MOREHEAD, Ky. – One day after putting up 15 runs and 11 hits, the Morehead State softball team continued its offensive success on Thursday but could not hold off a pair of late Lindenwood surges as the Lions claimed 8-4 and 12-7 victories on Friday at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead.
The Lions got a pair of three-run home runs in the fifth and sixth innings of game one, and scored twice in the sixth and seventh frames of the second contest to win the series.
Morehead State (5-38/3-15) is in the middle of a six-game homestand but the Eagles dropped their record on their own field to 4-8.
MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning of the matinee but watched Lindenwood (20-20/11-10) score eight unanswered runs, before the Blue and Gold made a last gasp by scoring once in both the sixth and seventh.
"We did a nice job taking advantage of our chances and scoring early," MSU head coach
Megan Griffith said. "(Junior) Emma (Solis) did a great job early, but when she started to struggle, we just didn't have any answers in the bullpen, although 'Red' (Campbell) and Sela (Pickford) did what they could."
The Eagles got out of an early jam in the opening inning of the first game, by getting a two-out pop fly to end the stanza with a runner at third base.
Pickford, sophomore left fielder
Maddy Christopher and senior center fielder
Darlene Montoya extended their hit streaks to 10 consecutive games when they collected singles in the bottom of the first inning. Pickford led off with a single to center, Christopher had a successful bunt and Montoya blasted a shot to second base that literally knocked off the glove of Dallis Darnell. Montoya's hit drove both Pickford and Christopher home.
Lindenwood got a runner on base in both the second and third innings, but that was all the offense it would generate.
However, in the fourth, the Lions were able to score twice off a hit and a pair of MSU errors.
After two innings of going down in order, the Eagles got a single from freshman second baseman
Victoria Spencer in the fourth, but that ended the hosts' offense.
After a double and a two-out walk, Mya Bethany hit a three-run homer over the fence in center field to break the game open. It was the first home run of her career.
The Eagles put another two runners on base in the fifth but again could not get anyone across home plate.
After a pitching change, LU got another three-run homer from Jolie McMinn. Another pitching change followed and the inning ended without further damage.
Sophomore third baseman
Kendra Lewis posted her seventh home run this season with a shot to right-center field in the sixth to get the Blue and Gold back on the board.
Lindenwood got another two runners on base in the seventh, but the inning ended without another run.
MSU threatened in its last at bat. Freshman catcher
Nyla Doiron reached on an infield single and freshman
Sophie Collins got on base with a fielder's choice, before Pickford had a run-scoring double to left-center field. Christopher moved up a base on a passed ball and Lewis walked on four pitches, before the game ended on an infield pop out.
The Eagles recorded their 10th game with double-digit hits as they followed up Friday's output (11 hits) with 10. Pickford led the way with a 3-for-4 performance. She also scored once. Doiron was 2-for-3; while Christopher went 2-for-4, with a run and an RBI. Montoya drove in two runs after going 1-for-4; and Lewis finished 1-for-3, with a run and an RBI. Collins scored the team's other run.
Lindenwood collected eight hits. McMinn and Bethany each drove in three runs. Irelynn West and Darnell both added two hits. Bethany and Danielle Franz each scored twice.
Solis fell to 2-14 with the loss. She pitched five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits. She had four strikeouts and three walks. Junior
Taikibrea Campbell (Red) lasted two-thirds of an inning and surrendered three runs on one hit with two walks. She did not have a strikeout. Pickford finished the contest, throwing one and one-third shutout innings, yielding one hit, with a strikeout and a walk.
Avery Wapp (8-6) went the distance for the win. She allowed 10 hits and four runs (all earned). She struck out four and walked one.
In the nightcap, MSU scored five times in the third and twice in the fifth, finishing with nine hits and three errors. Lindenwood scored three runs in the second and five more in the third, before tallying four in the final two frames. The Lions collected 16 hits but made five errors. Both teams stranded seven runners.
"I was really impressed that we were able to string together a bunch of hits in the third. We've done a much better job with that in the latter part of the season," Griffith said. "I'm really impressed with how well we've hit the ball this weekend."
Lindenwood started the game with two hits in its first three at bats, but the Eagle defense stepped up and kept the Lions off the board, including a two-out strikeout from junior pitcher
Rylie Burney.
Pickford extended her hitting streak to 11 games after leading off the contest by beating out an infield single.
The visitors plated three runs on four hits in the second.
Both teams piled on the offense in the third.
In the top of the frame, Lindenwood ripped off four hits, including three doubles as it scored five times.
In MSU's half, the Eagles got five consecutive singles to begin their at bat. Campbel and Pickford both singled to left field, Christopher hit one up the middle, Lewis followed with a shot to left field and Montoya singled to center field. Lewis and Montoya each drove in a run with their hits.
Spencer reached on an errant throw with the bases loaded, allowing Christopher and Lewis to score. A two-out ground out by Doiron plated Montoya before the inning ended.
The Lions led off the fourth with another single but kept their run total at eight.
Morehead State closed to within one after scoring twice in the fifth. Montoya singled to center, and with two outs, Spencer reached on a third-strike wild pitch. Doiron followed with a single to center. An error on the play allowed Spencer to score.
A pair of Lindenwood solo homers in the sixth pushed the visitors' lead to 10-7.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pickford singled, Christopher reached on a fielder's choice and Lewis was hit by a pitch. But the inning ended with Christopher and Lewis stranded at third and first, respectively.
LU added two runs in the top of the seventh, benefiting from a double, single, two errors and two stolen bases. Junior first baseman
Jordan Donato reached on a fielding error to open the MSU half of the seventh, but it was all the offense the hosts could muster.
Pickford again went 3-for-4, as she finished the weekend 7-for-10. Like in the first game, she also added a run. Montoya was 2-for-4, with two runs and an RBI. Christopher, Lewis, Doiron and Campbell each added a hit. Lewis, Spencer and Doiron all had an RBI. Christopher, Lewis, Spencer and Campbell all scored.
For Lindenwood, Tori Hatton went 3-for-5, with two RBI and a run; while West was 3-for-4, with four RBI and a run. McMinn, Bethany and Darnell each had two hits. Darnell and Madisen Noll both scored twice.
The Eagles used four pitchers. Burney started and took the loss to fall to 3-19. She pitched 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. She had one strikeout and did not walk a batter. Redshirt freshman
Delaney Overstreet pitched for one-third of an inning, surrendering three runs on two hits, with two walks. She did not have a strikeout. Solis pitched for 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, striking out four and not allowing a walk. Pickford threw for one inning, yielding two unearned runs on two hits. She had one strikeout and no walks.
Ryleigh Owens improved to 10-7 with the win. She pitched five innings and gave up four earned runs (seven total) on eight hits. She had five strikeouts. Wapp earned a save, with two scoreless innings of work. She allowed one hit and struck out two. Neither Lindenwood pitcher walked a batter, although Wapp hit one.
Morehead State will finish its homestand with three games against Western Illinois next weekend. The two teams will meet twice on Saturday (noon and 2:30 p.m.) and then once on Sunday (noon). Sunday will be MSU's Senior Day. The Eagles will close out the regular season in two weeks with a three-game series at Tennessee Tech. The Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will run May 7-10 in Peoria, Ill.
