BOX SCORE: (Norfolk State) (Albany)

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Morehead State softball team improved to 10-4 after picking up victories against Albany and Norfolk State Friday at the Winthrop Invitational.
 
The Eagles had a great day at the plate and from the pitcher's circle, recording 20 hits and allowing only two runs combined.
 
MOREHEAD STATE 6, ALBANY 0
 
Senior pitcher Chelsea McManaway allowed only one hit while striking out 12 to achieve her third shutout of the season.
 
Five of the Eagles' six runs came from home runs.  Allison Rager, Robyn Leighton, and Taylor Wheeler all rocketed balls out of the park.
 
Paige Scruggs led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk and a steal of second base.  Allison Rager then stepped to the plate and sent a ball over the left field fence to give Morehead State the 2-0 advantage. Senior Ellen Barrett followed the homer up with a single of her own and moved to third base after Kalle Coleman laid down a sacrifice bunt. A RBI single off the bat of senior Lindsay Ward then scored Barrett to round the Eagles' scoring out in the inning and give them a 3-0 advantage.
 
The Eagles scored their final three runs in the sixth inning.  Leighton led things off with a solo shot to straightaway centerfield.  Coleman followed her with a single before Wheeler connected with a two-run homer.
 
Wheeler, a senior utility player, finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI coming on the home run. Bennett and Scruggs also collected multiple hits for Morehead State as both went 2-for-3 in the batter's box.
 
McManaway, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference pitcher of the week, picked up her seventh (7-1) win of the season.
 
MOREHEAD STATE 8, NORFOLK STATE 2
 
The Eagles made quick work of the Spartans in game two, scoring all eight runs in the first and second innings.
 
Rager, Scruggs, Bennett, and Barrett each had two hits in the game.
 
Scruggs' finished 2-for-3 with a RBI double in the first and a two-run homer in the second.
 
Rager picked up the victory (3-3) for Morehead State in the pitcher's circle.  The junior threw five innings before being relieved by freshman Megan Murphy, who tossed the final two scoreless frames.

NEXT UP

Morehead State continues play in the Winthrop invitational at 11 a.m. ET against Youngstown State, followed by a matchup with tournament host Winthrop at 3 p.m.