Racers Drop Pair on First Day of DeMarini Invitational

Friday, March 4

Fullerton, Calif.

5:45 p.m.

Murray State

Cal State Northridge

Racers Drop Pair on First Day of DeMarini Invitational

3/5/2011 2:15:26 AM | Softball

Return to action Saturday against nationally-ranked Cal and Stanford

Lauren Buch blasted her team-leading fourth home run of the season and Stephanie Mattocks hit her first of the year as the Racers fell 6-4 against Cal State Northridge and 7-3 to Oregon State in Murray State's first two games at the DeMarini Invitational hosted by Cal State Fullerton.

Box Score - Cal State Northridge
Box Score - Oregon State

The Racers fell behind early against Cal State Northridge (6-10) as the Matadors scored a pair of runs with two outs, using a single through the left side of the infield followed by three consecutive walks to take an early 2-0 lead.

MSU (2-6) quickly responded in the bottom half of the frame, scoring two on Mattocks first home run of 2011 to even the game at 2-2.

A solo home run in the top of the second gave CSN the lead back as the game settled in through the middle innings until Northridge homered for the second time of the game, knocking a three-run shot out in the fifth inning to lead 6-2.

The Racers would get a shot at a comeback in the final half inning as Buch drove in Mattocks with one out on a deep home run to the gap in right field. Stephanie Edwards followed with a pinch hit double to bring the trying runner to the plate, but were unable to bring the game any closer in the two run loss.

Madysen Wilton took the loss for MSU in relief, allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits and three walks with three strike outs in her longest outing of the season.

Allowing early runs hurt the Racers again against Oregon State. The Beavers needed just three hits to score five in the top of the first, plating two on a single between first and second and a three-run home run to jump ahead.

Murray State would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, cutting the OSU advantage to 5-2, thanks to walks by Megan Glosser, Meghan Sims and Mattocks and an Oregon State error that brought in a run.

The game slowed down after the first with neither team placing a runner on base until the Racers picked up the first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a single from Mattocks to lead off the inning.

Oregon State (6-5) added single runs in the fifth and sixth on a home run and single, respectively. The Beavers would have scored twice in the sixth but ended the inning on a play at the plate as Jenna Bradley nailed McKenna Lowe with a perfect throw from center field to get out of the inning.

Ellyn Troup gave the Racers a final run in the sixth, singling up the middle to score Bradley from second.

Chelsey Sullivan took the loss for Murray State, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks in a third of an inning.

Shelby Kosmecki tossed her strongest performance of the season, lasting 5.2 innings to end the game and holding Oregon State to two runs and six baserunners while striking out four.

MSU returns to action at the DeMarini Invitational against a pair of nationally-ranked opponents. The Racers take on #10 California at 1:15 p.m. and #14 Stanford at 5:45 p.m. in day two of the three day event.