MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State softball team earned its first home win of the season as it defeated Tennessee State 4-1 in the opening game of a Saturday doubleheader at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead but fell to the Tigers in the second contest 7-3.
The victory kept Morehead State (5-27/4-13) alive in the hunt for a bid to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament as the Eagles received a complete-game, 5-hit, 5-strikeout performance from reigning co-OVC Pitcher of the Week junior
Ainsley Stubbs, and benefited from a 3-for-3 outing at the plate from junior shortstop
Noemye Letendre, including a 2-run home run in the third that served as the go-ahead runs.
"It was a solid team win today. Ainsley did a great job in the circle for us and defense competed behind her with heads-up outs and a good double play," MSU Coach
Megan Griffith said. "(The) offense stuck to our plan and executed. It was great to see another home run from Noemye."
Letendre opened the scoring in the third by recording her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Senior left fielder
Jordan Donato led off the frame with a single to left field and then junior first baseman
Mia Mascarenas' sacrifice bunt moved Donato to second. After a wild pitch pushed her to third, Letendre hit a shot over the fence in right field for the 2-0 advantage.
The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Junior catcher
Sydney Farmer was hit by a pitch, senior designated player
Taikibrea Campbell reached on a fielder's choice, sophomore right fielder
Sophie Collins singled, and Donato walked to load the bases. After another fielder's choice got Campbell out at home, an error on the play moved Donato to third and Collins home. Then, Letendre had a two-out single to right-center field that plated Donato.
Tennessee State (1-28/1-16) scored its run in the sixth after Jace Jackson walked, stole second and came home on Alexis Woods' singled up the middle.
MSU finished the opener with seven hits, two errors and seven runners left stranded. TSU recorded five hits, had one error and had six runners left on base.
Letendre finished 3-for-3, with one run and three RBI. Junior center fielder
Maddy Christopher, junior third baseman
Sela Pickford, Collins and Donato recorded the other hits. Donato scored twice, while Collins and Letendre each crossed home plate once.
Hailey Hunt had two hits to pace the visitors.
Stubbs earned the victory to improve to 5-9, after notching her second complete game of the season. She finished by allowing one (earned) run on five hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Starter Miriam Gordon fell to 0-6 with the loss. She allowed four runs on five hits with three walks and no strikeouts over three and two-third innings. Chelsi Ervin pitched the final two and one-third scoreless innings, giving up two hits and one walk, with no strikeouts.
In game two, TSU took advantage of Eagle miscues by scoring six of its seven runs in a fourth inning that included six hits, an error and a passed ball.
Morehead State put together a rally in the bottom of the fourth after drawing four walks over five at-bats, with Letendre earning a free pass with the bases loaded that pushed home Campbell. Later in the inning, junior second baseman
Sage VanDemark singled to left field to plate Mascarenas, but Letendre was thrown out between third and home trying to score on the play.
The Eagles added their final run in the sixth after senior Donato walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch, before Letendre drove her home with a double to left field.
The Tigers added their seventh run in the top of the seventh after back-to-back doubles by Jace Jackson and Hailey Hunt.
Morehead State tallied eight hits and three errors, while stranding 10 runners. Tennessee State had seven hits, no errors and left eight runners on base.
"We have had trouble putting together solid performances in back-to-back games," Coach Griffith said. "We just struggled in every phase of the game."
With 15 hits across the two contests, the Eagles reached the 7-hit plateau for the 21st and 22nd times, including 12 times in the past 13 games. Christopher extended her impressive streak of reaching base to 31 out of 32 games this season. However, Pickford's run of 12 straight games with a hit came to an end in the nightcap.
Over the two outings, the Eagles only struck out once in the second game. The first contest marked the only time this year they did not strike out. Over the last 10 outings, the Eagles have struck out two or fewer times in seven games.
Christopher led the Eagles with a 3-for-4 performance, while Campbell went 2-for-3. Letendre finished 1-for-2, with a walk and two RBI. VanDemark and Farmer picked up the team's other hits. Campbell, Donato and Mascarenas scored the runs; while VanDemark registered the other RBI.
JaKeyla McDaniel topped the Tigers with three hits, while Kyra Taylor added two.
Freshman
Allicen Harris suffered the defeat after pitching three and a third innings, surrendering four runs on four hits, with an uncharacteristic three walks, while striking out one. Harris led the OVC in fewest walks entering the game. Senior
Emma Solis pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs on three hits with no strikeouts or walks. Senior
Rylie Burney finished the game by throwing the final three innings. She yielded one run on four hits with two walks. All seven of the runs were earned and the pitching staff recorded two wild pitches.
Tianna Salcido earned her first win to improve to 1-10. She went three and one-third innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on three hits, striking out one and walking five, before coming out due to an injury. Courtney Richardson was masterful in relief. She went three and two-third innings, surrendering one run on five hits, with one walk and no strikeouts.
The two teams will close out the series on Sunday at noon.
