THURSDAY'S SCORES
Detroit 7
, @Morehead State 4
@Morehead State 5, Detroit 1
@Middle Tennessee 2,
Eastern Kentucky 1
Eastern Kentucky 5, @Middle Tennessee 1
Tennessee State 4, @Florida A&M 2
DETROIT 7, MOREHEAD STATE 4; MOREHEAD STATE 5, DETROIT 1
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State softball team split with non-conference opponent Detroit on Thursday afternoon at University Field.
Detroit took the first game, 7-4, while the Eagles picked up a 5-1 victory in game two. MSU moves to 8-6 on the season, while Detroit sits at 3-17.
MSU scored two early runs off senior first baseman Amber Riddle’s 30th career home run in the game-two victory. The shot over the left field fence tied the MSU career mark set by Rebecca Butler (2008-11). MSU went on to score single runs in the second and third innings off junior Samantha Howard’s first Eagle home run, and an RBI double from senior shortstop Kayla Ashbrook.
MSU tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth off freshman designated player Tressa Watson’s second double of the year.
UDM collected a single run off an RBI single in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit, but the effort was not be enough as the Eagles went on to earn the victory.
Junior pitcher Kelcey McMurray registered her second win of the season in four innings of work. She allowed one home run and struck out two. Senior Katie Pfost came in for three innings of relief and struck out three.
In the Eagles’ setback, Pfost (4-3) was charged with the loss in 2.2 innings of work. She surrendered seven earned runs off five hits and struck out four. Junior Greta Smeins pitched 4.1 innings of relief and allowed just two hits, while striking out a pair.
Riddle and junior third baseman Samantha Howard each had three hits for the Eagles in the outing. Junior second baseman Stephanie Etter and senior outfielder Anna Sommer picked up MSU’s two RBI.
The five runs in the first inning were the most scored on the Eagles in an inning this season since Florida International on Feb. 17. Detroit’s final two runs were added in the third.
MSU tacked on four late runs in the contest as Etter brought in a run on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning. The Eagles attempted to rally off three single and an error in the seventh, but the comeback was not enough.
The Eagles outhit UDM in the contest 15-7.
TENNESSEE STATE 4, FLORIDA A&M 2
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Kacie Daugherty and Jennifer Givens provided the spark, while Olivia Gamache supplied the stability as the Tigers snatched a win at the expense of Florida A&M on Thursday afternoon. TSU used runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to grab a 4-2 victory. The Tigers are now 9-16 and dropped FAMU to 4-19.
Gamache kept the Rattlers off-balance for most of the game not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. FAMU could only manage two hits and scored two runs, one unearned, the whole game and it all came in the fifth inning. The Tigers provided the offense to allow the junior pitcher to collect the win and improve to 3-8 as she tied her career high in strikeouts with six.
Givens picked up three hits on the day to lead TSU at the plate. In the third inning she notched her second single of the game and advanced to second on an errant throw. Two batters later, with Givens on third, Ashley Haynes ripped the first pitch she through the left side of the infield to plate Givens for the first run of the game.
In the fourth, Daugherty drove a ball deep to centerfield for her first career home run. The big fly put TSU on top 2-0 and put an extra hop in the step of the Tigers.
With one out in the fifth, Givens got things going again with her third infield single. The Tigers loaded the bases as Kate Morris stepped in the box with two outs. Morris scorched a one-hopper to third that was unplayable for a hit pushing Kiarra Freeman across home plate.
Audrey Sensing scored the final run for Tennessee State as a wild pitch would get far enough away for the freshman to scamper home. TSU took a 4-0 lead before FAMU could get their two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Shea Morris entered to record the final out of the game earning her first save of the season, second of her career.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1; EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Senior Raquel Howes went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader against Middle Tennessee and helped the Eastern Kentucky University softball team pick up a 5-1 win over the Blue Raiders in game two of Thursday’s twin bill. MTSU won the opener by a count of 2-1.
Howes tallied an RBI single and double in the second contest. Her single in the second gave the Colonels (11-9) an early 1-0 lead.
Middle Tennessee (2-21) battled back to score a run in the third to tie the contest, but freshman Kayla Joyce put EKU ahead to stay with an RBI double in the fourth.
The Colonels tacked on three more runs in the sixth, including Howes’ run-producing double, to pull away from the Blue Raiders. Sophomore Shaylon Robb (3-4) tossed her second complete game of the year featuring six strikeouts, one walk and just five hits allowed.
In the opener, Middle Tennessee scored a single run in the first and fourth for a 2-0 lead. That was enough for pitcher Jordyn Fisherback, who allowed one unearned run in the complete-game victory.