Rodgers’ Walk-Off HR Sends Racers Past SIUE In 10

Sunday, April 17

Racer Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

18-24, 0

SIUE

17-20, 0

SIUE

Murray St.

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

4/17/2016 5:09:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Jocelynn Rodgers blasted a home run over the center-field wall in the bottom of the 10^th inning to break up a 0-0 tie and lift the Racers past SIUE, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Racer Field in Murray.

The Racers made it to the 10^th inning largely in part to the pitching of Mason Robinson. Robinson gave up a hit to the very first batter of the game, but would not give up another until the sixth and then again in the 10^th. She finished the 10-inning marathon by allowing no runs on only three hits with three strikeouts and two walks to earn her third solo shutout and move to 13-11 on the of the season.

Another key component to the win was the defense of Murray State. The Racers turned two double plays Sunday, including one in the ninth, and stranded four Cougars on base, with the final of the four making it all the way to third in the top of the 10^th. Jessica Twaddle retired a MSU single-game record 21 runners in the contest and now holds all five of the top performances in the category in school history.

The game-winning bottom of the 10^th inning begin with a Shelbey Miller hit through the right side, which was followed by a Leah Kesel single up the middle. Both runners would move into scoring position on the next at bat on a textbook sacrifice bunt by Cayla Levins. Rodgers would follow Levins and on the first pitch would belt her third home run of the season, allowing the Racers to walk off with the 3-0 win.

Kesel led the Racers Sunday by tallying three of their 11 hits in the game in four at bats, while also scoring a run. Levins finished the day at 2-for-3, while Miller was 2-for-5 with a run. Along with Rodgers, three others MSU players had one hit in the game, including Twaddle, Brenna Finck and Maddy Feeny.

With the win, Murray State moved to 18-24 overall and 8-9 in the OVC, while SIUE drops to 17-20 on the season and 9-7 in conference play.

Murray State returns to non-conference action Wednesday in its penultimate mid-week contest of the season, when it travels to Lipscomb for one game that is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.