SUNDAY'S SCORES
Butler 3,
Murray State 1
Eastern Kentucky 8, @Charleston Southern 3
Eastern Kentucky 11, @Charleston Southern 5
Austin Peay 7, Western Carolina 5
Austin Peay 6, Mercer 1
@Samford 5, Jacksonville State 4
@Samford 5, Jacksonville State 2
@Norfolk State 5,
Morehead State 3
Morehead State 3, Norfolk State 2
Eastern Illinois 7, @Jackson State 0
Eastern Illinois 9, @Jackson State 1 (6)
BUTLER 3, MURRAY STATE 1
MOBILE, Ala. - Murray State softball closed the weekend at the Jaguar Classic with a single game against Butler on Sunday. The Racers had a 1-0 lead heading into the sixth inning, but a late surge from the Bulldogs gave Butler a 3-1 victory in a game that saw just seven total hits between the two sides.
Hannah James got off to a strong start in the circle for MSU, retiring the first six batters in order to begin the contest.
The Racers opened the scoring in the home half of the fourth when a Sierra Gilmore sacrifice fly scored Logan Braundmeier to give Murray State a 1-0 lead.
Hannah James took a no-hit bid into the sixth, but a Maddie Moore RBI single leveled the game at 1-1 for Butler in the top half of the inning.
The Bulldogs would then pull in front in the seventh with a Christina Candotti RBI double, before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Zoe Herdman gave Butler a 3-1 advantage in the final frame.
Down to their final three outs in the home half, the Racers were unable to get anything going offensively as they fell to the Bulldogs by a final score of 3-1.
Hannah James allowed just three hits in six and two-thirds innings of work in the circle, matching a season-high eight strikeouts while surrendering three earned runs.
Sierra Gilmore, Jensen Striegel, and Lily Fischer were responsible for the three Racer hits in the ballgame.
After moving into fifth on Murray State's all-time strikeout list yesterday, her eight more in the competition today means she passes Haven Campbell (201) to now own sole possession of the #4 spot in program history with 206.
Additionally, two Racers were named to the Jaguar Classic All-Tournament Team for their outstanding weekend performance with James leading the way with a 1.94 ERA and 28 strikeouts through 21.2 innings on the weekend. Joining her on the All-Tournament team would be Lily Fischer, who batted .500 (7-14) with a double and a .563 on-base percentage over the five games.
The Racers will return to action on Friday when they begin a five-game weekend at the Tiger Invite in Auburn, Alabama.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 8, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 3; EASTERN KENTUCKY 11, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 5
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team swept a pair of contests against Charleston Southern on Sunday to go a perfect 4-0 on the weekend.
Eastern Kentucky (4-2) won game one 8-3, before knocking off Charleston Southern in game two 11-5.
In game one the Colonels scored five in the top of the second and that was more than enough.
Zoe Mihalicz got things started with an infield single to leadoff the inning. Mollie Paulick followed with a double to right field that brought home Mihalicz. Jasmine Miller joined the hit parade with an RBI single to give Eastern the 2-0 lead. After back-to-back walks and a wild pitch extended the Colonel lead to, 3-0, Ariyana Miranda singled up the middle to bring home two more and give Eastern the 5-0 lead.
Charleston Southern (1-3) chipped into the lead and got one back in the bottom half of the inning.
Dominique Mannerino doubled down the left field line to bring home Ashlyn Cribb and cut the lead to, 5-1.
Jasmine Miller got the run right back. Miller hit her first home run of her career over the left center field fence to extend the lead back to five, 6-1.
The Buccaneers again chipped into the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Emily Crosby homered to dead center for a two-run home run to cut into the EKU lead, 6-3, but Charleston Southern could never get any closer.
Eastern scored two more runs in the top of the fourth sparked by a Jaelyn Sanders solo home run, her first of her career to take the 8-3 lead.
Samantha Reynoso (1-0) picked up the win in the circle tossing four and two-third scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Jasmine Miller went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBIs. Vianna Barron went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
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In game two, the Colonels scored in the top of the first on an RBI fielder’s choice by Barron.
