Murray State
Evansville
Racers Split At Evansville
3/30/2011 9:45:29 PM | Softball
Edwards leads Racers with four runs and four hits
BOX SCORE - GAME 2
Murray State softball picked up an opening 7-3 win Wednesday afternoon against Evansville before the hosts rebounded in game two, coming from behind to win 8-5 at Cooper Stadium in Evansville, Ind.
The Racers got to Evansville starter Maggie Little early, placing four runners on base to score two in the opening frame.Stephanie Edwards and Jenna Bradley each roped one-out hits into the outfield followed by Lauren Buch drawing a full-count walk to load the bases.Ellyn Troup drew a second straight walk to put MSU on the scoreboard and Leslie Bridges doubled the lead on a fielder's choice to the short as Murray State exited the inning leading 2-0.
Evansville responded in its half of the second, piecing together a pair of hits around an error that extended the inning and allowed an unearned run to cross home plate and cut the MSU lead to 2-1 after two.
The Racers responded in the third, taking advantage of a trio of Evansville runs to plate two more runs in the inning. Edwards reached to lead off the inning on an error at third as the third baseman was unable to come up with the ball. She was able to advance to third on a failed pick-off attempt as the throw from the catcher skipped off the first baseman's glove into foul territory.
Bradley walked to give the Racers runners on the corners with no outs, and both runners came in to score on UE's third error of the inning. As Bradley successfully stole second base, Evansville's throw to the second baseman just to the right of the pitching circle was short and in the dirt, rolling into right field and allowing both Edwards and Bradley to score before the Purple Aces were able to get the ball in.
Edwards continued to find success in her third at-bat in the fifth inning, hitting her first home run of the season down the right field line to put the Racers up 5-1.
Evansville came back against Murray State starterShelby Kosmecki, threatening to score in each of the fifth and sixth innings. The Purple Aces put three base runners on with two outs on a pair of singles and walk, but Kosmecki rebounded to get a soft grounder to third base for the third out of the inning.
UE came back in the bottom of the sixth to load the bases again, but were again unable to take advantage as Little made her first plate appearance of the day in a pinch hitting role and struck out to leave the sixth with Murray State leading 5-1.
The Racers added another pair in the top of the seventh. Erica Meguiar hit a pinch hit double just short of the wall in right field. She came in to score after having moved to third when Megan Glosser poked a double into left field behind the third baseman. Edwards moved her over a base on her third hit of the game, a single to short that Evansville was unable to make a play on. Glosser scored the seventh run for MSU as Edwards was caught in a rundown attempting to steal second that allowed Glosser to beat a throw at the plate.
Evansville threatened to make it a new game, loading the bases off of reliever Madysen Wilton before Kosmecki re-entered and gave up two runs on a walk and wild pitch. Kristen Broadway came in after Kosmecki loaded the bases on a walk to bring the tying run to the plate and picked up her first save of the season with three straight outs to preserve the 7-3 victory.
Edwards led the Racers on offense, collecting a season-best three hits and scoring three times out of the second spot in the lineup.
Kosmecki improved to 3-3 on the season as she held the opposition without an unearned run for her second straight start. She allowed seven hits and six walks in six innings while striking out six Purple Aces, four coming at the end of an inning.
Little fell to 2-6, allowing seven runs, five earned, on six hits and four walks.
The home town Aces scored the first run of the nightcap in the bottom of the first as leadoff batter Jen Stahlhut homered for the first time this season.
Murray State came back strong in the top of the fourth, pounding Evansville starter Emily Morris for three runs on five hits. Edwards kept up her strong showing from the opener to lead off the inning with a strong single down the left field line that the third baseman was unable to control. Bradley followed with a double to left center that was deep enough for Edwards to beat the throw to the plate as Bradley advanced to third. Buch put the Racers ahead with her ninth home run of the season to right field to put Murray State up 3-1. Troup and Bridges also hit Morris hard but were unable to score.
MSU added another run in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Bradley that scored Stephanie Mattocks, but the Racers left three runners stranded.
Evansville came back in the fifth inning to score six runs, helped by a pair of two-run home runs from Am Gaertner and Kacey Rogers with two outs off of MSU starter Kristen Broadway
The Purple Aces and Racers traded runs in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh, Evansville driving scoring on a two out infield single to take an 8-4 lead and Murray State adding one back on Evansville, Ind., native Taylor Wilson's second home run of the season.
Broadway suffered the loss for MSU (7-18), allowing seven runs in five innings with four strike outs to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Kendall Kautz picked up the relief win for Evansville (7-22), entering in the fifth and tossing two innings while allowing five base runners and two runs.
Murray State stays on the road this weekend, traveling to Morehead State for an important three-game series. First pitch Saturday and Sunday is scheduled for noon.
