WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 9, Wright State 0
@Morehead State 2, Wright State 0
@Dayton 6,
Eastern Kentucky 5
Eastern Kentucky 8, @Dayton 0 (5)
Southern Illinois 3,
@Southeast Missouri 1
Samford 5,
@Tennessee Tech 1
Samford 9,
@Tennessee Tech 1 (5)
@Illinois 5,
SIUE 2
MOREHEAD STATE 9, WRIGHT STATE 0; MOREHEAD STATE 2, WRIGHT STATE 0
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Junior Chelsea McManaway threw a no-hitter in game one and senior Megan Tymorek followed with a shutout in game two as Morehead State softball swept Wright State, 9-0 and 2-0, on Wednesday afternoon at University Field.
With the sweep, the Eagles improve their record to 22-16 overall and put an end to a five-game losing streak.
In the first game, Morehead State's offense erupted early as they scored five runs in the second and then followed with a solo run in the third and three runs in the fourth.
Their offense was highlighted by sophomore Ellen Barrett's solo home run to lead off the second and junior Taylor Wheeler's inside-the-park home run in the fourth.
That was plenty of support for McManaway (13-7, 1.33), who didn't allow a hit in five innings of work. The lone blemish was an error with one out in the second inning. She struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Senior Karly Thompson went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and a run batted in. Sophomore Allison Rager went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI, while Wheeler went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI.
The second game saw no score until the Eagles got on the board in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of back-to-back home runs by junior Robyn Leighton and Barrett. Leighton hit a high fly ball that barely cleared the center field wall before Barrett hit a line drive shot down the left field line that easily left the yard.
Tymorek (5-6, 2.85) then allowed two singles in the seventh, but got a groundout back to the pitcher to end the game and preserve her first shutout of the season. She allowed five hits and no runs, while striking out four and walking none.
On the day, Morehead State pitchers did not walk a batter or allow a run.
Leighton finished 2-for-3 with a home run, while Thompson went 2-for-3 with a double, and junior Kylie Holton went 2-for-3 with two singles.
Next up, the Eagles return to conference play when they host Belmont on Friday afternoon at 1 and 3 p.m. ET.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Freshman Rachel Anderson went 2-for-3 to lead Southeast Missouri (17-19) in a 3-1 loss to regional-rival Southern Illinois (21-18) Wednesday at the Southeast Softball Complex.
Anderson had both of SEMO's hits for the day.
The Redhawks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Claudia Gallo was hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Gallo later touched home on a two-out error.
SIU took its first lead in the fifth inning when Eryika Brandenburg singled home Bailee Pulley and Savannah Fisher scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Shaye Harre.
The Salukis added one more run in the top of the sixth on a RBI-single by Fisher.
Nicole Doyle (5-6) struck out six and allowed only two hits in six innings to get the win. Brianna Jones, who relieved Doyle with a runner on first and no outs in the bottom of the seventh, recorded the final three outs to pick up her third save.
Alexis Estes (5-6) gave up five hits and two runs in 4.1 innings. Estes also struck out two and walked one. She was one of four different Redhawks who pitched in the game.
SIU outhit SEMO, 10-2.
The Redhawks return to Ohio Valley Conference action when they travel to SIU Edwardsville for a doubleheader Apr. 14.
ILLINOIS 5, SIUE 2
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - SIUE softball did not leave pleased after Wednesday's 5-2 nonconference loss at Illinois.
The Cougars, 32-8, left runners on base in every inning except the first. SIUE left a total of eight runners on base.
Taylor Edwards was the winning pitcher after throwing the first four innings and is now 12-1. Illinois used four pitchers for the game, and Breanna Wonderly tossed the seventh to earn a save. Illinois, which is receiving votes in the national polls, upped its record to 28-10.
Haley Chambers-Book took the loss for SIUE and now stands at 19-5. She struck out three.
SIUE's Tess Eby put the Cougars up early with a solo home run to lead off the third inning. After fouling off a 3-2 pitch, the Cougar junior took the next pitch over the left field fence to put SIUE up 1-0.
