Softball Blanks Coppin State, Falls To Georgia

Friday, February 6

Athens, Ga.

9:30 a.m.

Murray State

1-0

Coppin State

0-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Coppin St.	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
Murray St.	5	0	0	2	1	8	9	1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Murray St.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Georgia	1	3	0	2	0	2	8	13	0

Photo by: Greg Jocelyn

2/6/2015 4:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Murray State softball team opened its 2015 season with a split on the opening day of the 8^th Annual Red & Black Showcase Friday at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia. The Racers kicked-off the day with an 8-0 five-inning win over Coppin State, but fell to host 10^th-ranked Georgia, 6-0.

Game 1 - Murray St. 8, Coppin St. 0 (5 Inn.)
In the opener, the Racers (2-0) started off with a huge five run first inning that began with a leadoff hit by Shelbey Miller. After Alexa Becker and Jessica Twaddle were hit by a pitch and were walked, respectively, Maggie Glass put Murray State on the board by drawing a RBI walk.

Becker would go on to score on an RBI single from Mallory Young, followed by a fielder's choice from Erika Downey that allowed Twaddle to score and put MSU up 3-0. After Downey swiped a base, Jocelynn Rodgers drove in Glass and Downey with an RBI single to round of the first inning scoring.

In the fourth, Miller led off the frame again with a hit, then stole her second and third bases of the contest. Mo Ramsey drove in Miller with a single in the next at bat and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Coppin State (0-2). Alexa Becker capped the scoring the frame with her first hit of the day to score Ramsey from third.

In the fifth, Mallory Richardson began the inning with a walk, then stole second and advanced to third on a single from Erica Howard. The game came to a conclusion when Miller came up her third hit of the game to drive in Richardson and end the game via the eight-run rule.

CheyAnne Gaskey threw four hitless innings for the Racers allowing just two baserunners, via a walk and an error, and striking out four. Haven Campbell closed out the game for Murray State and allowed no runs on just one hit over one inning. Despite three baserunners, Murray State faced the minimum number of batters in the game, thanks to heads-up defense that included throwing out a would be base stealer and turning two double plays.

Game 2 – Georgia 8, Murray St. 0 (6 Inn.)
In game two, the Bulldogs proved why they are ranked as the 10^th best team in the nation, as they scored four runs in the first two innings and never looked back, taking the game 8-0 in six innings. The Bulldogs outhit Murray State, 13-1, in the contest, with the lone hit for MSU coming in the form of a single from Jessica Twaddle in the fourth.

However, there were bright spots for the Racers as they have now turned at least two double plays in each of their two games. Murray State has already turned five double plays in 2015, compared to just 16 in all of 2014. Twaddle played a big role in those five double plays as well, turning an unassisted double play in each of the two games.

J.J. Francis took the loss for Murray State by allowing four runs on seven hit with one strikeout over 2.0 innings to fall to 0-1 on the season. Mason Robinson entered the game in relief of Francis and tossed the final 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

The Racers will return to Jack Turner Stadium on Saturday for two more games in the Red & Black Showcase. MSU will begin the day by taking on Illinois at 10:30 a.m. CST, followed by a date with Winthrop at 6:30 p.m. CST.