Softball Splits with Tennessee Tech

Saturday, April 5

Racer Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

17-17, 0

Tennessee Tech

23-10, 0

Tennessee Tech

Murray St.

Photo by: Sam Sheffer

4/5/2014 9:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Murray State softball held on in a tight battle of game one to defeat the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (11-29, 3-9 OVC) 5-4, but fell behind early and couldn't catch up in the nightcap, dropping the game 9-3. Murray State remains just a game below .500 for the season (17-18) and a game above .500 in the OVC (6-5).

Game One – Murray State 5, Tennessee Tech 4

The Racers got on the board quickly in game one after Mason Robinson stranded a runner in scoring position in the top of the first. On the third pitch she saw, leadoff hitter Shelby Miller took Golden Eagles starter Danielle Liberatore deep to center for her second career homerun. The Racers threated for more with a pair of two-out walks, but neither crossed the plate.

With the game still 1-0 an inning later, it was Miller again who delivered a big hit for MSU. With two outs following a Cayla Levins fielder's choice, Miller doubled off the left field wall to drive home Levin's and the Racers second run.

Robinson had danced around trouble through the first three innings, leaving a runner on base in each frame. It was the fourth inning where the Golden Eagles finally took advantage. Kendall Hooper and Chelsea Burgess opened the inning with back-to-back doubles to spell the end for Robinson. JJ Francis came on in relief and gave up a game-tying single to Courtney Fry, who later came around to score the go-ahead run on an error by catcher, Jocelynn Rodgers.

The Racers were able to get the run right back in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI single to left by Levins. They then took the lead for good in the fifth when Taylor Odom smacked her first career home run to center.

The Golden Eagles tried to fight back, plating a run in the sixth on a two-out single by Angi Sakamto, but that was as close as they came as the Racers secured game one with a four-out save from CheyAnne Gaskey.

JJ Francis earned the win and improves to 4-2 on the season.

Game Two – Tennessee Tech 9, Murray State 3

Neither team collected a hit through the first two innings of game two because Tennessee Tech broke through with a four run third off Racer starter, Gaskey. The Eagles scored their first two runs taking advantage of a few Racer defensive miscues before Hooper dropped one over the left field wall for a two-run home run, giving TTU a 4-0 lead.

MSU responded in the fourth inning, closing the gap to 4-3 on a pair of RBI hits from Odom (her third on the afternoon) and Erica Howard. The third run of the inning came on a double-steal with Odom swiping home plate.

That was all for the Racer offense though, as MSU managed just one more hit over the final three innings. TTU scored two more in the fifth and three in the sixth, bringing their total to nine.

Gaskey gets charged with the loss, dropping her record to 7-10. TTU pitcher Hannah Weaver went the distance sprinkling seven hits and allowing just the three earned runs for her fourth win of the season.

MSU heads right back into action tomorrow with a doubleheader against Jacksonville State. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.