EIU Takes Two From Softball

Sunday, March 29

Charleston, Ill.

1 p.m.

Murray State

17-11, 4-4

Eastern Illinois

9-15, 4-4

Murray St.

Eastern Ill.

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

3/29/2015 9:09:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Murray State softball team dropped a pair of tough losses at Eastern Illinois Sunday, 3-1 and 7-6, at Williams Field in Charleston.

In game one, Jeanette Isaac led off the third for Eastern Illinois (10-15, 5-4 OVC) with a seemingly innocent walk that later proved to be trouble for MSU (17-12, 4-5 OVC). After Bailey O'Dell pushed Isaac to third with a double, Andrea Roberts broke the 0-0 tie with a RBI single. Two batters later, Katie Watson drew a bases loaded walk from CheyAnne Gaskey to score O'Dell for a 2-0 Panthers lead.

In the fifth, Alexa Becker led off the inning with a walk and was advanced to second on a bunt single from Ramsey. Later in the inning, Jocelynn Rodgers came up with a RBI single to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. However, in the bottom of the fifth a lead-off walk once again came back to bite MSU, as Roberts was scored on a single from Haylee Beck to seal the 3-1 win.

Becker finished the game by going 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and a run, while Ramsey and Rodgers were each 2-for-3. Gaskey took the loss for the Racers to fall to 8-6 after giving up three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and five walks. Haven Campbell pitched 1.2 innings of relief and allowed no runs on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts.

In game two, the Racers came out of the gates on fire. Alexa Becker started off the first with a double and was then scored on a single from Jessica Twaddle for the early 1-0 lead. In the second, Mo Ramsey scored two on a single and was followed by an RBI double from twaddle to push the lead to 4-0. Murray State scored two more in the third on a two-error play by EIU to make it 6-0.

However, just when it looked the game was over, the Panthers came storming back with four runs in the fifth. Bailey O'Dell drove in two runs with a double and was followed by a two-RBI single from Hannah Cole to cut the deficit to 6-4.

In the sixth, Eastern Illinois started the frame with four straight hits to cut the lead to 6-5, followed by a bases loaded hit by pitch to the tie the game at six all. After Kylie Bennett was thrown out at home, Bailey O'Dell launched a sacrifice fly that scored Haylee Beck for the would-be winning run.

Despite a Ramsey single in the top of the seventh, the Racers could get nothing working and fell, 7-6. Rodgers led Murray State in the contest at 3-for-4 while Becker, Ramsey and Twaddle all followed at 2-for-4.

Haven Campbell took the loss for MSU by allowing three runs on four hits with three walks in 0.1 innings. Francis was solid in relief for the Racers giving up no hits and no runs over a complete inning.

The Racers will return to Williams Field on Monday for the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.