Murray State
Tennessee Tech
Buch and Bradley Lead Racers In Home Split Against Tennessee Tech
3/27/2011 7:08:12 PM | Softball
BOX SCORE - GAME 1
BOX SCORE - GAME 2
Seniors Jenna Bradley and Lauren Buch went back-to-back in the first inning Sunday afternoon and starting pitcher Shelby Kosmecki pitched a five inning one-hitter to lead the Racers to an 8-0 shutout victory in five innings over Tennessee Tech in the second and final game between the two teams. The Golden Eagles earlier claimed an 18-11 win that spanned two days after the game was suspended after two and a half innings Saturday afternoon due to heavy rain showers.
The Racers had already taken the lead in the bottom of the first inning of game two as Stephanie Edwards doubled to score Megan Glosser from second. Bradley's seventh homer of the season came on a low line drive that carried over the wall in the alley in left field to bring home Edwards and increase the MSU lead to three. Buch followed in the next at-bat with her team-leading seventh home run of the season to right center as the Racers completed the inning with a 4-0 lead.
Buch manufactured the Racers next run with a walk in her next at-bat to lead off the third. She successfully stole her fifth base of the season to reach second and scored with one out as Leslie Bridges doubled to left field.
MSU's patience at the plate in the fifth inning paid off as four walks, three with the bases loaded, plated three runs for the Racers and ended the game. Buch and Ellyn Troup led off the frame after each being hit by a pitch with one out. Bridges, Madysen Wilton and Alaina Zloty followed with walks to score two and Glosser ended the day, drawing a full count walk to score Bridges and complete the 8-0 win.
Kosmecki was dominant against Tennessee Tech, allowing just two base runners in five innings to improve to 2-3 on the season. She maneuvered out of trouble in the third inning as a pair of Golden Eagles sat on first and second, getting out of the inning with an infield fly to short stop and a pop up to third. Kosmecki helped record the final four TTU outs of the game, fielding four consecutive grounders on comebackers up the middle to get the outs at first base.
Six different Racers had hits in the win, led by Glosser with two infield singles, and the eight RBI recorded by MSU were from seven different players. Buch led the team with three runs, scoring in all of her plate appearances.
Claudia Harke took the loss for Tennessee Tech, giving up five runs in three innings on six hits and a walk.
The opening game featured 29 runs and 29 hits, concluding Sunday afternoon after weather postponed the completion of the contest by more than 24 hours. Buch opened up the scoring with her first home run of the series, driving in all three runners on base as she tallied her first grand slam in a Murray State uniform and the Racers first of the season to take a 4-0 lead.
Tennessee Tech stormed back in the top of the second, scoring five runs on four hits. It was the first time of three that the Golden Eagles would score five runs in a single inning.
The Racers started play on Sunday with a run in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 5-5. Bradley walked and stole second base with one out and scored from second on Troup's single to the gap in left field.
TTU responded with another five run inning, hitting the second grand slam of the day off the bat of Lacie Coquerille to take a 10-5 lead.
The Racers made a push at closing the gap, plating four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Bradley homered to score Glosser and Edwards after a pair of hits to lead off the inning. The next three MSU batters reached base on a hit and pair of walks, but were only able to score one additional run to head to the final inning trailing 13-11.
Chelsey Sullivan took the loss, appearing twice to allow nine runs (eight earned) five hits and two walks in 1.1 innings.
Holly Thomas earned the victory for Tennessee Tech despite giving up seven runs on six hits and five walks in 4.1 innings.
Buch led MSU with four RBI and three runs. Four Racers scored multiple runs and the first seven players in the batting order had at least one hit with the top four batters scoring two or more runs each.
Murray State steps out of conference this coming week, traveling to Evansville for a Wednesday doubleheader before continuing road action this weekend at Morehead State.
