GAME 1 | SIU-Edwardsville 8, Morehead State 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. --The Morehead State Eagles were unable to notch a run against SIU Edwardsville pitcher senior Kelsey Ray on Saturday and were shut out 8-0 by the Cougars. The results secured SIUE the No. 8 seed in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. MSU dropped its fifth straight contest and was eliminated from postseason contention. SIUE improved to 17-32 overall, 9-16 in the OVC, 8-12 at home and 29-6 all-time against the Blue and Gold.
Sophomore Jessie Begley (6-10) got the ball to start for Morehead State (11-27, 5-20) and took the loss. Freshman Addie Stem was a bright spot for the Eagles, coming out of the bullpen and throwing three innings, giving up two runs, zero earned, on four hits. She did not have a walk or strikeout. Begley pitched 1.2 innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits, with a strikeout and a walk.
Ray (8-9) went five innings, surrendering just two hits and no walks, while striking out seven. She did hit a batter.
Offensively, the Eagles were paced by freshman Sela Pickford, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a double. Fifth-year player Trinity Spear added a single in the fifth.
The Cougars out-hit MSU, 13-2, with seven SIUE players recording at least one. Paige Rocha finished 3-for-4, with two runs. Lauren Yslava was 3-for-3, with two RBI and one run. Maleah Blomenkamp added a 2-for-3, one-RBI, one-run performance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SIUEÂ scored four times in the first, twice in the second and once in the third, before Ray allowed her first baserunner, Pickford, who led off the fourth with a double to left-center field. Pickford then stole third base.
The hosts got a runner on base in all five innings, adding the game-ending run on Jenna Herron's single to center field with two out in the bottom of the fifth scoring Rocha.
Morehead State managed two chances with runners on third in the shutout, going a total of 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Eagles last got a runner on third in the fifth, when sophomore Taikibrea Campbell made it 60 feet away from scoring with one out.
GAME NOTES
» Morehead State pitchers faced 29 SIU-Edwardsville hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and three fly balls while striking out one.
» Pickford led the Eagles at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a double.
» SIU-Edwardsville was led offensively by junior Lauren Yslava, who went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.
» Ray led the Cougars pitching staff, throwing five scoreless innings.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