Charleston Southern responded in a big way.
After a leadoff groundout, the Buccaneers recorded four straight hits and a sacrifice fly to take a 3-1 lead after the first inning.
Charleston Southern extended its lead in the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back home runs by Crosby and Ashley Meckley to take a 5-1 lead over the Colonels.
Eastern started its comeback after that.
A Paulick double and a pair of walks loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fourth inning. Sammi Miller brought home Paulick with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to, 5-2.
In the top of the fifth inning seven straight batters reached base, sparked by a Miranda Lopez double to give Eastern a 6-5 lead. Jeanay Riley pushed one more across to take the 7-5 lead after four and a half innings.
Jasmine Miller again got things started in the top of the seventh with a leadoff double. Carly Robinson bought home Miller with a single up the middle to take an 8-5 lead. After a Sammi Miller bunt single, Miranda broke the game open with a three-run home run to take an 11-5 lead.
Paulick (2-0) picked up the win in the circle tossing four shutout innings with five strikeouts.
Sammi Miller went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Miranda went 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBIs.
Eastern continues its road swing next weekend when the Colonels travel to North Carolina to take on Campbell in a four-game series. First-pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday.
AUSTIN PEAY 7, WESTERN CAROLINA 5; AUSTIN PEAY 6, MERCER 1
TROY, Ala. - Austin Peay State University’s completed a 4-0 weekend to open its 2021 regular season, Sunday at the Troy Invitational, by sweeping Western Carolina and Mercer by 7-5 and 6-1 finals.
In the opener versus Western Carolina, broke on top with a four-run third inning highlighted by a two-run single by Kaitlyn Smith, while Kelsey Gross had an RBI single and Lexi Osowski a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
The Govs would add three more runs in the fifth, with Brett Jackson driving in one with a single and Smith picking up her third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly.
Western Carolina would try to rally in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs, but Harley Mullins came in and picked up her first save of the season, by retiring six straight batters to seal away the victory.
Jordan Benefiel (2-0) got the win going four-and-a-third shutout innings, giving up three hits and two walks, while striking out five.
In the Mercer contest, the Govs scored two runs in each of the first two innings, with Brooke Pfefferle driving in two runs with a double and a single and Osowski the other two with a single and a sacrifice fly.
That would be more than enough runs for Govs starter Harley Mullins (1-0), who scattered eight hits in taking a shutout into the seventh inning before giving up a run and finishing five strikeouts and one walk given up.
Austin Peay would tack on two final runs in the fifth inning, both coming in on a triple off the fence by Bailey Shorter.
SAMFORD 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 4; SAMFORD 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Jacksonville State softball team suffered heartbreak in back-to-back losses at Samford on Sunday, falling 5-4 and 5-2 in a doubleheader at Samford Softball Stadium.
Both losses came on last at-bats for the Bulldogs (2-3). Four of the five games the Gamecocks (0-5) have lost this season came on the last at-bats by their opponents. A walk-off single lifted SU over Jax State in game two, while a grand slam ended the Sunday finale.
The day had a promising start as Jada Terry launched a three-run homer to center field to put the Gamecocks up 3-0 in the first inning of the day's first matchup. Jax State held onto the lead until Samford tied the game with two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth.
Reagan Watkins got the start in the circle and went 3.2 innings before hitting a snag in the fourth, but Alexus Jimmerson swooped in and got the Gamecocks out of the jam without allowing Samford to take the lead.
The in-state foes were tied for the next three innings before Jax State struck in the ninth to go ahead. With Jimmerson keeping the Bulldogs scoreless through the sixth, seventh and eighth, Shelby Newsome singled home Lauren Hunt to put the Gamecocks up, 4-3.
Going to the home half of the ninth with the lead, a walk, hit batter and pair of hits doomed JSU. The tying run scored on a Whitney Hilton single, and a squeeze bunt by O'Niel Roberson scored Timberlyn Shurbutt from third to win the game.
