Morehead State 13 TSU 10 -
Box Score |
Box Score (PDF) Morehead State 6 TSU 2 -
Box Score |
Box Score (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky.— Morehead State softball used the home run ball and timely hitting to sweep their doubleheader with Tennessee State on Saturday at University Field.
The Eagles (25-25, 12-12) accumulated 19 runs on 10 extra base hits, including four home runs.
The two wins helped the Eagles clinch a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday in Oxford, Alabama. The Tigers (10-45, 3-23) have now lost 12 straight games.
"Our offense has been capable of putting up some big numbers like we did today," said head coach
David Williams. "We've had some struggles recently, but it was great to see us step up and produce."
Both offenses produced at a high rate in game one, combining for 23 runs on 30 hits. The Tigers jumped out to an early lead at 2-0 with runs in the first and second innings.
Morehead State woke up in the second inning after junior shortstop
Karly Thompson launched a towering solo shot into the trees beyond the center field wall for her ninth home run of the season, cutting the lead in half. The Eagles added two more runs in the second to take their first lead at 3-2 off a double from sophomore catcher
Laine Simmons, knocking in freshman third baseman
Ellen Barrett.
The third inning began where the second ended for Morehead State, as they added to their lead with four runs in the inning, climbing to a 7-2 advantage.
TSU struck for six runs in the sixth inning, capped off by back-to-back home runs from second baseman Danica Gleason and first baseman Kim Trice. Gleason's shot drove in three runs, as Trice's was a solo home run. The Tigers claimed a 10-7 lead going into the bottom half of the sixth.
Morehead State came flying back as Thompson struck again with a bases load single to drive in Simmons. With the bases still loaded, sophomore second baseman
Hannah Murphy connected for a two-run single to tie the game again. Barrett broke the tie, lining a double off the left field wall, scoring two. Senior left fielder
Lizzy Margagliotti finished off the six-run frame with a single to center, scoring Barrett.
Mackenzie Grossmann came in to close the game for her first save of the season, solidifying a 13-10 win over TSU.
Allison Rager picked up her 13th win of the year.
Thompson went 3-for-3 with three runs batted in, Barrett finished the morning slate going 3-for-4 from the plate, while driving in three runs.
Grossmann turned around to start game two, holding the Tigers to only two runs in seven innings of work.
Mirroring game one, TSU started with a 2-0 lead but saw it dwindle away due to the power of Morehead State.
Barrett sent a solo shot to left-center field in the second inning for her seventh of the year. Simmons added a solo home run in the third giving her three on the season, and Margagliotti ripped the fourth and final homer of the day, putting the Eagles up 5-2.
Sophomore outfielder
Lindsay Ward added an insurance run in the sixth as the Eagles closed out game two with a 6-2 victory.
The third and final game of the series will begin on Sunday at 1 p.m. Seniors
Tressa Watson, Hutchins, and Maragagliotti will be honored before first pitch.
