Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Eastern Kentucky
Racers Fight Back To Earn Saturday Split at Eastern Kentucky
5/5/2012 11:44:00 AM | Softball
Game 2: Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Murray State softball rebounded from trailing 7-4, scoring six unanswered runs, three in the top of the ninth to win 10-7 in nine innings at Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels blanked the Racers 3-0 in the opening game Saturday afternoon.
Melissa Costa singled up the middle to center field in game one with the bases loaded for EKU in the bottom of the first, scoring two with one out to give the Colonels a 2-0 lead. Murray State starter Shelby Kosmecki struck out Larkyn Wood and Shannon McQueen for the second and third outs of the inning, leaving a pair of EKU runners stranded in scoring position.
The Colonels (27-27, 16-12 OVC) added another run in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on a McQueen single up the middle into center.
The Racers turned three line-out double plays in the game as Alexa Becker caught two line drives at short and caught runners off of second base, and Stephanie Edwards recorded both outs on a liner in front of first base.
Megan Glosser had two of the three MSU hits in game one, starting the game off with an infield single to the pitcher and reaching first on a slow ground ball to the shortstop in the Murray State sixth.
Kosmecki gave up a pair of earned runs on six hits and five walks in suffering the loss, falling to 11-11 on the season. She struck out five in six innings.
Leanna Pittsenbarger allowed just three hits with one walk in moving to 15-13 on the year. She recorded seven strikeouts in the victory.
Mo Ramsey put the Racers (31-19, 18-11 OVC) on the scoreboard first in game two as EKU starter Shaylon Robb threw wide of first on the attempt, advancing to third as the ball rolled down the fence into foul territory in the outfield. She scored on a wild pitch, sliding into home as the throw to Robb from the EKU catcher landed in front of the plate.
The Racers added three more on a play that featured a base hit and three errors by Eastern Kentucky. With Sarah Anderson on second and Christian Cox on first, Glosser singled to the pitcher. The second baseman, covering the base, missed the throw, allowing Anderson and Cox to score. The throw to the plate as Cox advanced was missed by the catcher, rolling to the backstop. The missed play at the plate allowed Glosser to advance towards second, and another error by the EKU catcher as the ball sailed into an uncovered center field let Glosser come all the way home to take a 4-0 lead.
Eastern Kentucky broke the game open in the bottom of the third, piecing together six hits with three MSU errors in the inning to take a 7-4 lead after three innings.
MSU grabbed three runs back in the top of the fourth to tie the game a 7-7. Becker flew out to right center for the inning's second out, deep enough to score Glosser from third. Casey Castile followed with a double to right center, scoring Ramsey from second to put the Racers down a run. A shallow single into left field from Kellerman advanced Castile to home as the throw to the plate was too far in front to apply a tag.
The Racers were able to break through in the top of the ninth with runners on the corners as Ellyn Troup dropped a bunt in front of the pitcher with one out. Castile slid underneath a bobbled tag on the squeeze play to put the Racers up 8-7. Two more runs came in to score on a double to the wall in right center by Anderson that increased the MSU advantage to 10-7.
CheyAnne Gaskey pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, her sixth consecutive complete scoreless inning of the game to wrap up the victory.
Gaskey improved to 9-3 on the season, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings after entering in the third inning. She gave up four hits out of the bullpen, walking none and striking out four.
Pittsenbarger falls to 15-14 with the loss, throwing the final five innings for EKU. She gave up three runs on three hits, striking out five and walking one.
Glosser again led the charge on offense, recording hits in four-of-five at bats with a pair of runs. She raised her team-leading batting average to .392 on the season.
Ramsey and Castile each scored twice, and Anderson was the lone Racers to drive in multiple runs with two RBI.
The two teams conclude regular season action Sunday afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for noon.
