TUESDAY'S SCORES
Wright State 7,
@Morehead State 2
Wright State 8,
@Morehead State 5
@Samford 12,
Tennessee Tech 5
@Samford 11,
Tennessee Tech 3
Maine 6,
@Tennessee State 1
Maine 9
@Tennessee State 3
WRIGHT STATE 7, MORHEAD STATE 2; WRIGHT STATE 8, MOREHEAD STATE 5
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State softball team played its final games before Ohio Valley Conference action begins, dropping two decisions to Wright State Tuesday afternoon at University Field.
Game one of the split bill saw the Eagles fall behind 4-0 in the first inning, a deficit from which they wouldn't be able to recover, falling 7-2 in the first of two contests. Game two Eagles overcame their opening frame woes, jumping out to a 4-2 lead after one inning in before succumbing to an 8-5 setback.
Wright State improves to 10-12 overall while Morehead State falls to 2-17.
WRIGHT STATE 7, MOREHEAD STATE 2
The Eagles were met with stiff resistance from opening pitch as four-of-the-first five Raider batters found their way around the base path back home. Additionally, MSU also faced one of the best pitching performances they've encountered this year, as Wright State's Makenna Durieux pitched six innings, only allowing four hits and two runs (one earned).
The home squad answered back when freshman Sarah Hallock entered to pinch run and scored on a single to left-center field by junior infielder Lindsay Anderson, trimming the Raiders lead to 4-1.
In the top of the third, Morehead State was answered back by a 2-RBI single by WSU infielder Lauren Deitrick, extending their lead to 6-1.
The next five frames went by uneventfully, before Eagles sophomore Alexis Strother went yard to straightaway center field for a solo home run. The homer was Strother's third of her career and third in her last five games.
The Raiders would tally one more run in the closing period before shutting the door on an attempted comeback.
In the circle, Morehead State's Sarah King (0-4) was hung with the loss, Durieux (2-4) earned the win
WRIGHT STATE 8, MOREHEAD STATE 5
Morehead State found its groove offensively, but ultimately sputtered late, being held scoreless the final four innings on the back half of the doubleheader.
WSU made the first mark, scoring two on a single to center field by Brianna Hutchinson. The Eagles responded well, as senior Aubrey Bennett scored on a sacrifice groundout to short by Strother.
Next, a fielding error by the Raiders brought in freshman Peyton Slater on a stolen base attempt by junior Helyna Bissell. She would later score on a double to left-center by fellow third-year star Cassie Griffin. The Roopville, Ga. native scored two batters later, as freshman Princess Valencia knocked a line drive to the pitcher, but another timely error brought in a run, putting Morehead State ahead, 4-2.
The Eagles offensive efforts were matched by Raiders, placing a four-spot of their own in the top half of the second. A pair of singles, a double, and an MSU fielding error would lead to a 6-4 after two.
Hallock scored once more on the day in pinch-run duty off of a single by senior Cheyenne Meyer, shrinking the WSU lead to 6-5 in the third inning.
Wright State put two insurance runs across in the sixth and managed to stifle Morehead State over the final four frames.
Freshman Lakyn Largent (0-10) suffered the defeat while the Raiders' right-hander Olivia Otani (5-6) came away with the victory
The Eagles will continue their home stand this weekend, as MSU takes on Jacksonville State on Friday. First pitch for game one of the double-header will be at noon.
SAMFORD 12, TENNESSEE TECH 8; SAMFORD 11, TENNESSEE TECH 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -Scoring runs wasn’t the problem for the Tennessee Tech softball team on Tuesday. Finding ways to keep Samford from scoring them was as the homestanding Bulldogs rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take a 12-8 victory in game one, then run-ruled the Golden Eagles 11-3 in the second contest.
Tech collected eight runs on 10 hits in the opener, leaving six on, then had three runs on five hits in the nightcap, stranding five.
Alyssa Arden took her third loss of the season, allowing seven runs – five earned – on six hits in the opener as she walked four and struck out two. Callie Piper came on in relief and the Bulldogs didn’t relent, adding five earned runs on four hits and a walk.
Things didn’t fare better in the second game. Piper, in her first start, was tagged for six runs – two earned – on six hits as she walked one and struck out two. Haeli Bryson pitched the final inning and two-thirds before the run-rule was enacted, allowing five earned runs on three hits with four walks and one strikeout.
The opening game featured six home runs – two for the Golden Eagles, including a grand slam for Sydney Love-Baker in the second inning. Jessie Lowery also had a three-run bomb in the sixth inning. The round-trippers were Lowery’s first of the season, Love-Baker’s seventh.
Kathryn Jackson hit two dingers, while Madison Couch and Merritt Cahoon also went yard. Jackson was 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Couch, Cahoon and Whitney Hinton each drove in two.
McKenna Gillespie picked up her third win of the year, allowing eight runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out two in five innings of work before Lacey Spear closed the door on the Golden Eagles, yielding one hit in the final two frames.
Bryson helped out her cause in the second game, driving in all three Tech runs with one swing of the bat with a three-run home run in the fourth inning, the first homer in her career.
Jackson and Cahoon also hit homers in the second contest as Cahoon hit a grand slam and Jackson hit a solo shot.
Annalyn Yantis earned her first win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits as she struck out two.
The Golden Eagles (10-11) return to action on Friday as they travel to Richmond, Ky., to open Ohio Valley Conference play with a doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
MAINE 6, TENNESSEE STATE 1; MAINE 9, TENNESSEE STATE 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Recap coming soon.