WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Tennessee 8,
Eastern Kentucky 0
@Evansville 3,
Murray State 0
Murray State 6, Evansville 3
@Middle Tennessee 7,
Austin Peay 5
@Middle Tennessee 3,
Austin Peay 2
TENNESSEE 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Rainey Gaffin’s third inning grand slam propelled the No. 6 Tennessee Lady Vols to an 8-0 shutout win over the Eastern Kentucky University softball team Wednesday evening at Lee Stadium. This was the first meeting between the two teams since 2000.
Gaffin finished the game 2-for-2 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the five-inning game. Tennessee (28-6) pitcher Ivy Renfroe allowed just one EKU (18-12) hit and struck out six batters to earn her 13th win.
After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Vols capitalized on two walks and a hit batter to score four two-out runs in the second. Kat Dotson came up with a key two-run single to push the lead to 4-0.
Gaffin then gave Tennessee a comfortable eight-run lead with a two-out grand slam one inning later.
Freshman Sarah Fobbs tallied Eastern’s lone hit in the fourth inning, an infield single to first base. Sophomore pitcher Shaylon Robb (6-6) took the loss after allowing five runs in 2.1 innings.
EVANSVILLE 3, MURRAY STATE 0; MURRAY STATE 6, EVANSVILLE 3
EVANSVILLE, Ill. -The Murray State softball team saw its four-game win-streak come to an end on Wednesday, 3-0, in game one of a doubleheader at Evansville. However, the Racers bounced back in game two with a 6-3 win too earn the split.
Errors proved to be the difference in the game one, as all three of the runs for Evansville (8-16) were unearned and came as a direct result of the errors. The Racers (12-15) committed a season-high five miscues in the game, compared to just two by the Purple Aces
The Racers also had offensive struggles in the contest, as the Evansville’s Sarah Patterson limited MSU to only two hits in the contest. Leslie Bridges led Murray State in game one by coming up with both hits for her team, a single in the second and a double in the fifth.
Despite the loss, Shelby Kosmecki (5-10) had a positive outing for the Racers and allowed no earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Patterson improved to 5-5 on the year for UE with the win, after she allowed no runs on two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
In game, two the Purple Aces once again jumped out to an early lead when Kayla Kautz singled in the bottom of the first and drove in Mariah Ferguson and Victoria Dellorto. Mo Ramsey cut the lead in half in the top of the third when she grounded out to second, but drove in Christian Cox, who reached on a single, to make it 2-1.
However, in the bottom of the third, Evansville pushed the lead back out to two when Tamara Robey scored on a wild pitch. Dellorto tried to make it 4-1 on the same play, but was tagged out by Ellyn Troup at the plate to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Bridges continued her big day at the plate with a two-run home run to left field to tie the game at three. The home run was her first of the season and sixth of her career.
In the fifth, Alexa Becker gave the Racers the win when she went yard for the seventh time this season and the 14th time in her career. The long ball capped the scoring at 6-3, as it also scored Cox and Shebey Miller, who reached on a double and an error, respectively.
Becker finished the game at 2-for-4 with a run, 3 RBIs, a double and a home run, while Cox went 2-for-3 with two runs. CheyAnne Gaskey (7-5) went the full seven for MSU in the win and allowed three runs on three hits with six strikeout and two walks.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 7, AUSTI NPEAY 5; MIDDLE TENNESSEE 3, AUSTIN PEAY 2
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s softball team committed five errors in one game, while stranding five runners in scoring position in the other, Wednesday afternoon, as the Lady Govs were swept in a non-conference doubleheader by Middle Tennessee 7-5 and 3-2 – in eight innings.
In Game 1, Austin Peay pushing across a run in the top of the third inning, on a two-out double by Lauren de Castro, which drove in Laurel Burroughs -- who had reached on a walk.
The double would be the first of three hits in the game for de Castro, while Abby Guest finished with two hits for Austin Peay.
Middle Tennessee (4-27) would answer in the bottom of the inning, aided by three APSU errors, in scoring five runs in the frame -- highlighted by a grand slam home run by Samantha Nieves.
The Blue Raiders would add a run later in the inning, with Nina Dever scoring on the back side of a double steal.
Middle Tennessee would add to their lead in the next inning, scoring twice more, with another Austin Peay error aiding the Blue Raiders.
Austin Peay would cut into the Middle Tennessee lead in the fifth inning, scoring three times to trail by three, 7-4.
Burroughs scored the first run of the inning -- on her third home run of the season -- while de Castro followed with a single and Kayla Davidson reaching on an error.
A sacrifice fly by Mel Pavel scored de Castro and Davidson scored on a single by Shelby Norton.
Austin Peay would score a final run in the top of the seventh, on Davidson’s fourth homer of the season, but that would be as close as they would get.
In Game 2, both teams were able to push across a run in the first inning, with Burroughs scoring on a double by de Castro.
MTSU would tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the inning with an unearned run.
The score would remain that way until the top of the fourth, when Austin Peay would take its lone lead of the day on a sacrifice fly to left field by Pavel, scoring de Castro – who led off the inning with a double.
Again, de Castro led the Lady Govs with two hits – both doubles – while Norton also had two hits, including a double.
Austin Peay also had other chances to add to it lead, but left runners in scoring position in the first, third, fourth innings.
The Blue Raiders would tie the game 2-2 in the sixth inning on Laura Dukes’ fifth home run of the season.
The Lady Govs had chances to regain the lead; leaving runners in scoring position on both the seventh and eighth innings, but Middle Tennessee got a bloop one-out single into short center field in the bottom of the eighth to score the winning run.