SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Murray State 9, Belmont 1 (6)
@Murray State 5, Belmont 0
@Southeast Missouri 8, Eastern Kentucky 0 (5)
Eastern Kentucky 6,@ Southeast Missouri 1
@Tennessee Tech 3, SIUE 2
SIUE 10, @Tennessee Tech 8
@Jacksonville State 10, Eastern Illinois 8
@Jacksonville State 8, Eastern Illinois 3
@Austin Peay 6, Tennessee State 5
@Austin Peay 8, Tennessee State 0 (5)
Morehead State 3, @UT Martin 1
@UT Martin 12, Morehead State 4
MURRAY STATE 9, BELMONT 1; MURRAY STATE 5, BELMONT 0
MURRAY, Ky. - The bats caught fire for Murray State softball as the Racers earned wins on both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader against Belmont at Racer Field. The day began with a 9-1 six-inning triumph before game two saw MSU capture a 5-0 win as the Racers outhit the Bruins 21-8 over the two contests. Six of those hits came from senior outfielder Logan Braundmeier, who also belted a pair of home runs on the afternoon.
Game 1 – Murray State 9, Belmont 1 (6 inn.)
The Racers took an aggressive approach at the plate from the first inning of the day as they put up a pair of scores in the game’s first frame when Sierra Gilmore and Lindsey Carroll each plated a run with RBI singles as MSU held a 2-0 advantage through one inning of action.
Logan Braundmeier widened the margin in the third when her solo home run pushed the Racer lead to 3-0.
MSU then struck again in the fourth when they added another run by way of an RBI double off the bat of Taylor Jackson that scored Kamryn Carcich.
The Bruins scratched across their lone run of the contest in the fifth when Kaley Varner’s single to right scored Elison Ollinger, but the Racers responded with authority with a four-run home half.
Braundmeier once again provided the spark, driving in a pair with her single up the middle before Tyler Shemwell and Lily Fischer both drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to force in two more Racer runs to make it 8-1 after five complete.
After Braundmeier collected her fourth hit of the ballgame in the following frame, Kamryn Carcich brought the competition to an early end when her RBI double sealed a 9-1 run-rule victory for the Racers in six innings.
Hannah James went the distance in the circle for Murray State, notching her sixth win of the year after allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven Bruins in the outing.
Sierra Gilmore (2-4, 2 R, RBI, SB) and Kamryn Carcich (2-3, 2 2B, BB, RBI, 2 R) each collected two hits apiece while Braundmeier (4-4, 3 RBI, 3 R, HR) became just the 13th Racer to record four hits in a game. The feat has been accomplished 19 total times in program history.
Game 2 – Murray State 5, Belmont 0
The first run of the afternoon’s second game came in the bottom of the second as Murray State once again opened the scoring when Lily Fischer’s two-out single to center field scored Jordan Caple to give the Racers a 1-0 lead.
The MSU offense went right back to work in the third frame, putting a runner in scoring position from the inning’s first pitch when Sierra Gilmore lined a double to left field.
Lindsey Carroll drove in Gilmore with a bloop single down the right field line, before the Racers added one more courtesy of a two-out RBI double from Taylor Jackson that scored Carroll to make it 3-0 through three complete.
The Racers took full control in the fifth, tacking on two more insurance runs when Logan Braundmeier belted her second home run of the day – a two-run shot to left that extended the lead to 5-0 after five innings of action.
Taylor Makowsky earned the win in the circle, improving to 5-2 in 2021, as the fifth-year senior dealt six scoreless frames with a season-high six strikeouts. Jenna Veber came in to work the seventh, and cruised through a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to seal the victory.
At the plate, Lily Fischer (2-4, RBI), Sierra Gilmore (2-3, RBI, 2 R, 2B), Logan Braundmeier (2-3, 2 RBI, R, HR), and Lindsey Carroll (2-3, RBI, R) each collected two hits apiece in the victory. For Braundmeier, her two home runs in the doubleheader bring her season total to a team-leading six round-trippers in 2021.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0; EASTERN KENTUCKY 6, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast Missouri (21-13, 16-4) split a doubleheader with second place Eastern Kentucky (26-11, 17-5) Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks won game one, 8-0, in five innings and the Colonels took the nightcap, 6-2.
Rachel Rook put together another dominating pitching effort to key SEMO's game one victory.
