SATURDAY'S SCORES
Murray State 9, @Austin Peay 1 (5)
@Austin Peay 8, Murray State 2
SIUE 6, @Eastern Illinois 0
@Eastern Illinois 7, SIUE 4
@Eastern Kentucky 9, Morehead State 2
@Eastern Kentucky 2, Morehead State 1 (8)
Southeast Missouri 7, @UT Martin 0
@UT Martin 8, Southeast Missouri 2
@Belmont 7, Tennessee State 2
@Belmont 12, Tennessee State 1 (5)
MURRAY STATE 9, AUSTIN PEAY 1; AUSTIN PEAY 8, MURRAY STATE 2
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay and Murray State split its regular-season ending doubleheader, Saturday at Cheryl Holt Field, with the Racers taking the opener 9-1 – in five innings – while the Govs captured the nightcap, 8-2.
In Game 1, Murray State (35-16, 11-7 OVC) broke the game open with a five-run second inning, highlighted by a two-run homer by Taylor Odom, while Kaylee Ranburger and Jessica Twaddle had RBI singles and Erica Downey bring in a run with a sacrifice fly.
That would be all the runs that Racer starter Mason Robinson (23-7) would need, as she held the Govs to just two hits and no runs in her four innings of work, which also included three walks and five strikeouts.
The Racers would score their final four runs in the top of the fifth, with three coming on a home run by Downey and the fourth on a RBI single by Mallory Young.
Young finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate.
Austin Peay would score its lone run in the bottom of the inning, with Kendall Vedder drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in Kacy Acree.
Game 2 would see the Govs (17-31, 5-15 OVC) jump out to a quick lead, scoring five times in the bottom of the first inning, with Allie Blackwood driving in two runs with a single, while Drew Dudley recorded an RBI double and Christiana Gable an RBI single.
Govs starter Sidney Hooper (1-2) would take it from there, holding the Racers off the board until the top of the fifth inning, and finishing the game going 6.2 innings, while giving up six hits, two runs, while walking three and striking out two.
Austin Peay would extend its lead out to 8-0 in the bottom of the fourth, with Danielle Liermann driving in two runs with a double and Acree picking up and RBI single.
Acree would lead all hitters with four hits in the contest.
Murray State would score it’s two runs in the top of the fifth inning, with Ranburger recording an RBI single and Twaddle driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.
SIUE 6, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0; EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, SIUE 4
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois softball team closed out the 2017 regular season recording the doubleheader split against SIU Edwardsville Saturday afternoon. The Cougars picked up a 6-0 win in game one holding EIU to only one hit, before the Panthers roared back to take game two 7-4.
With the split the Panthers close out the regular season 27-19 overall and 10-5 in the OVC while SIUE finishes the year 38-11 and 13-5 in conference play.
Senior Amber Toenyes was the only Panther to record a hit in both games as SIUE's Haley Chambers-Book nearly threw a no-hitter in game one fanning six batters while walking two.
After being held hit-less in the first game freshman Haley Mitchell shined in EIU's nightcap going 3-for-4 at the plate with five RBIs thanks to a double and a grand slam. Mitchell's grand slam marks the first time a Panther has accomplished such a feat since Bailey O'Dell during the 2015 season.
The Cougar's Allison Smiley went 2-for-4 at the plate to open the day recording four of SIUE's six RBIs in game one tallying a two-run home run and a double. A sacrifice fly from Maria Prete and a solo home run from Alyssa Heren gave SIUE the 6-0 victory.
EIU's only hit of the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning as Toenyes struck a two-out single through the right side to spoil the no-hitter for Chambers-Book.
The Panthers rallied in game two against the Cougars getting on the board early in the bottom of the first inning. After Taylor Monahan reached first on an error, Mitchell recorded her first RBI of the game hitting a double through the right side to give EIU a 1-0 lead.
