earn the win.
Pfost (6-6) suffered the loss for the Eagles in one inning. Junior Kelcey McMurray, who was the starter, put in five innings, allowed seven earned runs and struck out three. TSU junior Olivia Gamache improved her record to 4-11 with the win.
At the plate, Riddle tallied three hits, while Wagner added two more to bring her total to five on the day. Ashbrook had a team-high two RBI.
The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday when they host non-conference opponent Northern Kentucky at University Field. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available via MSUEagles.com, and live in-game updates will be available on Twitter @MSUAthletics.
