Murray State
Belmont
Racers Take Doubleheader Against Belmont
4/5/2011 11:33:00 PM | Softball
BOX SCORE - GAME 1
BOX SCORE - GAME 2
Murray State softball swept the season series from Belmont Tuesday night, defeating the Bruins 3-2 and 5-0 at Racer Field.
The two teams met once earlier this season at the War Eagle Classic as MSU recorded the first no-hitter in program history in an 8-0 win in five innings.
The Racers got on the scoreboard first in their half of the second inning, getting a lead-off home run from Lauren Buch, her 10th of the season, to put MSU up 1-0.
Stephanie Mattocks and Christian Cox each drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth, Mattocks on a sharp ground ball through the left side of the infield and Cox on a shallow fly ball into center to put the Racers ahead 3-0 after four innings.
Belmont responded in the top of the fifth, manufacturing a run after a lead-off single to center from Natalie Buntin. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a ground out up the middle in the inning's first out and scored on the next out, a grounder to second.
The Bruins made the contest a one-run game in the seventh, driving in a run from second base on a high one-hopper beyond the glove of MSU third baseman Mattocks to place the tying run on first before ending the game on a soft liner to second.
Shelby Kosmecki won her fourth straight decision for Murray State (11-19), allowing eight hits and a walk in the complete game victory. She struck out six Bruins on the night.
Kosmecki pitched out of trouble twice on the night after placing multiple runners on base with no outs. Belmont put runners on first and second with a walk and base hit in the top of the fourth, but were left stranded after the Racers got a force out at third for the inning's first out, a strike out from Kosmecki, and ground out to second to exit the inning.
Belmont put three runners on base to start the sixth, using a pair of hits and an error in threatening to take the lead. Kosmecki came out of the inning unscathed, getting the first out on a pop up to third before striking out two Bruins in a row.
Mia Vierra took the game one loss for Belmont (7-26), allowing all three runs off of five hits and two walks in four innings pitched.
The Racers had a much easier time in game two, jumping ahead to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Cox singled to right field to lead off the inning and scored in MSU's next at-bat. Taylor Wilson reached on a base hit single to the Belmont first baseman and was struck with the ball in the back running to first base. That allowed Cox to advance to third and she was able to score when Belmont threw the ball to second in an attempt to keep Wilson at first.Megan Glosser moved Wilson over on a bunt single to third and both runners advanced another base on a sacrifice bunt. Buch singled to right two batters later to give MSU a 3-0 lead after three.
Wilson singled in Cox with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and the Racers added a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to increase their lead to 5-0.
Chelsey Sullivan recorded her second shutout victory of the season against Belmont, striking out a career-high nine Bruins and allowing six hits in seven innings and walking none for the first time in 16 starts this season.
Devon Schmidt took the loss in game two for Belmont, allowing five runs on ten hits and two walks.
Buch, Cox and Glosser led MSU with three hits in the doubleheader. Cox was the lone Racer to score two runs on the night and Buch paced the team with three RBI.
Murray State returns to Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend, traveling to Austin Peay with a doubleheader Saturday and single game Sunday. Action both games begins at 1 p.m.