Rook retired the first 11 hitters she faced before giving up her first hit of the game, a bunt single in the fourth inning.
While Rook was picking apart EKU's lineup, SEMO's offense gave her a lot of run support by scoring in each of the first four innings.
The Redhawks pulled ahead, 2-0, in the bottom of the first when Kynzie Wrigley scored on a groundout and Rachel Anderson touched home on a two-out single by Katie Dreiling.
Austine Pauley singled, advanced to second on the throw and scored on an ensuing base hit by Alyson Tucker in the second.
Then, in the fourth, after Anderson singled, Ashley Ellis crushed her team-high 13th home run of the season to straightaway center extending SEMO's lead to 5-0. With 47 career home runs, Ellis is not two away from breaking her program's all-time record presently held by Michelle Summers (48, 2005-08).
The Redhawks polished off the win when they scored twice more in the fourth inning. Anderson walked and came around to score with the help of an error and pinch-runner Kimmy Wallen stole home on a double steal.
Rook (14-7) pitched her sixth shutout of the season. She struck out seven, walked none and allowed just three hits in five innings.
SEMO handed Tori Peterson (13-3) just her third loss of the year. Peterson gave up five runs on six hits in two innings.
The Redhawks outhit the Colonels, 11-3.
Ellis, Katie Dreiling and Alyson Tucker paved the way with two hits apiece. R. Anderson added three runs scored and Ellis finished with three RBI.
Game two featured another strong pitching performance, but this time it was from EKU's Mollie Paulick.
Paulick went the distance recording six strikeouts and allowing only two runs on eight hits to remain unbeaten at 7-0 this season.
The Colonels put up five runs in the top of the first inning and didn't look back.
SEMO scored once in the third and fourth innings for its two runs in the nightcap. Jillian Anderson knocked in Pauley on a double in the third, while Pauley then drove in pinch-runner Kelby Robinson on a single in the fourth.
Paytience Holman (6-6) took the loss. Holman worked four innings, scattered 10 hits, allowed six runs and posted two strikeouts.
Pauley went 2-for-3 with a run scored, double and one RBI, while R. Anderson also contributed two hits.
Additionally, R. Anderson broke SEMO's all-time career record in games started. She has started all 218 games as a Redhawk and surpassed former teammate Sarah Messex (216, 2016-19) for the new mark.
SEMO welcomed back its five seniors from the 2020 team, including Addison Barnouski, Rachael Donald, Alexis Estes, Claudia Gallo and Madison Harris. Barnouski, Donald, Estes, Gallo and Harris were recognized prior to first pitch of today's doubleheader.
TENNESSEE TECH 3, SIUE 2; SIUE 10, TENNESSEE TECH 8
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -Late-inning heroics for the Tennessee Tech softball team led to a split against SIUE on Saturday as the Golden Eagles took the day’s first game 3-2 in the ninth inning, then rallied in a 10-8 defeat in the nightcap.
Tech (16-20, 10-11 Ohio Valley Conference) and SIUE meet up for the rubber game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. with the game broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required).
The visiting Cougars (9-20, 9-14 OVC) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Amber Storer hit a ball into left field for a single, but a fielding error allowed two runs to cross as Zoe Schafer and Lexi King came home.
After that, Haeli Bryson went the distance and shut the door on SIUE, yielding just four more hits in the contest.
Tech tied the game in the third inning as Jessie Lowery hit a two-run home run to right field, bringing along Mackenzie Fitzgerald, who reached on a double to right center.
From there, Bryson and SIUE starter Sydney Baalman dueled, neither one relenting as the game wore on into extra innings. The Cougars threatened in the top of the ninth as Becca Duran singled to left, Rachael Quaritsh bunted her over to second, then Micah Arps was hit by a pitch. Bryson was able to coax Bailley Concatto to fly out to center field, stranding two and ending the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bryson hit a one-out double to short, bouncing in front of the fielder and into the field. McCulley was hit by the second pitch of her at-bat, then, with pinch-runner Chandler Caldwell, the duo executed a double steal to get into scoring position.
Facing a 1-2 count, Penning put a grounder into the infield. SIUE looked for a play to make, but couldn’t as Caldwell was running and scored the winning run.
Bryson earned her seventh win in the complete-game effort, allowing two runs – one earned – on seven hits as she walked one and struck out two. Her counterpart, Baalman, took the tough-luck loss, allowing three runs on five hits, walking none and striking out four.
