Softball Sweeps DH at TSU

Saturday, March 22

Nashville, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Murray State

12-13, 1-2

Tennessee State

13-18, 1-2

Murray St.

Tennessee St.

3/22/2014 7:24:00 PM | 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 put a six-game skid to bed in a big way on Saturday by sweeping an OVC doubleheader at Tennessee State. The Racers took game one by blanking the Tigers, 3-0, then used a big sixth inning to post a 8-1 win in the finale.

Game 1 – Murray State 3 (12-13, 1-2), Tennessee State 0 (13-18, 1-2 OVC)
The first four innings of the opener between the Tigers and the Racers saw both teams clamp down defensively. Neither team was able to score in the first four frames due in large part to the play of both defenses, as the teams combined for seven hits but stranded a total of 11 runners.

In the fifth, however, the Racers finally broke the scoreless draw when Cayla Levins sent one through the right side to score Shelbey Miller. Miller reached earlier in the stanza on a single of her own to center field, then stole second during Mo Ramsey's at bat.

Murray State added two more in the seventh inning, beginning when Maggie Glass scored on a muffed thrown by the TSU catcher after Levins reached on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, Jessica Twaddle brought Levins home on a fielder's choice of her own to the short stop to cap the game's scoring at 3-0.

CheyAnne Gaskey went the full seven innings in the circle for Murray State to move to 6-7 on the year with her second shutout of the season. She finished the game allowing no runs on five hits with only two walks and two strikeouts.

Levins led MSU in the first game by going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Maggie Glass was also 2-for-3 with a run. Miller, Ramsey, Alexa Becker and Leslie Bridges also tallied hits in the game to give the Racers eight in the contest.

Game 2 – Murray State 8 (13-13, 2-2), Tennessee State 1 (13-19, 1-3 OVC)

In game two, Murray State was first on the board when Tennessee State committed two errors on the same play to allow Cayla Levins to reach first and Alexa Becker to score. However in the second, Tayler Shimizu tied the game with a RBI-single to second that scored Jayna Hanawahine.

In the third, the Racers took back the lead after Maggie Glass, Shelbey Miller and Mo Ramsey started off the frame with three straight singles. Two batters later, Alexa Becker drew her second of a career-high three walks in the game to score Glass and put MSU back on top, 2-1.

The score remained at 2-1 until the sixth inning when Murray State blew the game wide open with five runs on six hits. Miller and Ramsey both notched doubles in the frame that scored two runs each, while Becker singled late in the inning to score Ramsey.

Murray State tacked on another run in the seventh and it got started when Morgan Harrell began the inning with MSU's ninth triple of the year. Just 26 games into the season, the Racers have already eclipsed the previous program single-season record for triples of eight. Two batters later, Miller pushed the lead to 8-1 when she scored Harrell on a single up the middle to seal the doubleheader sweep for MSU.

Miller finished the game with a career-high three hits, two runs, two RBIs and a walk, while Ramsey went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run. Mallory Young entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 2-for-2, while Becker finished at 1-for-2 with three walks.

Mason Robinson pitched six innings for the Racers to move to 5-4 on the year after she gave up just one earned run on two hits with four strikeouts and only one walk. J.J. Francis finished the game for MSU and allowed no runs on no hits with no walks, while striking out two of the three batters in the final frame.

On Sunday, Murray State will return home after five games on the road to continue OVC play against Belmont. The doubleheader against the Bruins will begins a stretch of 12 home games over the next 13 contests for the Racers. First pitch at Racer Field on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m.