HTML STATS VS. URI | PDF STATS VS. URI | HTML STATS VS. MSU | PDF STATS VS. MSUDELAND, Fla. -- For a second straight day, the Morehead State softball team split a pair of games at the Stetson Lead-Off Classic. The Eagles posted an 11-4 victory over Rhode Island in the morning contest at Wilson Field and suffered a 6-0 defeat to Michigan State in the afternoon affair.
The Ohio Valley Conference Eagles move to 2-2 on the season, while the Big Ten Conference Spartans remain undefeated after their first three games. The Rams, who play in the Atlantic 10 Conference, are 0-3 on the campaign after losing both tilts in the tournament's second day.
MSU sophomore center fielder Kayla McGuffey went 4-for-4 in the opener. She notched singles in the first, second, fourth and fifth frames. Her last base knock brought home two teammates.
Junior left fielder Lizzy Margagliotti crushed a two-run homer in the bottom of the second for the Eagles. Morehead State scored five insurance runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
MSU tallied a season-high 13 hits in the morning game. Sophomore third baseman Karly Thompson and freshman catcher Robyn Leighton tallied two each. Four Eagles posted two RBI apiece.
Senior right-hander Tanna Seuferer notched the game-one victory in her first decision of 2015. She allowed no walks, two runs and five hits while striking out three in four innings out of the bullpen.
Junior left fielder Emily Hendricks paced Rhode Island with a 3-for-4 effort and one RBI. Junior right-hander Caitlin Kennedy, who allowed seven runs and nine hits in four frames, took the loss.
Michigan State, which recorded seven hits in the afternoon game, led from start to finish. The Spartans scored twice in the first inning, three times in the third and once in the fourth.
Michigan State freshman right-hander Kristina Zalewski, who struck out seven and allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings, improved to 1-0 with the victory. Morehead State freshman right-hander Mackenzie Grossmann, who allowed six runs but only three earned, fell to 1-1 with the loss.
McGuffey and freshman designated player Lindsey Ward, who clobbered a two-run homer on Friday, were Morehead State's representatives on the All-Tournament Team.
The weekend event featured five programs playing a total of 11 contests in three days.
MSU is idle until next week's Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament. The Eagles will face IUPUI and Kentucky on Friday before squaring off with Southern Illinois and host Kennesaw State on Saturday. For more, visit MSUEagles.com, Twitter.com/MSUAthletics or Facebook.com/MSUEagles.
