Softball Tops SIU at Home

Tuesday, March 24

Racer Field

4 p.m.

Murray State

16-10

Southern Illinois

11-10-1

Southern Ill.

Murray St.

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

3/24/2015 7:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Small ball was the order of the day, as the Murray State softball team put up six hits and took advantage of six walks and two errors by Southern Illinois in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Salukis at Racer Field in Murray.

The Salukis (11-11-1) were first on the board in the contest in the third when Sydney Jones' single turned into a run by Kaylyn Harker, who began the play at first, after two separate errors by the Racers (17-10). However, the Racers tied it in the bottom of the frame on an RBI walk from Jessica Twaddle, after SIU pitcher Savanna Dover loaded up the bases with no outs on a single from Alexa Becker and two walks from Erica Howard and Mo Ramsey.

Later in the bottom of the third, Becker scored on a bases loaded illegal pitch from Dover, followed by an RBI bunt from Jocelynn Rodgers to score Ramsey. Twaddle rounded out the scoring in the stanza when she was scored on a single from Shelbey Miller to make the score 4-
1.

In the fifth inning, after leading off the frame with a double, Twaddle found her way home after the first of two SIU errors in the game, increasing the lead to 5-1. In the top of the sixth, Murray State pitcher Mason Robinson found herself in quite a jam, as the bases were loaded with just one out. However, the sophomore was able to escape unscathed after helping record the force out at home for the second out and striking out the next batter to end the inning.

MSU added an insurance run in the sixth, after Becker, who reached on a double, scored on a second Saluki error to cap MSU's scoring at 6-1. In the seventh, after a walk and a single, SIU's Sydney Jones went yard to cut the deficit to just two, at 6-4, in just one swing of the bat. Reliever J.J. Francis, however, was able to maintain her composure and get the next Saluki batter to pop out to end the game.

Becker led Murray State on the day by going a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and two runs, while Twaddle went 1-for-3 with a double, two runs and two RBIs.

Robinson moved to 8-3 on the year with the win by allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts over six complete innings. Francis closed out the game for MSU and struck out two.

The Racers return to OVC action Saturday when they begin a three-game set at Eastern Illinois. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game are both set for 1 p.m.