MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State softball team nearly matched the University of Kentucky in hits and made at least as many outstanding defensive plays as the Wildcats, but the hosts were able to put together more production with runners on base and also come up with all the big plays, en route to defeating the Eagles 7-0 in seven innings on Wednesday at the John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky.
Despite not getting the win, there was a lot to make MSU coach
Megan Griffith proud.
"We were competitive outside of one big inning," she said. "Ainsley (Stubbs), Emma (Solis) and Allicen (Harris) all had strong outings on the mound. (The) outfield did a great job running down balls and keeping base runners from advancing. Making better decisions on the base paths will be crucial to keeping our offense competitive, but I'm pleased with the way we handled ourselves at the plate."
Kentucky (24-19) was able to get on the board first with a four-hit first inning that included a double that bounced just inside the left-field line, and three singles that resulted in a pair of runs.
Morehead State (4-26) came right back and put two runners on base with one out in the third. Senior designated player
Taikibrea Campbell, who was making her first appearance after sitting out eight games with an injury, hit a hard shot between first and second that took a last-second bounce that the Wildcat infielder was unable to handle cleanly. Then sophomore right fielder
Sophie Collins, who later in the evening robbed a single by making a jumping catch, dropped a nearly perfect bunt that moved Campbell to second. A fielder's choice pushed her to third, but the hosts were able to snuff out any rally.
The Eagles generated three consecutive hits in the third inning. Junior center fielder
Maddy Christopher beat out a shot to the shortstop; junior second baseman
Sage VanDemark singled to center field and junior shortstop
Sela Pickford extended her hitting streak to 11 games by singling through the left side to load the bases. An attempt to force UK to make an extra throw on a fly out to left field resulted in a double play to end the inning as Christopher was thrown out at home.
MSU made a pitching change to start the third inning and Kentucky was able to extend its advantage. Allie Blum led off with a triple and Karissa Hamilton proceeded to drive her in on a sacrifice fly. After a walk and a single, Mt. Sterling, Ky., native Reaghan Oney drove a shot over the left-center field fence for a three-run homer.
For the third straight inning (the fourth), the Eagles put two batters on base, but again a double play, this time unassisted, ended the threat. Campbell began the sequence with a single to left-center field. Collins reached on a fielder's choice and senior left fielder
Jordan Donato, who made two highlight-reel diving catches in the game, beat out an infield single to third base. Unfortunately, the inning ended on the next at-bat as Wildcat shortstop Maddy Clark caught a looping line drive next to second base and then stepped on the bag to complete the double play.
The hosts picked up their final run in the bottom of the fourth, bolstered by a hit, stolen base and a fielding error.
In the fifth, the Blue and Gold threatened again as Christopher picked up her second hit with an infield single, before VanDemark doubled with a shot that went over the first-base bag and into the right field corner. But another base running gaffe prevented the Eagles from getting on the board as the next two batters went down leaving two runners in scoring position.
MSU's third pitcher of the evening, senior
Emma Solis, retired the side in her lone inning of work in the fifth for the Eagles first 1-2-3 inning of the contest.
Morehead State continued to put the bat on the ball all night, striking out just three times, but a pair of ground outs ended the contest after the top of the seventh.
MSU finished with eight hits, two errors and seven runners left on base. Kentucky tallied nine hits, with one error and left six stranded.
Christopher and VanDemark led the way with two hits apiece. Pickford, Campbell, Collins and Donato each recorded one.
Blum paced the Wildcats with a 3-for-3, three-run, one-RBI performance. Oney also drove in a game-high three runs.
Morehead State made four pitching changes on the night, including starting junior
Ainsley Stubbs, who threw the first two innings before returning midway through the third. In total, she pitched three and a third innings, allowing five hits on three runs, two of which were earned, with one strikeout and one walk, before suffering the loss to fall to 4-9. Senior
Rylie Burney faced six batters and yielded three hits and a walk that resulted in four runs. Solis and freshman
Allicen Harris each pitched one complete inning, with the latter facing four batters and surrendering one hit.
Freshman Abby Hammond, last year's high school Miss Kentucky Softball, went the distance to get the shut-out win and improve to 3-3. She gave up eight hits and no walks, while striking out three batters.
The game ended MSU's second-longest true road stretch to date as the Eagles return home this weekend for a critical three-game series against Tennessee State beginning Saturday with a doubleheader at noon. First pitch on Sunday is also at noon.
