Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Jacksonville State
Racers Earn Split in First Day of Series with Jacksonville State
3/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Murray State softball team earned a split with defending Ohio Valley Conference champions, Jacksonville State, in the first day of the first home league series at Racer Field at Murray-Calloway County Park. The Racers (7-15, 2-2 OVC) took the first game, 10-7, before falling 5-3 in the second game of the double header.
Sophomore Chelsey Sullivan earned both decisions in the circle for MSU, improving to 2-6 on the season. The Shelbyville, Ill., native recorded eight strike outs in seven innings of work between the two games.
" Chelsey Sullivan was outstanding for us in the circle today," said head coach Jay Pyron. "I am really proud for how far she has come since her back injury. To see her get back to where she is now is no doubt rewarding for her and makes me proud as a coach."
The Racers saw production at the plate from all over their line-up today, with five players hitting home runs. Junior Jenna Bradley led the team with three hits, one homer, while freshmen Kaitlyn England and Ellyn Troup and juniors Lauren Buch and Stephanie Mattocks all recorded two hits each.
MSU out-hit the Gamecocks (12-13, 1-3 OVC) 15-11 on the day.
The teams will be back in action, Sunday, March 28 at 1 p.m. for the final game of the three-game series at Racer Field.
Game 1 - Murray State 10, Jacksonville State 7
The Racers got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Ellyn Troup reached on a fielder's choice and junior Jenna Bradley hit a single at the third baseman to put two runners on base for freshman Kaitlyn England. England stepped up and hit her third home run of the season over the center field fence to put MSU up 3-0.
The Gamecocks came out in the top of the second and recorded a solo home run of their own from the second batter of the inning. JSU then added a second run to cut the lead to one (3-2) when two errors and a wild pitch allowed a runner to score. The Gamecocks then added a run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at three.
Junior Lauren Buch responded with a solo home run that hit off the scoreboard in left field. The shot was the first of her career and gave the Racers a 4-3 lead after four innings.
JSU took its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth with a three-run home run to go up 6-4. MSU had an opportunity to score in the bottom of the fifth, with bases loaded. However the Gamecocks defense held and didn't allow the Racers to score.
However, MSU didn't let that stop them from retaking the lead in the bottom of the sixth. JSU's pitcher walked three-straight batters with two outs to load the bases for pinch hitter Madi Ratliff. Ratliff hit a single to right field that scored one run and then an error on the right fielder allowed a second to score. Troup was the next batter up and hit her third career home run down the left field line to score three more runs. Bradley followed suit and hit a team-leading seventh home run to left center to score the sixth run of the inning and put the Racers up 10-6.
JSU loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but junior Kristen Broadway came in to pitch for the Racers and struck out the first batter and the second had a short pop-up to second baseman Buch. The Gamecocks then earned one run as the following batter was hit by a pitch, but the next batter struck out looking, which was enough for Broadway to earn her second save of the season. Sophomore Chelsey Sullivan picked up her second win.
Game 2 - Jacksonville State 5, Murray State 3
The Gamecocks tallied a run in the top of the first and the score remained 1-0 in favor of JSU for the next three innings. The Racers then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth off a two-run home run by freshman Stephanie Edwards. The home run, Edwards' first, also scored junior Stephanie Mattocks who had singled past the short stop to start off the inning and gave MSU a 2-1 advantage.
The Gamecocks retook the lead in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on two MSU errors. The runs gave JSU a 5-2 lead. The Racers added a final run in the bottom of the seventh off two singles with two outs, but it was not enough to earn the win.
Quotes
Head Coach Jay Pyron
"Jacksonville State is a good team that is tough to play, but overall I felt that we played well today. We swung our bats well and got some good pitching performances."
"We want to have good at bats at the plate. When we have good at bats good things happen for us. We got some pitches to hit today and the batters cashed them in."
"We are still learning how to put it all together for two games of a double header. When we focus in on the things we are trying to do we play well, but when we lose focus we don't seem to play as well."
"It is a shame that we didn't get the two wins today, but Jacksonville State is a tough team so to get one is a challenge in itself."
