CONWAY, Ark. – In just its second week of play during the 2020 season, the Morehead State softball team earned its third win to tie its 2019 win total. The Eagles split games with Jackson State and Arkansas - Pine Bluff in the Michelle Short Memorial Classic hosted by Central Arkansas on Saturday.
The team dropped their first game of the day against Jackson State (6-6) 7-2 before rallying to defeat Arkansas – Pine Bluff (0-12) 8-4.
Junior
Alexis Strother combined to go 3-for-6 with a double and three RBI in the Eagles' two contests. Senior
Randi Hamilton (2-0) appeared in both games, pitching a combined 3.2 innings while allowing only two hits.
Morehead State, now 3-3 overall, returns to action on Sunday against Southern Mississippi at 10:00 a.m. and Central Arkansas at 12:15 p.m. ET.
HOW IT HAPPENED – JACKSON STATE
- Sophomore
Adeline Nicholson began the scoring in the top of the first on an RBI bunt single.
- Jackson State tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch from freshman
Carolyn Alincic. The Tigers scored two more on RBI single that drove in one and a throwing error that brought home another to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
- An RBI double furthered Jackson State's lead to 4-1.
- Strother's double in the third scored a run for the Eagles.
- The Tigers hit a double of their own in the bottom of the third that brought home a runner.
- The final scoring play of the contest came on a two-RBI double in the fourth to account for the 7-2 margin.
KEY STATS – JACKSON STATE
- The top four hitters for the Eagles combined to go 5-for-11 in the game but the rest of lineup was held without a hit.
- Sophomore
Peyton Slater went 1-for-2 in the game with a run scored and was hit by a pitch.
- Freshman
Carolyn Alincic (0-1) took the loss for the game, giving up six earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched.
HOW IT HAPPENED – UAPB
- The Golden Lions scored in the top of the first on an RBI double.
- Morehead State tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the inning when Strother singled to left field.
- Freshman
Taylor Rhea crossed the plate in the fourth when she advanced on a play that caught
Randi Hamilton stealing.
- A throwing error by Pine Bluff's third baseman drove home a run in the fifth.
- UAPB took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on an RBI groundout and two RBI singles.
- The Eagles fought back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game on a flyout by
Helyna Bissell before taking the lead for good an RBI bunt single that made it a 5-4 game.
- Morehead State continued its scoring on a two-RBI single by freshman
Kirya Kingery and another RBI single by Strother to account for the 8-4 margin.
KEY STATS – UAPB
-
Randi Hamilton did it all for the Eagles as she went 2-for-3 in the game while also picking up the win.
- Morehead State out-hit the Golden Lions 10-9.
- Sophomore
Maddie Kawall went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
- Freshman
Kirya Kingery went 1-for-2 with two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk.
