Racers Take Two From EIU

Saturday, April 2

Racer Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

13-17, 0

Eastern Illinois

7-22, 0

Eastern Ill.

Murray St.

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

4/2/2016 6:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Murray State softball team won both games of its OVC doubleheader with Eastern Illinois Saturday, 4-0 and 7-5, at Racer Field in Murray.

In the opener, the Racers (14-17, 4-5) got on the board in the first by manufacturing a run that began with Jessica Twaddle reaching on an error with two outs. In the next at bat, Cayla Levins was the first of Eastern Illinois' Jessica Wireman's seven strikeout victims in the game, but a passed ball allowed her to reach first and Twaddle to get to third. The duo then successfully executed a double steal to give Murray State the 1-0 advantage.

Levins would go on to add three more runs in the third on a home run to left field, to cap the scoring at four. The Murray State defense was once again on full display as it stranded four runners, turned a double play and caught a runner to stealing to help seal the 4-0 win.

Mason Robinson also played a big role in the win as she notched a solo shutout by giving up no runs on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks over the full seven innings. In addition to Levins' home run, the Racers also got hits in the game from Jocelynn Rodgers and Leah Kesel, as well as a pair of pinch hits from Madison Culver and Erica Howard.

In game two, it was Eastern Illinois (9-23, 3-6) that jumped out in front this time, using a two-run home run from Haylee Beck and a RBI-single from April Markowski to take an early 3-0 lead in the first. However, in the bottom of the inning, the Racers knotted the game at three all on a two-RBI double from Rodgers and RBI-single from Culver.

With no runs by either team in the second, the Panthers retook the lead in the third on a double from Beck to make it 4-3. The lead did not last long though, as MSU answered again this time with a home run from Culver, the first of her career, to push her team ahead, 5-4.

Murray State padded its lead in the sixth on a single from Rodgers that scored two to increase the lead to 7-4. Eastern Illinois added one run in the seventh, on a double from Kylie Bennett, but it was not enough as the Racers held on for the 7-5 win.

Maddy Feeney was a perfect 3-for-3 in game two, while Rodgers and Culver each finished 2-for-4 with a run and four RBIs for Rodgers and a run and three RBIs for Culver. Haven Campbell came in for starter Amber Van Duyse and got the win by allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walk over 6.2 innings.

Both teams will return to Racer Field Sunday for the series finale, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.