Softball Takes Two at SIUE

Sunday, April 28

Edwardsville, Ill.

2 p.m.

Murray State

19-26, 12-10

SIU Edwardsville

34-11, 17-5

Murray St.

SIU Edwardsville

Photo by: Murray State Sports Information

4/28/2013 11:28:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

| Game 1 Box Score (PDF) | Game 2 Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

The Murray State softball team picked up two much needed wins on Sunday when they swept a doubleheader at SIU Edwardsville, 2-1 and 3-1.

In game one, the Racers (21-24, 12-10) struck first when Ellyn Troup doubled off of SIU Edwardsville pitcher Haley Chambers in the top of the second. With Chambers, who entered the game with a .197 opponent's batting average, rattled Leslie Bridges made it 2-0 by belting her third home run of the season.

Despite allowing 10 hits in the game, the Murray Sate defense was impeccable as it committed no errors and stranded 11 Cougars on the base paths. In fact, it was an outstanding defensive play that helped preserve the win for Murray State. With one out and runners on first and second in the sixth, Jordan LaFave singled to center field, but Casey Castile saved the day with a laser strike to Troup, who tagged Samantha Stanicek out at the plate.

The Cougars (34-11, 17-5) eventually cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh on a ground out from Brittany Toney that scored Taylor Tooley from third. However, the Racers were able to retire the next batter and pick up the 2-1 victory in the opener.

Shelby Kosmecki picked up her eighth win of the season in game one as she allowed just one run with three strikeouts and two walks over six complete innings. CheyAnne Gaskey came in two batters into the seventh and retired the final three batters to earn the save. With the save, Gaskey became the program's single-season and career save leader with four and six, respectively.

The loss was just the fourth of the season for Chamber who gave up two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk. In addition to Troup and Bridges, Casey Castile also tallied a hit in game one, a one-out single to center field in the fourth.

In the second game, it was the Cougars that were first on the board this time and it all began with a walk by CC Hutchinson. Hutchinson moved to second in the next at bat on a sacrifice bunt from Stanicek and scored on the following play on a single from Kayla Riggs and an error by Murray State.

However, in the fourth the Racers were able to take advantage of several defensive miscues by SIUE and surge to a 3-1 lead. The inning began with Mo Ramsey reaching first on a single, but was thrown out on the next play by a fielder's choice from Alexa Becker.

Becker was able to steal second during Castile's at bat and was later joined by Castile, who reached on an error. Becker came home on a wild pitch in the next at bat, with Castile following on a single by Troup and a ball thrown into the dugout by the Cougars. Christian Cox made it 3-1 later in the frame when she singled to the pitcher to score Troup.

The fourth inning burst proved to be all the offense the Racers would need in the contest, as the defense was able to hold the Cougars scoreless for the rest of the game. After getting outhit 10-3 in game one, the Racers returned the favor in game two by garnering 11 hits to SIUE's four.

Ramsey led Murray State in the finale by going 3-for-4, while Cox and Erica Howard each went 2-for-3. Gaskey turned in a complete game effort to move to 12-7 on the year after she allowed just one unearned run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

The two wins moved the Racers into fourth in the OVC standings with just three games left in the regular season. The sweep of the Cougars was the first in program history for MSU and was also the first time this season that SIUE had been swept by any team.

On Wednesday, the Racers will close out their non-conference schedule at home with a doubleheader against regional foe Memphis. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.