MOREHEAD, Ky. -- It was a rough day for Tennessee State pitchers and a rewarding day for MSU hitters, as the Morehead State Softball team put up six runs en route to a 6-1 victory over the Tigers on Sunday in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both squads.
Sophomore Jessie Begley (4-1) got the win for Morehead State (7-6, 1-0). The right-hander went the full seven innings, giving up just one run on three hits, allowing two walks and striking out one. Begley has now tied her win total from last season, when she finished 4-10.
Morehead State snapped a five-game losing streak to Tennessee State as the Tigers had won eight of the last 11 in the series, and the last two at the University Field.
In the batter's box, the Eagles were led by junior Ilencia Lightbody, who went 1-for-2 on the day with her second home run of the year. She has reached base in nine straight games now. Junior Samantha Cervantes put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. Senior Kaytlyn Cripps also contributed for Morehead State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a double.
Hear Cripps talk about the game and her offensive performance on X (Twitter).
Listen to coach Megan Griffith discuss the win on X (Twitter).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Eagles first put runs on the board in the second inning. Junior Darlene Montoya came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State and get them on the board.
Onnika Spencer got TSU into the scoring column in the top of the second on an RBI single past the pitcher's circle.
The game remained tied until the very next inning, when the Eagles got going again on offense. Cripps came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State, which brought the score to 2-1 in favor of the Eagles.
Morehead State held Tennessee State scoreless before expanding its lead to 3-1 the following inning. The Eagles recorded a run on Lightbody's one-out solo home run off junior Reina Castillo.
Morehead State kept the Tigers scoreless before building on its lead in the sixth inning. The three-run frame for the Eagles was punctuated by a two-run single off the bat of Cervantes. bringing the Morehead State advantage to 6-1.
GAME NOTES
» Morehead State's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed three runs across.
» The Eagles out-hit the Tigers at a 7-3 clip.
» Morehead State pitchers coaxed 15 ground ball outs and five fly ball outs.
» Lightbody led the Eagles at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
» Tennessee State was led offensively by sophomore Onnika Spencer, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
» MSU handed Reina Castillo her first loss of the season after she started 4-0. Castillo pitched four innings, allowed three runs, but only one was earned, three hits, and added two strikeouts and one walk. Holly Ayala came in for the final two innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.
» The last time MSU had a record better than the current mark of 7-6 (after 13 games) was in 2018, when the team started 9-4 (and eventually 15-4).
?» MSU last started 3-0 at home in 2017 (7-0 start that year)
» MSU last started 1-0 in the OVC in 2017, but lost next game, so last 2/3-0 start was in 2016, when we went 5-0.
» Ilencia Lightbody's 9-game reaching base safely streak is the best since Emily Williams reached base safely 19 times last year. Trinity Spear also reached base safely nine times last spring and Peyton Slater did the same in 2022. It is Lightbody's longest such streak.
UP NEXT
The teams are set for a doubleheader Monday at 12 p.m. ET.
