MOREHEAD, Ky. – No matter what it seemed to try, the Morehead State softball team could not figure out how to beat visiting Eastern Illinois on Monday. In the opening Ohio Valley Conference series for the two clubs, the Panthers came away with a doubleheader sweep at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead to finish the weekend 3-0 against the Blue and Gold.
Eastern Illinois (8-16/3-0) won Monday's first game 10-2 in six innings and followed by claiming the nightcap 8-4.
The Eagles led the visitors in both contests but could not carry those over the finish line, en route to dropping their sixth and seventh straight outings, and falling to 0-3 at home this season.
"We gave ourselves some chances to win, but we just left too many baserunners on in the first game and then couldn't close it out in the second game," said MSU head coach
Megan Griffith. "However, it was nice to see Noemye (Letendre) and Sydney (Farmer) crush some shots over the fence."
In the opener, the Panthers scored a run in the top of the first, but Morehead State (1-16/0-3) charged right back in the bottom of the frame by putting runners at second and third with one out. The hosts could not convert those opportunities but were able to capitalize in the second by scoring twice to grab a 2-1 advantage.
After retiring EIU in order in the top of the second, sophomore designated player
Victoria Spencer drew a leadoff walk and junior first baseman
Noemye Letendre smashed a two-out shot to center field that was estimated to travel 275 feet.
Eastern Illinois answered back in the top of the third, scoring three runs on three hits, including a two-run shot by Lexie Griffin over the fence in left field.
The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the third after junior third baseman
Sela Pickford reached on an error, and senior right fielder
Taikibrea Campbell and Spencer both drew walks. However, redshirt sophomore
Marie Perdew's hard hit ball went to Chloe Wamboldt at shortstop, who threw it home for the force out, and then the final MSU batter struck out to end the threat. The Eagles left three runners on base in the inning.
The Panthers added a run in the fourth and another in the fifth, before unloading for four runs on five hits in the sixth. Freshman shortstop
Kylie Mann's infield single led off the MSU sixth and Letendre followed with a single up the middle, but a pop up and a ground-out double play forced the game's early conclusion.
Morehead State put its leadoff batter on base in the first four innings and then again in the sixth but finished the afternoon stranding nine and going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
The Blue and Gold finished with four hits, which tied for its fewest this season. It also committed three errors. Eastern Illinois had 13 hits and two errors, while stranding four and finishing the day 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Letendre went 2-for-2 to pace the hosts. She also added two RBI and a run, while walking once. Mann and Pickford each finished 1-for-3. Spencer added a run and she and Campbell both walked twice.
Senior pitcher
Rylie Burney (0-5) started and went four innings, surrendering five runs (all earned) on six hits, with one strikeout and one walk. Junior
Ainsley Stubbs saw two innings of relief work, allowing four earned runs, five total on seven hits. She did not have a strikeout or walk.
Bryanna French picked up her second win in as many days, as she improved to 4-4 with two innings in relief. She did not allow a hit or run but walked two and struck out three. Karlie McKenzie started the game and lasted three innings before yielding to French. She finished with two runs on two hits, with five strikeouts and four walks. Rylie Schipp finished the game by pitching the final inning. She allowed two hits, but no runs, walks or strikeouts.
Morehead State went toe-to-toe with the Panthers in the series finale. The Eagles led 1-0 and 4-3 but surrendered two runs in both the sixth and seventh to fall 8-4. It was the team's 26th straight overall defeat and the 17th consecutive setback at home to EIU.
Eastern Illinois began with a leadoff single but did not get another runner on base until the third inning. Junior centerfielder
Maddy Christopher did the same for the Blue and Gold, but Christopher's infield single was aided by a three-base error, putting the hosts in front 1-0.
The visitors answered in the top of the third with Wamboldt's three-run homer to left center.
Morehead State came right back and put up three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, junior second baseman
Sage VanDemark walked, Pickford followed with a single, before Farmer knocked a pitch over the center-field wall.
Marybeth Dyson's two-out solo home run to left field tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the fourth.
Both teams went three-up, three-down in the fifth, before EIU erupted for four hits in the sixth to score twice.
Spencer had a two-out single to center field and moved to second on a fielding error, but the Eagles could not get her home.
The Panthers tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh courtesy of two singles and a pair of walks. They also benefited from a double-steal attempt that ended with a rundown between first and second but the run crossed home plate before the out, giving the visitors an 8-4 edge.
Morehead State grounded out on three successive at-bats in the seventh to end the game.
MSU finished with six hits, no errors and three runners left on base. Eastern Illinois tallied nine hits, committed two errors and stranded three base runners.
Four different Eagles got hits, including Pickford, who extended her consecutive hitting streak to 10 games, the third time she has accomplished the feat in her career. She, VanDemark, Christopher and Farmer each had one hit and scored once. Spencer and sophomore left fielder
Sophie Collins each added a hit, while Farmer collected all three RBI.
Six Panthers reached base with hits, led by Wamboldt, who was 3-for-4, with three RBI and two runs. Dyson was the team's only other player to register two hits.
Freshman
Allicen Harris (0-6) pitched the first five and a third innings, yielding five runs (all earned) on five hits, with three strikeouts and a walk. Stubbs completed the game by throwing the finale inning and two-thirds. She had three runs (all earned) on four hits, with no strikeouts and two walks.
Rylan Gick (3-3) got the win, pitching two and one-third scoreless innings in relief. She gave up one hit and no walks, while striking out one. Starter Grace Lemke went two and two-thirds innings, surrendering four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits and two walks. She struck out one. French earned the save by closing out the final two innings of the game. She did not allow a run or walk, while giving up a hit and striking out three.
Morehead State is scheduled to play Northern Kentucky in a Wednesday doubleheader with game one starting at 2 p.m. The Eagles then hit the road for their next two OVC series, starting with SIU Edwardsville this weekend. The Blue and Gold returns home to face Tennessee Tech in a three-game series on March 28-29.
