MOREHEAD, Ky. – For just the third time in 16 seasons, the Morehead State softball team has won back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference series, as the Eagles toppled Tennessee State 6-3 in the final game of the weekend set on Sunday at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead.
Morehead State (6-27/5-13) won Saturday's opener 4-1, before falling 7-3 in the nightcap. The previous weekend, MSU took 2-of-3 on the road against Southern Indiana, marking the first time since March 19-25, 2016, when the Blue and Gold went 3-0 against Belmont and then 2-0 versus Austin Peay, that the Eagles accomplished that feat. The club previously captured back-to-back series in 2010, when it went 8-2 in stringing together consecutive series wins (with one tie) over Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois from March 20-April 3.
The Eagles got critical production from reigning OVC co-Pitcher of the Week, junior
Ainsley Stubbs (6-9), who earned her second complete-game victory of the series, and junior center fielder
Maddy Christopher, whose sixth-inning bases-loaded single provided the winning runs.
"We showed a tremendous fight today as a team. Ainsley pitched well and (the) defense was able to have her back and make heads-up plays," said MSU head coach
Megan Griffith. "Offensively, our execution was very strong, which allowed us to move runners into position. It was great to see Maddy come through at the end for us at the plate. It was a full team effort with a lot of people coming in. I'm very proud of the way we competed with two series wins in a row."
Tennessee State (1-29/1-17) opened the scoring in the top of the first after generating all its offense with two outs. Jace Jackson and Hailey Hunt both singled up the middle on back-to-back at-bats. After a wild pitch, Kailyn Jean-Baptiste singled to third base to drive Jackson home. An error on the play also allowed Hunt to score.
One outing after her 12-game hit streak came to an end, junior third baseman
Sela Pickford began another as she singled to shallow right field with two outs in the first. However, the Eagles were unable to manufacture any additional offense.
TSU put together a threat in the second. Again with two outs, the Tigers reached base on a throwing error and then a bunt single, but a pop up behind home plate ended the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, junior catcher
Sydney Farmer was hit by a pitch and sophomore right fielder
Sophie Collins sacrificed her to second base. The hosts scored after senior designated player
Taikibrea Campbell singled to right-center to plate Farmer.
MSU tied the score at 2-2 in the third. Junior center fielder
Maddy Christopher led off with a bunt single. Junior second baseman
Sage VanDemark singled to short and Pickford singled up the middle, with Christopher coming home on the latter hit. The Eagles loaded the bases after Farmer was hit by her second pitch of the day, becoming the first player from Morehead State to have that happen this season. However, a pair of ground outs prevented the hosts from adding any more runs.
The Tigers retook the lead in the top of the fifth. With one out, JaKeyla McDaniel, Jasmine Blackburn and Jackson each hit successive infield singles, with the latter of the trio scoring McDaniel. On Jackson's single, Blackburn also tried to score but was tagged out at the plate.
TSU threatened again in the sixth. Jean-Baptiste led off with a single and Alexis Woods had a fielder's choice in which everyone was safe. Dani James followed by hitting the ball to third base, where Pickford scooped it up and threw home to get out Jean-Baptiste. James went on to steal second to put two batters in scoring position, but a ground out drew the inning to a close.
MSU took advantage of its opportunities in the bottom of the sixth. Collins and Campbell drew back-to-back leadoff walks and sophomore first baseman
Nyla Doiron was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the hosts with no outs. After TSU made a change in the circle, Christopher hit her single to left field that drove in Collins for the tying run. However, the ball rolled through the legs of the Tiger outfielder, and Campbell and Doiron were also able to come home. The hosts added an insurance run when VanDemark's hard shot to third base was misplayed, allowing Christopher to score. The visitors got out of a jam after turning a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Tennessee State put together another challenge in the top of the seventh after a leadoff single, a fielder's choice and a single to right field. However, another fielder's choice and then a line out to center field drew the game to a close.
MSU had hits in every inning but the fourth, before finishing the afternoon with seven. It also was responsible for three errors and stranding seven runners on base. TSU out-hit the Blue and Gold and finished with 10. It committed two errors and left eight stranded.
Morehead State added to its tally of collecting at least seven hits for the 23rd time this season and the 13th time in the last 14 games but also earned its first win of the season despite being outhit. Entering Sunday, Eagle opponents had outhit the Blue and Gold 26 times in 2026.
Christopher finished 2-for-4, with two runs and an RBI.
Pickford also finished with two hits; while VanDemark, Letendre and Campbell each added one. Farmer, Collins, Campbell and Doiron all scored once. Pickford and Campbell contributed RBI. Campbell also walked twice.
In another impressive stat, MSU only struck out twice, marking the eighth time it had two or fewer over its last 11 contests.
McDaniel and Jackson led TSU with three hits apiece, while Jean-Baptiste added two.
Stubbs got the win after surrendering three runs, just two earned, on 10 hits, with five strikeouts and no walks. The strikeout total matched a season high. It was her third complete game of the year.
Tianna Salcido both started and finished the game, although she yielded the circle to Chelsi Ervin for the fourth and fifth innings, plus the first three batters of the sixth. Salcido finished throwing four innings, allowing three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits, with one strikeout and no walks. Ervin suffered the loss to fall to 0-3. She gave up three runs, but just one earned run, on one hit, with one strikeout and three walks.
MSU will go on the road for its next six contests, beginning with a doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday starting at 3 p.m. The Eagles will conclude the home portion of their season when they host Southeast Missouri on April 25-26.
