NORFOLK, Va. – Offense proved to be the name of the game Saturday night as Morehead State softball registered 21 combined hits in its two contests against Norfolk State. The Eagles dropped the first game of the season against Norfolk State, 8-6, before storming back to obtain revenge over the Spartans in a 9-5 nightcap victory.
The doubleheader represented the first action Morehead State has seen since a March 11 home series against Dayton. Norfolk State had most recently defeated Maryland Eastern Shore on March 12 before the pandemic canceled the remaining 2020 season.
Senior
Alexis Strother led the Eagles at the plate with four hits in seven plate appearances along with the only home run of the day for Morehead State in the season opener. In the circle, MSU held Norfolk State to a combined .245 batting average in the two contests while striking out 10 Spartan batters.
Saturday's first contest marked the third consecutive season that a Morehead State freshman was the opening day starter as
Lennon Spicer threw a complete game in 119 pitches. Following her was
Carolyn Alincic who pitched 6.2 innings while only allowing four hits and striking out seven batters on the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
- Norfolk State was able to strike first after a fielding error, double, and groundout all saw Spartan runners cross the plate to account for a 3-0 advantage after the first.
- Alexis Strother connected on the only MSU home run of the day with a solo shot that was sent over the center field fence in the top of the fourth.
- NSU quickly answered back with a home run of their own in the bottom half of the inning along with a passed ball and single that led to a 6-1 score after four innings.
- The Eagles were able to use their baserunning abilities to their advantage as Trinity Spear and Kirya Kingery both crossed the plate in the top half of the fifth.
- Once again, the Spartans pushed the lead back to five as an RBI double in the bottom of the inning drove in two more NSU runners.
- Three RBI singles from the Eagles in the top of the seventh were not enough as Morehead State eventually fell to their opponents, 8-6.
NOTABLE – GAME 1
- Kirya Kingery tied her career-high in stolen bases with three on the game.
- Eight of the nine MSU starters registered at least one hit to combine for 11 base knocks.
- Along with her complete-game performance, Lennon Spicer earned the only double of the game for the Eagles.
- Trinity Spear and Kelsey Sparks both earned two hits in their first games in an Eagles uniform.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
- Morehead State got on the board first after a wild play saw Peyton Jordan steal home in the top of the third.
- The Eagles tacked on four more in the following inning as two wild pitches and a passed ball accounted for three runs to go along with an RBI single from Taylor Rhea.
- MSU kept their offensive proficiency up in the fifth when Peyton Rose earned a walk with the bases loaded, quickly followed by a single by Madeline Gailor that drove in two more.
- Norfolk State was in jeopardy of being run-ruled before a wild pitch saw a Spartan runner cross the plate while a single to center drove in another to make the score 8-2 after five.
- Some heads-up baserunning by Kirya Kingery earned the final run for the Eagles in the top of the sixth.
- NSU's attempt at a comeback fell just short but not before three more runners were driven in by the Spartans in the bottom of the seventh to end the day on a 9-5 Eagle victory.
NOTABLE – GAME 2
- Morehead State's 15 runs are tied for the highest amount on Opening Day for the Eagles since the 1993 team drove in 16 to start its season. MSU's 21 hits in the first two contests were also the most on opening day since at least the 2005 season.
- While only throwing three pitches, Kelsey Perkins was able to earn the first save for Morehead State since May 1, 2018, when Chelsea McManway did so against OVC foe Murray State.
- Freshman Peyton Jordan went 2-for-3 with three runs in her second game as an Eagle.
- As a team, Morehead State is hitting a combined .333 at the plate after the first day of the season.
UP NEXT
Morehead State will complete its away series against Norfolk State tomorrow with games set for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET.