The Illini evened up the score in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and third, Leigh Farina scored on a double steal.
Illinois then used a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Veronica Ruelius, to push ahead. SIUE's defense also committed two errors, causing two of the four runs to be unearned.
The Cougars added one more run in the sixth. Allison Smiley reached on an infield single. After Talisa Morton pinch ran for her, Kalei Kaneshiro doubled down the left field line. Morton then scored on a sacrifice fly by Sarah Lopesilvero.
SIUE and Illinois each had six hits.
SIUE returns home to Cougar Field for a Friday doubleheader against Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri. The first pitch is 1 p.m.
DAYTON 6, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5; EASTERN KENTUCKY 8, DAYTON 0
DAYTON, Ohio - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a midweek twinbill at Dayton on Wednesday, narrowly falling to the Flyers in game one, 6-5, before rolling in a five-inning game two, 8-0.
Freshman Mollie Paulick (7-8) pitched her second straight complete game to lead EKU (16-23) to the game-two win. Paulick scattered six hits over five scoreless innings, while striking out four batters. The native of Centerville, Ohio has now surrendered only one run in her last 13.2 innings of work.
The middle of EKU’s lineup powered Eastern at the plate in game two. The Colonels’ 4-5-6 hitters – junior Johnkyria Alston, sophomore Hannah Clark and junior Paige Murphy combined to go 8-for-9 with seven RBI and six runs scored in the victory.
The Colonels got on the board in the top of the first, as senior Krislyn Campos drew a leadoff walk and then scored on a double to left center by Alston. It was Alston’s OVC-leading 14th double of the season.
Murphy added to the lead with solo home run to center field in the top of the second. It was Murphy’s fourth home run this season and second in the Colonels’ last three games.
Eastern blew the lead open with a two-out rally in the top of the third. With two down in the frame, sophomore Rachel Minogue laced a double into left center and scored on an RBI base hit up the middle by Alston. Clark then capped the inning with a two-run home run over the left field wall.
EKU added three runs in the top of the fifth for the run-rule win. With one out in that inning, Alston singled into left field and then scored on another home run by Clark, this one to center field. Clark’s two homers in the game gave her a team-leading nine on the season.
Murphy followed Clark’s home run with a single. She then stole second and came home an RBI single by senior Amber Murray to make it 8-0.
Clark finished game two 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Alston went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Murphy was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
EKU nearly rallied for a come-from-behind win in game one.
After Dayton (20-18) plated six runs in the bottom of the third to take a commanding lead, EKU immediately closed the gap with four in the top of the fourth. With two outs and the bases loaded in that inning, Murphy drove a double into the gap in left center, scoring Alston and freshman Mia Sanchez. The next batter, freshman Shelby Atzinger, legged out an infield to score Clark. Murray then capped the scoring with an RBI base hit to score Murphy and make it 6-4.
With Paulick and freshman Ashton Martin stifling the Dayton bats out of the bullpen, the Colonels pulled to within a run in the top of the seventh when Campos crushed a two-out solo home run to left field. However, Sanchez then went down on strikes to end the comeback bid.
Campos finished game one 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
EKU returns to action on Friday when the Colonels travel to Nashville for an OVC doubleheader at Tennessee State beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.
SAMFORD 5, TENNESSEE TECH 1; SAMFORD 9, TENNESSEE TECH 1
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech dropped both ends of a doubleheader to visiting Samford on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles dropped game one, 5-1, and lost the second game, 9-1, in five innings.
In the first game, Kelly Kennedy went 3-for-3 at the plate. she hit her sixth home run of the season to drive in the only run for the Golden Eagles. Leigh Ellen Thomas went 2-for-3 in the game.
Gabby Perez recorded the lone hit for the Golden Eagles in game two. Amity Brown reached base on a walk in the bottom of the fifth and would later score Tech's only run of the game.
Tennessee Tech will travel to Murray State for a doubleheader on Friday.