MOREHEAD, Ky. – The opening day of the Morehead State-Lindenwood softball series featured an unexpected guest, bees. The Lions and Eagles played the first game but the second game was interrupted in the second inning by a swarm of bees, postponing the contest and pushing it to Saturday, where the teams will tangle at 11:30 a.m. to finish the contest.
Unfortunately, in the opener, Lindenwood (26-22/15-10) defeated Morehead State (7-36/6-19) 4-1. The result eliminated the Blue and Gold from the postseason race.
"We battled all the way to the end; we just fell a little short," MSU coach
Megan Griffith said. "Ainsley (Stubbs) did a fantastic job on the mound to give us a chance."
MSU scored a run in the first inning, but the hosts answered with two in the bottom of the frame and then added two insurance runs in the fifth.
Junior centerfielder
Maddy Christopher broke the school single-season record for singles, after tallying her 60th with a leadoff shot through the left side. Three batters later, she scored on junior shortstop
Noemye Letendre's single up the middle.
Both teams finished with six hits. MSU had the lone error and stranded five runners. Lindenwood left six runners on base.
Letendre led the Eagles at the plate by going 2-for-3. She added the lone RBI. Christopher, junior catcher
Sydney Farmer, senior designated player
Taikibrea Campbell and sophomore right fielder
Sophie Collins each finished with one hit. Christopher scored the team's run.
Anna Sanders and Jolie McMinn both recorded two hits to pace the Lions. McMinn and Tori Hatton drove in two runs apiece, while Sanders also scored twice.
Junior pitcher
Ainsley Stubbs went the distance in the circle for MSU and fell to 7-13. She allowed four runs on six hits, with four strikeouts and four walks.
Ava Risum earned the win to improve to 2-4. She also pitched a complete game, surrendering one run on six hits, with three strikeouts and one walk.
The two teams will conclude the remainder of game two at 11:30 a.m. ET, before beginning the final contest at 2 p.m. ET.