Mitchell extended the Panthers lead in the following inning as EIU loaded the bases off three singles. The San Gabriel, Ca. native then stepped up to bat blasting a grand slam down the left field line just inside the foul pole to put EIU up 5-0.
The Panthers added two more runs in the fourth inning as Kayla Bear struck a lead-off solo home run to log her only hit of the day. Bear finished the day with two runs scored.
Taylor Monahan followed the home run up with an infield bunt single eventually stealing second base and advancing to third on a single from Mitchell. Toenyes singled on the following at-bat to score Monahan and give EIU the 7-0 lead. Monahan recorded three runs scored on the day.
SIUE attempted to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh inning as an RBI single from Tess Eby broke the shutout to make it 7-1. Chambers-Book brought two more around to score with a double to right center field cutting into the Panther lead 7-3. Chambers-Book finished the day 4-for-7 at the plate recording two RBIs over the two-game span.
Chambers-Book added one more run for SIUE scoring off a Panther error before EIU closed out the inning to earn the 7-4 victory.
Michelle Rogers recorded the win on the mound striking out three batters and improving to 10-8 on the year.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, MORHEAD STATE 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 2, MOREHEAD STATE 1
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team closed out the regular season by sweeping a doubleheader against in-state rival Morehead State on Saturday at Gertrude Hood Field, winning game one, 9-2, and game two, 2-1, in extra innings.
In game one, EKU (25-29, 11-9 OVC) trailed 2-0 before lighting up a four-spot in the bottom of the third on the back of a Paige Murphy grand slam over the left-center wall to take a two run lead. EKU never trailed again.
Eastern tacked on five more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The rally was sparked by Rachel Minogue reaching on an error and Johnkyria Alston reaching on walk. With two on, Murphy connected again for a double to left, plating the first runner of the inning. After Mollie Paulick singled and pushed one more across, senior right fielder Kelly Wood laced one down the right field line that fell just fair to empty the bases and make it 8-2. Krislyn Campos ended the scoring by plating Wood with a single down the first base side.
Murphy finished game one 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored. Minogue, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Paulick picked up the win in game one, pitching four innings of scoreless relief and allowing no hits.
Paulick took a perfect game into the sixth inning of game two. However, Lindsay Ward broke it up in that inning with a solo home run to left-center that tied the game at 1-1.
Wood played the hero in the bottom of the eighth. On Senior Day, the senior from Englewood, Ohio laced a walk-off double down the right field line to plate fellow senior Amber Murray for the winning run.
Wood finished game two 2-for-3 with an RBI. Alston went 2-for-4 and drove in the Colonels’ other run in the bottom of the first.
Senior Alex Sallberg notched the game-two win after pitching two innings of scoreless relief.
BELMONT 7, TENNESSEE STATE 2; BELMONT 12, TENNESSEE STATE 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With a doubleheader sweep on Saturday, Belmont Softball punched its first ticket to postseason play in the program's Division I history. The Bruins (34-20, 10-12 OVC) breezed by crosstown rival Tennessee State (12-37, 2-19 OVC), 7-2 and 12-1, to earn a spot in the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
In game one, BU posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the first frame, thanks to a double by junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) and a single up the middle by sophomore Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Tenn.). The Tigers fired back in the top of the third inning, knotting the score 2-2, after capitalizing on an untimely error. The teams remained stalemated for the next inning and a half before Belmont exploded offensively.
In the bottom of the fifth, freshman Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) opened with a double down the right line that was followed by a bunt by sophomore Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas). A sacrifice fly by Rouse sent one over the plate before the Bruins loaded the bases with a base on balls opportunity for senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) and a fielder's choice for junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) after a squeeze play at home. Spicer unleashed a three-run home run over the left fence that expanded BU's lead to 6-2. Belmont picked up one more run in the bottom of the following inning behind a double to left by sophomore Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) and a single by Baker. Tennessee State remained silent offensively, handing BU the 7-2 win.