Starting pitcher Lexi Androlevich had a stellar outing in the second contest, tossing five innings of five-hit, shutout softball with Jacksonville State leading Samford 2-0. Trouble came in the sixth inning, however, as Ansley Yantis led off with a double. After getting two quick outs, Androlevich walked Amanda Briskin, and Mekhi Mayfield reached on an error to load the bases. A moment later, Shurbutt belted a grand slam to put the Bulldog ahead 5-2. All five Bulldog runs were unearned.
The Gamecocks were unable to get anything going in the top of the seventh as Samford retired the Jax State side in order.
Megan Fortner and Lindsey Richardson each tallied a double in the loss, while Hunt and Terry were the only other Gamecocks to find base hits. Fortner and Hunt drove in JSU's pair of runs.
Jacksonville State returns to the diamond Friday, Feb. 26 to host Southern Miss in its first home game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will broadcast on ESPN+. The second and third games of the series are slated for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. Saturday's games will not broadcast on ESPN+.
NORFOLK STATE 5, MOREHEAD STATE 3; MOREHEAD STATE 3, NORFOLK STATE 2
NORFOLK, Va. - For the second consecutive day, Morehead State softball was able to capture one-half of a doubleheader against Norfolk State. After dropping the first game, 5-3, the Eagles bounced back once again to earn a victory in the second contest of the day, 3-2.
While offense proved to be the difference-maker yesterday, it was pitching that reigned supreme this afternoon as MSU struck out 11 Spartan batters in the two games. Kelsey Perkins got the nod for the Eagles in both contests today, pitching a combined 7.2 innings while fanning seven and allowing only two runs.
Errors proved the deciding factor in all four games of the opening series for Morehead State as the winning team had the lesser amount of unforced mistakes in every ballgame. The second tilt of today's doubleheader provided an example of the importance of defense as the Eagles committed zero errors while flashing several great plays with the glove.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 7, JACKSON STATE 0; EASTERN ILLINOIS 9, JACKSON STATE 1
JACKSON, Miss. - VICKSBURG, Miss. – Eastern Illinois softball made its long awaited debut for the 2021 season as the Panthers swept a pair of games against Jackson State on Sunday afternoon at Sports Force Park in Vicksburg, Miss.
EIU won 7-0 and 9-1 (in six innings) on Sunday with solid pitching efforts and six home runs leading the offensive attack.
In the opener Jade Montgomery worked 5.2 innings scattering three hits as the senior picked up the win.
The Panthers provide Montgomery the only offense she would need in the third as Megan Burton led off with a double before Haley Mitchell drove her home for the 1-0 lead. Mitchell would strike again to lead off the seventh, as she hit her 27th career home run to tie Denee’ Menzione for first on the Panthers career charts.
Mia Davis would follow Mitchell’s blast with one of her own going 2-for-4 on the day and connecting for one of three EIU home runs in the opener. Hannah Cravens had a solo shot in the sixth, one of two home runs she would deliver on the day.
Burton was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases joining Davis as the EIU leaders for hits in the opener. Kayla Owens took the loss for JSU as all three Tigers hits were singles.
In the nightcap, EIU jumped out early on JSU starter Macie Kippenbender as they scored five runs in 1.2 innings.
Davis started the big inning with a double followed by three walks in the inning that set the bases loaded for Burton. The junior shortstop connected for a grand slam as EIU led 5-0 early in the contest.
Freshman Olivia Price got the start for the Panthers allowing one unearned run. Sydney Cammon worked 3.2 innings of one hit relief for the win.
The Panthers added to the long ball total in the fourth with a solo home run by Abi Stahlhut and Cravens second home run of the day in the fifth.
Burton tacked on an RBI double in the sixth and came around to score on an RBI single by Mitchell as EIU picked up the run-rule decision after six. Burton was 2-of-4 with five RBI in the second game. Davis was 2-for-4.
JSU had just two hits in the second game coming off the bat of Owens and Zoey Keyes.