HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – For the most part, the Morehead State softball team played toe-to-toe with home standing Northern Kentucky on Wednesday at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field in Highland Heights, Ky. However, Norse pitcher Abigail Byrd was just a little bit better, as she finished the day without allowing an earned run or walk in a 2-1 victory in a contest that lasted one hour and 31 minutes.
In what was mostly a pitchers' duel, Byrd had the edge, going the distance to get the win.
As it has done throughout the late-season non-conference portion of the schedule, Morehead State (7-32) employed strategic use of its staff by using four pitchers for no more than two innings apiece. Collectively, the group allowed five hits, two earned runs and four walks, while striking out two.
"It was a tight game, and we fought until the end," said MSU head coach
Megan Griffith. "Defense played well. We had a few walks get away from us early in the game. Hitters had a hard time making adjustments."
All the scoring came in the first inning.
Senior left fielder
Jordan Donato was hit by a pitch. Junior third baseman
Sela Pickford singled to right-center field and junior shortstop
Noemye Letendre reached on an error to load the bases with one out. Sophomore right fielder
Sophie Collins reached on a fielder's choice to third base on which Donato was able to score. But a fly out to center field capped the scoring at one run.
Northern Kentucky (17-23) picked up two hits, two walks and three stolen bases in its half of the inning, and that was all the damage needed for the Norse to pull out the win. With one out and runners on second and third, Peyton Mueller-Stenz grounded out to first base, but it was enough for Mack Brow to score. The next batter, Brooke Keltner singled to left field pushing Brielle DiMemmo home.
There were only seven hits and 11 additional base runners throughout the rest of the game, with eight getting into scoring position, including Eagle junior center fielder
Maddy Christopher reaching third with two outs in the top of the seventh.
The MSU pitching staff struck out the final batter of the first and another with one out and a runner on second in the third to quell a pair of Norse threats.
Northern Kentucky loaded the bases courtesy of a single and a pair of walks in the fifth to mount its only other challenge on the afternoon, but Christopher reined in fly ball to keep the hosts from adding to their lead.
Morehead State put runners on base in every inning but the third and fifth but could only get a runner to third base in the seventh.
Christopher beat out an infield hit in the second and Collins did the same in the fourth. Donato was hit by a pitch later in the fourth to put two Eagles on base.
In the sixth, Collins singled to right field and advanced to second on an error on the play. But the Eagles' best chance came in the seventh, when Christopher doubled to left-center field with one out. A ground out moved her to third but a fly out to shallow right field ended the game.
MSU finished the day with five hits, one error and eight runners left on base. NKU also had five hits, with two errors and eight left on base.
Both Christopher and Pickford recorded hits to stretch their totals to 34 and 32 respective contests with at least one this season, while Christopher extended her current hitting streak to a season-high 10 games.
Christopher and Collins each finished with two hits to lead the Blue and Gold. Pickford had the other one. Collins had the RBI and Donato scored the run.
Five different Norse batters had hits, with the RBI and runs also spread evenly among four players.
Junior
Ainsley Stubbs got the start and suffered the loss to fall to 7-11. She pitched two innings and allowed two hits and two runs (both earned), with two walks and a strikeout. Freshman
Allicen Harris also threw two innings and surrendered one hit. She also had a strikeout. Senior
Emma Solis was in for one inning of work and gave up one hit, while walking two. Senior
Rylie Burney pitched the final inning and yielded just one hit.
Byrd went the distance for the hosts to get the win and improve to 5-5. She surrendered one unearned run on five hits, with no walks, while striking out two. She did hit two batters.
MSU dropped to 5-25 on the road this season, while NKU moved to 7-9 at home and snapped a three-game losing streak.
Morehead State will conclude the home portion of its schedule this weekend against Southeast Missouri. The schedule has been adjusted due to storms in the forecast and will include a doubleheader on Sunday with a single game on Monday. Sunday also will be Senior Day, when the club will honor Burney,
Taikibrea Campbell, Christopher, Donato,
Alivia Parks and Solis.
The regular season will end the following weekend with a three-game set at Lindenwood.
