WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Western Kentucky 3,
@Murray State 2 (8)
@Jacksonville State 4, Middle Tennessee 2
@Western Illinois 10,
Morehead State 3
Morehead State 3, @Western Illinois 3
Evansville 8,
@Belmont 0
JACKSONVILLE STATE 4, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 2
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - A Kalee Tabor home run was the big blow the Jacksonville State softball team needed to back freshman Taylor West in the circle on Wednesday, when the Gamecocks grabbed a 4-2 win over Middle Tennessee at University Field.
Tabor's eighth homer of the year hit the top of the scoreboard beyond the left field wall and bounced back onto the field to break a 1-1 tie and set up West and the Gamecocks (20-8) to get the non-conference win. The Blue Raiders (7-26) couldn't seem to get anything going against West and fell to JSU in the final game of its 10-game homestand.
West, a native of nearby Anniston, held MTSU to two runs, only one earned, on six hits in seven innings in the circle. It was her second career start and her second complete game, one in which she struck out three and walked two to grab the win and improve to 3-0 early in her career.
Tabor's homer was the big blow and was followed by an RBI double from junior Savannah Sloan that capped the scoring. Sloan went 2-for-2 on the day, joining sophomore Cadi Oliver's 2-for-3 day as the only two multi-hit performances by the Gamecocks.
JSU took advantage of two first inning errors and a wild pitch from MTSU to take an early 1-0 lead, but a throwing error in the top of the second set up an RBI single from Marinna Shadley that tied the game with an unearned run for the Blue Raiders.
The Gamecocks grabbed the lead back in the fourth, when a leadoff walk to Sara Borders set up Tabor's eighth home run of the season. She took Caitlin McClure's 2-1 pitch and lined it off the top of the scoreboard beyond the left field wall to give JSU a 3-1 lead. Oliver followed with an infield single, reached second on a wild pitch and scored on Sloan's double down the left field line to make it a 4-1 JSU lead.
West kept the MTSU bats at bay the rest of the way until a leadoff walk in the seventh led to another run that cut the Gamecocks' lead to 4-2. She would strike out Samantha Nieves looking to end the late threat and grab her third win in as many decisions.
Caitlin McClure (2-7) suffered the loss in the circle for the Blue Raiders after giving up four runs, three earned, on four hits in four innings. Jordyn Fisherback and Shelby Stinnett each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for MTSU.
The Gamecocks take to the road this weekend, when they will play a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Tennessee State in Nashville. JSU and the Tigers will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday before wrapping up the series with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 3, MURRAY STATE 2
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State softball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force Western Kentucky to extra innings on Wednesday at Racer Field, only to fall in the eighth, 3-2.
Western Kentucky (20-10-1) wasted little time scoring in the contest, plating Bethany Olgesby with a double by Jacqueline McGill in the second. The run came with added insult for the Racers as Oglesby reached on a two-out error.
The Lady Toppers added another run in the third, capitalizing on a lead-off walk from Preslie Cruce. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Olivia Watkins, Cruce came home two batters later on a double down the left field line by Kelsie Mattox.
Western Kentucky pitcher Emily Rosseau kept the Murray State bats quiet in the first three innings, retiring the Racers in order without allowing any base runners. However, in the fourth, MSU (15-14) broke up the perfect game bid with hits from Mo Ramsey and Alexa Becker, but still could not score.
In the sixth, Maggie Glass led off the inning with a single and was brought home in the very next at bat with a double from Shelbey Miller to cut the lead in half. The run broke up a string of 25.2 consecutive innings that Rosseau had kept her opponents scoreless.
From there, Miller advanced to third on a sacrifice from Ramsey, then scored on a ground out by Cayla Levins to tie the game at two. Becker drew a walk in the next at bat, but was unable to score, keeping the game knotted at two.
