WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Marshall 9,
Morehead State 1 (5)
@Murray State 6, Southern Illinois 6 (8)
Belmont 4, @Middle Tennessee 0
Mississippi State 3,
UT Martin 2
MARSHALL 9, MOREHEAD STATE 1
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Morehead State played toe-to-toe with homestanding Marshall in Wednesday’s non-conference softball game at Dot Hicks Field, but the Eagles eventually succumbed to the powerful Thundering Herd bats, falling 9-1 in five innings.
The game was competitive through four and a half innings, before the hosts were able to take control with their bats by scoring eight runs off four hits, coupled with two errors, in the bottom of the fifth.
After surrendering a Mya Stevenson solo homer in the second, Morehead State (5-28) was able to tie the score in the top of the fourth with some scrappy play. Kirya Kingery drew a one-out walk and Peyton Slater singled to right field. Peyton Jordan’s sacrifice bunt pushed everyone up a base, with an error on the play allowing Kingery to go home, narrowly beating the throw to the plate to even the score at 1-1.
However, the undermanned Eagles, which were down to just 14 players, were unable to keep Marshall (29-11) in check in the fifth inning. The Thundering Herd drew a pair of one-out walks, with a single sandwiched in between, before Stevenson was able to put the hosts back on top with a single to right field that plated two runs. The next batter, Autumn Owen, broke the game open with a three-run homer over the fence in right field. Marshall was able to pad its lead as the next three batters reached base via a hit batsman, single and walk. With the bases loaded, a fielder’s choice and two more walks led to the game’s early conclusion.
Lennon Spicer took the loss, falling to 4-14, after surrendering seven hits, six earned runs and three walks in four and a third innings. She also struck out two. Maya Morris finished the game and allowed two runs on one hit, with three walks.
Maddi Gailor and Peyton Slater both singled to provide the biggest chunk of the offense. Kingery scored the team’s only run after drawing the Eagles’ lone walk.
Gailor (13 of her last 14 outings) and Kingery (13 of her last 15 contests) both extended their runs of reaching base safely, while MSU had its three-game win streak stopped. The Eagles also dropped their 27th consecutive road contest.
Morehead State returns to conference play as it continues its seven-game road swing with a weekend stop at Belmont for three contests. The Eagles and Bruins open with a doubleheader on Saturday and conclude with a single game on Sunday.
MURRAY STATE 6, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 6
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State softball team battled Southern Illinois to a 6-6 tie after inclement weather forced umpires to stop the game after eight innings. The tie is the first for the Racers in the 13-year history of the program.
The Racers got off to a hot start in the contest in the first when Lily Fischer doubled up the middle to score two and give the Racers an early lead. MSU added to the lead in the third with a solo shot from Sierra Gilmore and an RBI walk drawn by Erin Lackey.
In the fourth, MSU added to its tally in the fourth on a pair of miscues by the Salukis. Logan Braundmeier scored first on a wild pitch by the Salukis, followed by a double steal two batters later that allowed Gracie Osbron to score.
However, from that point on the Racers were unable to find timely hitting and left nine runners stranded in the process. In the fifth inning, Southern Illinois began to find its offensive stroke, scoring one in the fifth, then taking the Racers for five runs on five hits in the sixth. Both teams went down in order in the seventh and both left runners stranded in the eighth before the game was called due to rain.
Braundmeier and Gilmore each went 3-for-5 in the game with a pair of runs, while Osbron went 2-for-2 with three walks. Jenna Veber pitched 7.2 innings and allowed just one run on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
BELMONT 4, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 0
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Belmont shutout Middle Tennessee, 4-0, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Wednesday evening.
Cheyenne Cavanaugh led the Bruins with three hits while Emma Barnes, Abi Ledbetter and Emily Cockrill each had a pair of hits.
Kristen Green hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season in the top of the third inning.
Alex Clesi picked up the win in the circle, not allowing a run and striking out one in 5.0 innings of work.
Belmont returns to action this weekend as it hosts Morehead State for a three-game series.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 3, UT MARTIN 2
LEXINGTON, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team pushed Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State to the brink in front of a large, neutral site local audience at Henderson County SportsPlex this evening before ultimately seeing its comeback attempt fall just short in a final 3-2 decision.
After falling behind by three runs in the third inning, the Skyhawks (25-13) scored runs in back-to-back innings midway through the contest to cut the deficit to just one run. With a narrow margin left in front of them, the Skyhawks kept looking for the game-tying run but the Bulldogs turned a key double play in the sixth inning before shutting the door in the seventh for the victory.
Three different players tallied base hits for the Skyhawks with reigning OVC Player of the Week Shyanne Sheffield joining Kaitlyn Kelley and Maddi Long in the hit column. Kelley tallied her 28th RBI of the season in the fourth inning before Long connected on her third home run of the year to make it a 3-2 contest in the fifth.
UT Martin used three pitchers to carry the workload in the midweek contest. Katie Dreiling earned the her second start of the season in the circle, going 2.1 innings while striking out four and allowing two runs. Erin Gallagher appeared first in relief and went 2.2 innings while striking out two and allowing one run. Finally, Alexis Groet was called upon to pitch the bottom of the sixth and tossed a scoreless inning.
Mississippi State (28-17) lumped all of its damage into the third inning with three runs in the frame. Following a one-out single by Mia Davidson, Chloe Malau'ulu drove a two-run home run to centerfield for the game's first runs. Then following a pitching change, the Bulldogs tallied their second home run in as many at bats as Paige Cook hit a solo shot to center to take a 3-0 advantage.
The Skyhawks looked to counter the big inning by the home team on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. The first two batters would reach via a hit by pitch and a single to third by Sheffield. After a failed sacrifice bunt attempt resulted in the lead runner being forced out on the play, Kelley salvaged the scoring opportunity by doubling to right center to end the shutout.
The fifth inning saw Long turn on a 2-2 pitch and launch it over the left field wall for a solo home run – cutting the deficit to one run. The home run marked the team's 31st of the season and the sixth of Long's career.
While the Skyhawks had two more innings to find the game-tying run, their best opportunity came in the sixth inning. The offense would string together a 10-pitch battle at the leadoff spot in the frame before it ultimately resulted in a strikeout while the team's next base runner was retired in a 6-4-3 double play to end the potential rally.
UT Martin will now shift its focus back to OVC play this weekend with a slightly altered schedule. The Skyhawks will travel to SIUE on Friday, Apr. 22 for a single contest to kick off the three-game series at 4 p.m. before playing a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 23 beginning at noon. All three games are tentatively scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.