Morehead, Ky. – The Morehead State softball team put it all together on Sunday as it swept Kentucky Christian in a pair of five-inning contests at MSU's University Field. The Eagles swept the doubleheader scrimmage 6-2 and 8-1. The 14 total runs came in just eight innings of batting.
First-year head coach Megan Griffith liked what she saw.
"I've seen a lot of stuff that we've been working on that they've implemented in practice. They go to the plate with some confidence and a great attack mentality, and that's what we've been talking about -- attacking it early in the count and things like that, and I think that really paid off for us," she said. "We did a great job sticking to our offensive plan, so I couldn't be any happier with that. We turned a double play today, so that's what we've been working on a lot with defense, and that's been awesome to see that growth from the team. The pitchers located the ball well. We had great receiving from out catchers. So, an all-around great team effort."
Everyone was able to contribute. Four pitchers split time in the circle and each either earned a win or a save.
Sophomore Maya Morris was the game-two victor.
"I think just working together. Telling each other where the umpire's strike zone is, what we are seeing from people in the box. I think is really beneficial," she said about the team's collective pitching effort.
Several players put together an outstanding offensive performance. Senior center fielder Trinity Spear had a single and a triple in game one.
"For me I just wanted to slow the game down and look at each pitch one at a time, so that really helped me," she said. "For us, just telling each other to slow our feet down and slow our hands down (was a key)."
The Eagles scored once in the opening inning and then added three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to secure the game-one win. KCU collected both of its runs in the top of the fifth.
"I feel like we started coming out very hot. We were really hitting the ball really hard and well. And we ran the bases really well today," Spear said. "We were really having fun. With this being our first game, I think that was what helped us win the first game."
MSU opened the second contest with a three-run first and then scored five more times in the fourth. The Knights picked up their lone run in the third.
"Defensively, our pitching was strong and we pulled through any adversity we had. But it's also nice knowing that our defense is strong and has our back," Morris said of game two. "I think even in the innings that we didn't score, we still had aggressive and competitive at-bats, which I think is key to winning games."
Offensively, virtually everyone got at least one hit or put the ball in play.
"We've been focusing a lot on teaching them to control their own timing and that's been really great for helping us adjust to different speeds and some movement pitches. We saw a couple change-ups. I felt like we had some really great takes on those," Griffith said. "So, just working on them getting the power and control in their at-bat(s) and we saw a lot of that."
As they have done in years past, the Eagles were savvy and effective moving around the bases.
"We're big on base-running here and we do a lot of aggressive things. Some people may think that's unorthodox, but it's paid off for us," Griffith said.
On the day, three players notched three hits. Spear, senior Madeline Gailor and sophomore Ilencia Lightbody. Junior Peyton Jordan was next with two; while senior Kirya Kingery, senior Taylor Rhea, freshman Emily Williams, freshman Jessie Begley and freshman Nazari Jackson each added one. One of Spear's shots was a triple; with Gailor, Kingery and Begley all tallying a two-bagger.
Although the team did have some miscues in the field, on the whole, Griffith was pleased with the team's defense.
"We had some really big outs in the outfield. We had great tracking. Trinity (Spear) was right there in center field holding it down," she said. "Our left fielder and our right fielders were there and they know that they have each other's backs, so they're not afraid to take those bigger risks and that's what been helping us out there."
Sophomore Madi Ogden won the first game after pitching three scoreless innings and striking out two Knights. Begley took to the circle for the final two innings, collecting one strikeout, and earning a save. In game two, Morris picked up the win after two shutout frames, striking out two in the process, while junior Lennon Spicer collected a save after shutting down the Knights over the final three innings. She finished with one strikeout.
"The thing I am most proud of with our pitchers right now is that they maintained their composure throughout the entire 10-inning scrimmage. They did a really great job at bouncing back when things maybe didn't go the way they wanted to at first," Griffith said.
Half of the credit for any pitching success has to go to those who work the backstop.
"I think we've got to brag on our catchers a little bit. They're receiving behind the plate. They're working to steal the strikes for the pitchers. Every little strike matters," Griffith added. So, watching them stay locked in, stay focused and receiving well, that's all we're asking them to do and they really executed that today."
The Eagles have a week to prepare for their final exhibition series of the fall. The team will travel to Western Kentucky to play the Lady Toppers next Sunday.
Griffith will take the lessons learned from today as the squad prepares for its trip to Bowling Green, Ky.
"I think today we kinda got a chance to prove to ourselves that all of the work we're putting in is really paying off and I got a chance to watch my players show out and have a lot of fun," she said. "Of course, we're still working, we're still building, there's still some stuff things we've got to polish up on defense and a few things we need to tighten up on offense."