With one round-tripper in game one, the Golden Eagles decided to hit three more in game two to make a run at the Cougars.
Tech took the early 1-0 lead in the first as Bryson executed a perfect bunt down the first-base line, bringing Fitzgerald home to roost. However, SIUE countered with three runs in the second as Quaritsch scored on a throwing error on a stolen base, Arps scored on Concatto’s double to left, then Concatto scored on a fielding error at short.
SIUE added three more runs to make it a 6-1 game in the fourth as King hit a two-run double down the left field line to score Alana Cobb-Adams and Concatto, then a single and a sacrifice fly brought King home.
With two on and two out, Raleigh Lewis hit her first home run of the season, taking Paxton Grimes and Sydney Love-Baker along for the ride and making it a 6-4 game.
Tech lifted starter Alyssa Arden and gave Kendall Durard a chance to try to slow down the Cougars. SIUE answered with a single run in the fifth as King drove in Cobb-Adams with a single to first base, a throwing error giving her enough room to cross. Another run crossed in the sixth as Duran picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
The Golden Eagles got a leadoff home run from Love-Baker in the sixth, but SIUE put two more runs on in the seventh as Cobb-Adams and Schafer picked up RBI singles.
Tech made it interesting once more in the bottom of the seventh. Fitzgerald singled to third base and Bryson took a full-count walk. With two down, Paxton Grimes went yard with her first career home run, making it a 10-8 game. Emily Ingles, however, forced a grounder to end the scoring threat and the game.
Arden took the loss, allowing four earned runs and six total on eight hits as she walked five and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings. Durard pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs – four total – on four hits, walking two and striking out none.
King started the contest and pitched 3 2/3 frames, allowing four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four to get her second win of the season. Ingles was reentered into the lineup in relief and threw the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 10, EASTERN ILLINOIS 8; JACKSONVILLE STATE 8, EASTERN ILLINOIS 3
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - - Shelby Newsome had her first two career three-hit games and Alexus Jimmerson had a big day at the plate and in the circle to lift the Jacksonville State softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Illinois on Saturday at University Field.
The Gamecocks (15-19, 13-9 Ohio Valley Conference) had to come from behind in both games but upended the Panthers (19-14, 11-9 OVC) with a 10-8 win in the opener and an 8-3 victory in the nightcap. The two wins pushed JSU past EIU into fourth place in what is a logjammed OVC standings.
Newsome, a freshman from Hatchechubbee, Ala., went 3-for-4 in both games, while recording the first triple and first home run of her career in the second game of the day. She capped the twinbill going 6-for-8 with five RBI and five runs scored.
Jimmerson, a senior from Jackson, Tenn., was 4-for-7 at the plate with a double in each game, while also tossing 6 and 1/3 innings of one-hit relief to earn the win in the second game. Jimmerson's two doubles extended her streak of consecutive games with at least one extra-base hit to nine.
The Gamecocks battled back twice in the first game, first overcoming an early 2-0 deficit when grounders from Jimmerson and Megan Fortner scored Savannah Sudduth and Newsome to tie the game at 2-2 in the third.
EIU seemed to regain control in the fourth, when the Panthers scored five runs on two hits and a pair of Gamecock errors. The big blow was a three-run home run from Megan Burton, her second of the game.
The Gamecocks erased the five-run Panther lead in a hurry, sending 10 batters to the plate in a six-run, five-hit fourth inning that gave them an 8-7 lead. Newsome started the scoring with a two-run single and was followed by a two-run double from Jimmerson that pulled JSU to within a run. Chaney Phillips put the Gamecocks in front with the final blow of the inning, a two-run double off the wall in left field that made it an 8-7 game.
Hannah Brown kept the Panthers bats in check the rest of the way, allowing just one of her three runs after getting the lead. Alex Howard gave her some insurance in the sixth, thanks to a pinch-hit, two-run single down the right field line.
Brown (3-2) earned the win after tossing 3 and 1/3 innings of relief where she allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. She struck out three. Reagan Watkins pitched the first 3 and 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs on four hits, while striking out four and walking four.
Jade Montgomery (6-10) suffered the loss for EIU after giving up three runs on four hits in two relief innings. Olivia Price started and gave up seven runs on eight hits in 3 and 1/3 innings in the circle.
