MOREHEAD, Ky. – Weather continues to wreak havoc on the Morehead State softball team's schedule. Slated to play four games at this weekend Purple-Gold Invitational at East Carolina's Max R. Joyner Family Stadium, the Eagles got in just two and a half contests.

Unfortunately, the only one in which MSU came out on top did not count since it was canceled after three innings.

After scoring a run in the top of the first in Saturday's opener with host East Carolina (10-10), Morehead State (0-15) held that lead through three innings before rain forced an hour delay. Officials canceled the game prior to the start of the fourth inning. It was declared a no contest and the stats do not count.

The Eagles were able to play twice on Sunday, but fell to Bryant 13-2 and Rider 23-9. In both cases, the contest ended after five innings.

There was one bright spot. Against Rider, MSU posted its highest run total since plating 13 on March 4, 2020, against Ohio -Chillicothe.

After going hitless against Bryant, coach Samantha Jones was pleased with the team's offensive output in the second game, but was disappointed with the squad's performance in the other phases.

"That's something," she said of the team's run total. "But due to lack of pitching and poor defense, that's how they scored all of those runs. Scoring nine should be good enough to beat, and someday even run-rule them, but not today."

As they did in all three contests, the Eagles scored first against the Bulldogs. Freshman left fielder Ieesha Christian walked, stole second, advanced on an error and came home on a second error. The good fortune continued as freshman shortstop Ilencia Lightbody walked and senior third baseman Peyton Rose was hit by a pitch for an Ohio Valley Conference-leading eighth time this season. However, the inning ended before another run could be scored.

Bryant (1-9) got on the board with three runs in the second after capitalizing on three MSU errors. In the third, the Bulldogs picked up three hits and pushed their lead to 5-1.

The Blue and Gold again put runners on base in its half of the third, but was unable to drive any of them home. Bryant then scored five times in the fourth to move ahead 10-1.

Junior right fielder Maddi Gailor, who reached base on all three of her plate appearances, drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth. Yet, the Bulldogs answered and, after scoring three times in the top of the fifth, moved the margin to 11 runs. The Eagles were unable to respond in the bottom of the frame and the game came to an end.

Morehead State left seven runners on base and committed four errors, which led to four unearned runs. The Eagles earned four bases on balls and were hit by a pitch four times.

Senior shortstop Toni Camarillo paced the Bulldogs with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. She also added four RBI.

Three MSU pitchers saw time in the circle. Freshman Madi Ogden (0-6) started and lasted two and two-thirds innings, surrendering two hits on one earned run. She struck out two and walked four. Freshman Bree Sexton came in to finish the third and pitch to the first eight batters of the fourth. She allowed five runs on four hits with four walks. Sophomore Lennon Spicer finished the contest pitching one inning and yielding three runs on four hits, while striking out one.

Junior Kylie Kenney (1-4) pitched three hitless innings and got the win. She gave up one unearned run, struck out five and walked three. Grad student Sarah McKeveney threw the final two innings. She allowed one run, no hits and one walk, while striking out three.

Morehead State began the scoring against Rider (7-5) after collecting a pair of hits, the second leading to senior catcher Peyton Slater coming home. Senior first baseman Alexis Strother forced a run down between first and second, which allowed Slater to score.

Unfortunately, the Broncs answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame.

MSU tied the score in the top of the second and again manufactured runs in part due to its savvy baserunning. Rose led off with a single to left field, junior shortstop Kirya Kingery was hit by a pitch and junior center fielder Trinity Spear reached on a fielding error. Christian drove in Rose and Kingery with a single to right field. Gailor followed with a single that plated Spear and Christian, and Slater capped off the scoring with her single to left field that sent Gailor home.

Rider regained control after adding four runs in its half of the inning.

The Eagles got one run back courtesy of sophomore designated player Mayumi Kinchen-Atkins' RBI single in the third. However, from there, it was all Rider. The Broncs tallied 13 runs on eight hits and one error in the bottom of the third as 18 batters came to the plate.

MSU collected a hit, a walk and three stolen bases in the fourth, but it did not lead to any runs.

After neither team scored in the fourth, the Eagles added two final runs in the top of the fifth. Junior first baseman Taylor Rhea, Kingery and Christian each picked up singles, with Christian's shot to center field driving in Kinchen-Atkins and Rhea.

Christian notched a pair of team season highs in the contest with three hits and four RBI. Kingery returned to action after being sidelined for nearly a month and was 2-for-2 with three runs. Gailor also added a season-best two RBI.

Nine players got hits for the Broncs. Sophomore right fielder Laneya Wright led the way with a 4-for-4, four-run, four-RBI performance. Senior first baseman Grace Stansfield and senior center fielder Lani Moreno each added three hits. Moreno, Wright and freshman third baseman Olivia Burroughs each had four RBI.

Freshman Maya Morris started the game, but pitched just two-thirds of an inning before yielding to Spicer. Morris surrendered three earned runs on six hits. Spicer (0-8) stayed in the circle for two innings, but gave up nine earned runs on seven hits along with three walks. Freshman Bree Sexton finished the contest by pitching the final inning and a third. She also surrendered seven hits and eight runs, although none of them were earned. Sexton also allowed three walks and had the team's lone strikeout.

Freshman Kathryn Schmierer started and threw for an inning and two-thirds before giving way to senior Brooklyn Trujillo-Quintana, who got the win. Schmierer allowed six runs (one earned) on six hits, with one strikeout. Trujillo-Quintana (3-2) gave up three earned runs and six hits, plus two walks. She struck out four MSU batters.

The Eagles meet Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday with a single game starting at 3 p.m. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+. The squad is slated to begin OVC play next weekend at Eastern Illinois.