Since neither team was able to score in the seventh, the Racers went to extras for just the third time this season. In the eighth, Olivia Watkins and Sahwna Sadler both singled and stole a base to give the Lady Toppers runners at second and third with only one out.
Mattox followed Sadler at the plate and notched her second RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly that scored Watkins and gave WKU a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Murray State was retired in order by Rosseau, as Western Kentucky held on for the win.
Miller finished the game at 1-for-4 with a run, a double and a RBI, while Becker was 1-for-2 with a walk. Mattox led all hitters in the game for WKU at 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Sadler followed closely at 2-for-4.
Rosseau moved to 11-7 on the year with the win, as she allowed two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and just one walk over eight full innings. CheyAnne Gaskey began the game for Murray State and allowed just one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts over five innings en route to a no-decision. Mason Robinson (6-5) took the loss for the Racers by allowing one run on three hits over three innings, despite striking out four of the 11 batters she faced.
Murray State will return to Racer Field this weekend where it will look to keep its four-game OVC win-streak alive against Eastern Illinois. The Racers will host the Panthers for a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday with first pitch both days scheduled for 1 p.m.
EVANSVILLE 8, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -Evansville scored seven runs in the fourth inning as the Purple Aces shutout Belmont 8-0 in five innings Wednesday afternoon at Rose Park.
Entering the fourth inning, only one run seperated the two teams as a home run to right field from UE's starting pitcher Megan Gurski in the top of the second inning proved to to be the only difference in the game.
Evansville (13-12, 1-4 MVC) broke the game wide open in the fourth inning as the Purple Aces seven runs off just three hits. A 2 RBI triple to center field from Chandra Parr and a 3 RBI triple from Emma Buckles highlighted the inning for UE.
The Bruins tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth inning as Belmont's bats came alive off two consecutive singles from BU's Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) and Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.). With no outs, the bases became loaded when MJ Lawson (Tuscon, Ariz.) reached base on an Evansville error .
Evansville recovered, however, as three consecutive bruins struck out swining and the Purple Aces came away with the 8-0 victory in shortened game situation.
Gurski (5-6) was credited with the win as the sophomore also did damage at the mound, only allowing one Belmont hit in three innings of action.
Belmont (7-19, 1-5 OVC) will return to action this weekend as the Bruins resume OVC play with a three-game series with Tennessee Tech at Rose Park. The two teams will square off in a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon CT while finishing the series, with a contest also beginning at noon CT. Live stats and OVCDN video will be available for all three contests at Rose Park.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 10, MOREHEAD STATE 3; MOREHEAD STATE 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 3
MACOMB, Ill. - Freshman designated player Karly Thompson hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to help the Morehead State softball team tie Western Illinois 3-3 in game two of a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.
A fourth inning grand slam helped lift Western Illinois (16-10-1) to a 10-3 victory in game one. Following the tie, Morehead State moved to 6-16-1.
The Leathernecks, who compete in the Summit League, totaled 18 hits, including 11 in the opener, while the Eagles tallied 10.
Senior shortstop Samantha Howard, who finished 2-for-3 in game two, was the only MSU batter to record multiple hits.
Home runs by sophomore outfielders Tressa Watson and Lizzy Margagliotti accounted for two MSU hits. Watson's home run, a two-run shot in the top of the first, gave the Eagles their only lead of the game.
Kaycee Hart (6-2) struck out eight MSU hitters. Junior pitcher Tanna Seuferer (2-7) took the loss, as she allowed seven runs, six earned, on five hits. Senior pitcher Kelcey McMurray allowed three unearned runs on six hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
Reigning NFCA National Player of the Week, Sammy Marshall led the Leathernecks with a 5-for-7 performance, including a grand slam and a triple.
Freshman pitcher Megan Tymorek allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts in the nightcap.
Kayla Kirkpatrick allowed three runs on seven MSU hits with four strikeouts.
The Eagles are schedule to return to action on Saturday for a doubleheader with Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Kentucky.
First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.