Racers Hold Off KU In Extras; SIU Tilt Postponed

Sunday, March 2

Chattanooga, Tenn.

11 a.m.

Murray State

8-7

Kansas

11-7

Kansas

Murray St.

3/2/2014 3:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

| Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

The Murray State softball team picked up its second win over a power conference team this season when it topped Kansas, 5-4 in eight innings, at the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois at Jim Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Racers' scheduled final game at the Coach B Classic against Southern Illinois was postponed due to weather. The game is expected to be made up at a later date in Carbondale.

The game started going the Racers' way early in the first when Cayla Levins singled up the middle to bring home Shelbey Miller and make it 1-0. Miller led off the game with a single of her own and would go on to finish the day a team-high two hits. Later in the inning, Alexa Becker made it 3-0 when she went yard for the fourth time this season, scoring Levins as well.

However, in the second the Jayhawks pulled within one and it began with RBI single that went straight up the middle from third baseman Chanin Naudin. In the next at bat, Taylor McElahney laid down a sacrifice bunt that allowed Chaley Brickey, who reached earlier on a single, to score from third and make it 3-2

All was quiet on both sides of the ball until the fifth when Leslie Bridges sent one out to center field that allowed Mo Ramsey, who began the inning by reaching on a KU error, to score and increase MSU's lead to 4-2. The lead did not lost long, however, as Maddie Stein homered with one on base in the top of the sixth to make it four all.

With neither team able to score from that point on, the game headed to extra innings with the international tiebreaker in effect. Murray State pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey did what she had to do in the top of the eighth to give her team a shot at the win and retired the Jayhawks in order.

Alexa Becker led off the eighth for Murray State with a sacrifice bunt that advanced its placed runner, Levins, to third. Bridges then came to the plate and hit a routine fielder's choice that KU was unable to convert on, giving MSU runners at the corner. Jessica Twaddle followed Bridges and drew a walk to load the bases, while Levins came home in the next at bat on a wild pitch by Kansas' Kelsey Kessler for the win.

Gaskey, who entered the game in the top of the sixth in a save situation, picked up the win for Murray State and improved her record to 4-4 on the year. Over three innings of work, she allowed two runs on three hits with two strikeouts. J.J. Francis tossed the first five innings for the Racers and allowed just one earned run on four hits. Kessler (7-4) took the loss for the Jayhawks by giving up three earned runs on six hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over a complete game, 7.1 inning performance.

Next weekend, the Racers will travel to Evansville for the Aces Invitational. While at Cooper Stadium, Murray State will face Evansville and South Dakota State once and IPFW twice.