For the day, Baker went 4-for-6 with three runs, two doubles and two RBI. Senior Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple and two RBI.
Inside the circle, freshman Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) continued to shine, logging 11 strikeouts in game one as she broke the program record for all-time single season strikeouts. Sophomore Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas) went the distance in game two, recording five strikeouts.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 7, UT MARTIN 0; UT MARTIN 8, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - While it took a bit to get the bats going, the University of Tennessee at Martin softball team would power three home runs and garner a stout pitching performance to send the team’s three senior players out winners in their final game played on Bettye Giles Field. The Skyhawks would notch a series split against Southeast Missouri after dropping Game One 7-0 before exploding for an 8-2 victory in the nightcap.
Despite being shutout in the first game of the day, the Skyhawks still managed to tally 13 base hits along with three home runs. Sophomore Lauren Myers paced the Skyhawks with three base hits while Savannah Dodson, Carly Gonzales, Alicia Hansen and Jodie Duncan each tallied a pair of base knocks. The trio of Duncan, Gonzales and Gracyn McBride would each tally home runs in the night cap – providing all of the team’s scoring offense on three swings.
In the pitching circle it was senior Brooke Kennedy (20-5, 2.87 ERA) who proved clutch once again. Not only would Kennedy finish OVC play with an unbeaten 10-0 record, the hurler would pick up her 20th win of the season – becoming just the fourth player in program history to tally 20 wins in a single season. Kennedy would strike out a season-high 10 batters while issuing just one walk in seven innings of work.
Game One: Southeast Missouri 7, UT Martin 0
Needing a sweep and some help in order to make the OVC Softball Championships, Southeast Missouri would come out as the aggressors in the first game of the day. The Redhawks would tally four hits in the first inning en route to scoring three runs – including a two-run single off the bat of Parker Bandy to take an early advantage. Another single through the left side by Ashely Ellis would give the Redhawks a three-run lead.
Four more runs would come home in the top of the second inning, giving the Redhawks a sizeable advantage to lean on down the stretch. After three consecutive singles would load the bases, newly inserted relief pitcher Seeley Layne would be welcomed with a grand slam off the bat of Darby Pruett to make the score 7-0.
The Skyhawks best scoring opportunity would come in the third inning when the team tallied a pair of base hits. A double down the left field line by Dodson would put the squad in a good spot before Gonzales walked to put two runners on. Myers would then stroke a single up the middle but a perfect throw from centerfielder Rachel Anderson would nail Dodson at the plate. Another innocent flyout to center would later end the scoring opportunity.
Game Two: UT Martin 8, Southeast Missouri 2
Much like in the first game of the afternoon, it would be Southeast Missouri who jumped on the board first. The Redhawks would tally three hits in the opening inning before Pruett tallied her sixth RBI of the afternoon with a two-run single into right field.
After being held scoreless for 10 consecutive innings, UT Martin finally burst into the scoring column in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gonzales and Myers would start the inning with a pair of singles to put a pair of runners on base before moving into scoring position by McBride on the next at bat. Following back-to-back outs, Duncan would step to the plate with runners in scoring position and two outs. The lefty would then turn on the pitch and blast a three-run home run over the wall in right center to give the Skyhawks their first lead of the day at 3-2.
The Skyhawks would add some extra insurance in the bottom of the fifth inning. A leadoff walk to Aeron Smith would start the inning before pinch runner Gabby Zizzi moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Dodson would then put two runners on base with a single to centerfield before swiping second to put two Skyhawks in scoring position. With two runners on, Gonzales would hit a storybook opposite field home run to left field to give the squad a four-run advantage. Still not done, McBride would follow a single by Myers would a powerful blast over the left field scoreboard to make it an 8-2 ballgame.
After allowing two early runs, Kennedy would shut the door on the Redhawks throughout the rest of the game. The righty would allow just two base hits over the final six innings of play while going perfect following the fourth inning.