In the second game of the day, the Panthers scored three first-inning runs on an RBI single from Amber Cieplinski and a two-run double from Hannah Cravens. The Gamecocks nibbled away at that lead, scoring one in each of the first three frames before breaking it open in the fourth.
Jada Terry drove in Newsome after her triple in the first, and Caroline Lively doubled in Fortner to plate the second-inning run. Terry tied the game in the third with a tape-measure home run down the left field line.
The fourth inning saw four Gamecock runs on three hits and a pair of EIU errors. Newsome singled in the first one and a Panther error allowed a second run to score. Jimmerson doubled Newsome in for the third, and a sac fly from Karsen Mosley put JSU up 7-3.
Newsome provided the final run with her first career homer in the sixth, a high drive that snuck inside the foul pole in left and put the Gamecocks up 8-3.
That would be plenty of support for Jimmerson (3-4), who struck out three and walked four in her shutout appearance out of the bullpen. Brown started the game and made way for Jimmerson with two outs in the first. She allowed three runs on three hits.
Price (9-4) suffered the loss for EIU, allowing four runs on four hits in just one inning of relief work. Cravens pitched the first two innings and allowed two runs on four hits, while Montgomery gave up two runs on two hits in two innings later in the game. Sydney Cammon pitched a scoreless sixth.
AUSTIN PEAY 6, TENNESSEE STATE 5; AUSTIN PEAY 8, TENNESSEE STATE 0
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay took both ends of their Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader versus Tennessee State, Saturday at Cathi Maynard Park-Cheryl Holt Field, edging the Tigers 6-5 in the opener and 8-0 in the nightcap.
The Govs (22-9, 17-7 OVC) saw TSU jump up to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning in Game 1, highlighted by a home run by Anayah Baker to open the game.
But APSU answered right back in the bottom of the inning with two runs of its own, with Lexi Osowski and Drew Dudley driving in runs.
The Govs would take a 3-2 lead in the second, on an RBI double by Brooke Pfefferle, with TSU tying the game, 3-3, on a home run by Renae Spears in the third.
TSU would hit its third home run of the game in the fourth, a two-run shot by Lauren Farias, to take its final lead of the game, 5-3, with Austin Peay matching that homer with one of its own – also a two-run homer – by Dudley to tie the game, 5-5.
The Govs would score what would be the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth, coming on a ground out by Bailey Shorter to score Kendyl Weinzapfel.
Kelsey Gross (8-2) got the win in relief while TSU starter Francys King (3-4) took the loss.
In Game 2, it was all Austin Peay right from the start, as the Govs send 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, in recording six hits and scoring seven runs.
That would be more than enough for Govs starter Jordan Benefiel (7-2) who shutout the Tigers on three hits, while striking out eight.
MOREHEAD STATE 3, UT MARTIN 1; UT MARTIN 12, MOREHEAD STATE 4
MARTIN, Tenn. - Morehead State Softball split tonight's doubleheader versus conference foe UT Martin at Bettye Giles Softball Field. The Eagles took game one 3-1 before falling 12-4 in five innings to finish the night. The win to start the day gave MSU a three-game winning streak, its longest of the season.
The Eagles were led by a 2-for-5 performance by Peyton Jordan highlighted by her first career home run in game two. Alexis Strother was another notable bat for MSU as she went 2-for-6 with two RBI.
Lennon Spicer has now appeared in seven straight games in the circle as she pitched a combined 8.2 innings while striking out three Skyhawk batters.
GAME ONE
UT Martin started the scoring with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third.
Jennifer Clausen's single in the top of the fourth tied the game at one as Maddie Kawall came in to score.
Alexis Strother gave Morehead State the lead with a two-RBI single in the fifth that accounted for the 3-1 MSU victory.
GAME TWO
The Skyhawks were the first on the board for the second straight game as an RBI double in the bottom of the first gave them a 1-0 lead.
Morehead State tied the game in the top of the third as Madeline Gailor scored on a wild pitch.
UT Martin retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run home run.
The Eagles knotted the game up at three as Peyton Jordan homered to left to score two more for MSU.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Skyhawks brought home two by way of an RBI double and a throwing error by Morehead State.
Peyton Rose's sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth brought Kelsey Sparks in to score to cut the UT Martin lead to one.
The Skyhawks exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth capped off by a three-run homer that walked it off for UT Martin for a 12-4 win.