Ohio Valley Conference

MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State softball team has found its grove. Behind a team season-high tying 14 hits, the Eagles made it three wins in four outings as they toppled visiting Bellarmine 9-7 to complete a four-game home stand Wednesday afternoon at the University Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead.

MSU coach Megan Griffith used a pitching by committee approach with four individuals taking the mound, none seeing more than three and two-thirds innings, as the Blue and Gold put forth its best set of results since going 3-2 between Mar. 7-11, 2024.

The win also improved the team's mark at home to 3-4. The Eagles equaled the victory total from 2023 when it went 3-10 at University Field and drew within one win of last year's 4-10 record.

Morehead State (4-26/2-7) got contributions throughout the lineup as all nine batters recorded at least one hit, with five registering two. The Eagles' 14 hits matched their effort on February 15 and marked the third time in the last five games they reached double digits. The club now has at least five hits in 21 of its 30 outings, four or more hits 25 times and at least three hits in all but three contests.

The club has at least five hits in 20 of its 29 games, has recorded four or more hits 24 times and has at least three hits in all but three contests. It also has reached double figures seven times this spring. Last year it surpassed that mark twice. It did so six times in 2023, five times in 2022, six times in 2021, three times in the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign and once in 2019. You have to go back to 2018 to find seven games of double-digit hits in a season. It also matched that total in 2017. In 2016, the team has 13 outings with 10 or more hits.

MSU also improved its all-time record against Bellarmine to 19-2 overall and 12-2 at home. The Eagles have won the last seven in the series and six in a row in Morehead.

Bellarmine (4-18) threatened in the top of the second as it loaded the bases courtesy of two singles, a fielder's choice and an error. However, an infield pop out ended the frame.

The Blue and Gold jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when the club tallied five hits. All five came on consecutive at bats.

Senior catcher Ilencia Lightbody began the surge with an infield single. She then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sophomore left fielder Maddy Christopher followed with an RBI single to left-center field. Junior first baseman Jordan Donato singled to center field and both she and Christopher moved up a base on a wild pitch. Junior right fielder Taikibrea Campbell singled to left field to drive both runs home. Sophomore shortstop Sela Pickford added a double to center field that pushed Campbell to third. Then freshman second baseman Victoria Spencer grounded out, but it allowed Campbell to score to cap off the inning.

MSU made a pre-arranged pitching change from junior Rylie Burney to redshirt freshman Delaney Overstreet to start the third. It was Overstreet's first foray in the circle this year. The Knights responded by collecting two hits, two walks and benefitted from an error to put them on the scoreboard. However, Overstreet stopped any additional damage by getting a bases-loaded ground out to end the inning.

BU closed the gap to 4-3 in the fop of the fourth. With junior Alivia Parks in the circle, the visitors were able to score on a bases loaded walk, before MSU turned to junior Emma Solis, who elicited a double play that got a run home before the inning ended.

MSU answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Donato led off with a walk, Campbell and Pickford each added a single, with Pickford's shot plating Donato.

Bellarmine tied the score in the top of the fifth on Jacklyn Zuege's two-run single. But again the Blue and Gold responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Ligthbody's deep fly out to center field allowed sophomore third baseman Kendra Lewis to score. Later in the inning, Donato's bases-loaded ground out to second base pushed freshman designated player Nyla Doiron across home plate.

For the second straight inning, BU knotted the score as Peyton Arnold homered to left-center field to drive in two runs.

And for the second straight inning, MSU answered the bell with two runs that turned out to be the difference in the game. Spencer doubled to right-center field and Lewis doubled down the left-field line to notch the game-winning RBI. After Doiron reached on an error, Lightbody recorded the third double of the inning, with this one scoring Lewis.

The Knights got a leadoff single and a stolen base from Harlie Bickett in the top of the seventh. But she was left there as Solis sat down the final three batters.

Pickford (2-for-4, RBI), Doiron (2-for-4, run), Lightbody (2-for-3, 2 RBI, run), Christopher (2-for-4, RBI, run) and Campbell (2-for-3, 2 RBI, run) each had multiple hits. Spencer (1-for-4, RBI, run), Lewis (1-for-3, RBI, two runs), Donato (1-for-2, RBI, two runs) and Montoya (1-for-4) also contributed offensively.

Bellarmine tallied 10 hits, with Zuege (2-for-4, two RBI, two runs), Mackayla Denney (2-for-4, run), Arnold (2-for-2, 2 RBI, run) and Brooke Shewmaker (2-for-3, run) led the way. Madison Davis also scored twice.

No records have been kept regarding the number of pitchers used in a game, but four is the first in known history. Burney threw the first two innings, allowing two hits, no runs or walks, while striking out one. Overstreet saw one inning of action, surrendering two hits, two walks and a run. Parks recorded one-third of an inning of work. She yielded two runs on two walks, two hit batsmen, with no hits. Solis (2-9) picked up the win after throwing 3.2 innings, with four runs on six hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Kelsie Houchens suffered the loss (1-7). She pitched four innings, surrendering eight hits on five runs (four earned), with two walks and a strikeout. Claire Lehmkuhler started and went two innings, giving up four runs on six hits with no walks or strikeouts.

MURRAY STATE 5, UT MARTIN 1
MURRAY, Ky. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team pounded out eight hits Wednesday against Murray State but could not convert those hits to runs and fell, 5-1, at Racer Field in Murray.

The Racers scored one run in the first and two in the third to take an early 3-0 lead in the contest. The Skyhawks finally found their way onto the scoreboard in the fifth inning on a triple from Kyla Harley that scored Morea Hodge, who led off the inning with a single. In the bottom of the fifth, Murray State tacked on two more runs to help seal the win.

The Skyhawks had an uncharacteristic bad day in the field Wednesday, committing four errors that led to three unearned runs by the Racers. UT Martin also stranded eight runners in the game, leaving the bases loaded in the third and two runners in scoring position in the seventh.

Harley finished her day at 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, while Ava Scott was 2-for-3 with a double. Avary Makarewicz also had a double for the Skyhawks Wednesday, while Dylan Scott walked twice.

SAINT LOUIS 9, SIUE 5
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - SIUE softball pounded out 13 hits Wednesday but fell to Saint Louis 9-5 at the Billiken Sports Complex.

The Cougars dropped to 17-12 and next face Lindenwood for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Cougar Field. The game dates and times have been adjusted to reflect expected challenging weather conditions. On Friday, the two teams meet for a 3 p.m. doubleheader. On Saturday, the series closes out with a 2 p.m. single game.

A five-run rally in the first gave Saint Louis the lead for good. Abby Mallo's two-run double sparked the inning.

SIUE jumped on the scoreboard in the third inning when Emma Henderson and Anna Henderson reached on back-to-back errors. Kaylynn Salyars and Juztyne Torres scored on the respective errors.

The Billikens regained a five-run lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by Scout Gallagher.

The Cougars pushed back in the fourth. Danielle Shuey doubled and drove in two runs after a double by Madison Kearns and a single by Kaylin Fahy.

Salyars, who finished with three hits, added an RBI single in the sixth. Fahy also was 3 for 3. Lauryn Yslava collected two hits. SIUE outhit the Billikens 13-10.

Emma Henderson was credited with the loss and is now 4-3. Anna Christ was the winning pitcher and is now 1-2.

TENNESSEE STATE 2, LIPSCOMB 1
NASHVILLE - The Tennessee State softball took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 2-1 victory against Lipscomb on Wednesday.

Reina Castillo (12-3) started in the circle and picked up the win for Tennessee State (15-9). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one run on five hits, allowing no walks and striking out seven.

In the batter's box, the Tigers were paced by Onnika Spencer, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a home run, a walk and two RBI.

The Tigers got the scoring started early, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Tennessee State plated two runs when Spencer left the yard with Jace Jackson aboard. Lipscomb put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Tigers still held on for the 2-1 win.