Murray State University Athletics
Sunday, February 19
Mobile, Ala.
9 a.m.
Murray State
7-2
9
vs
4
Butler
4-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Murray St.
0
0
2
0
6
1
0
9
10
2
Butler
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
4
13
1
Photo by: Patti Twaddle
Sunday Sweep Propels Racers To Program’s Best Start
2/19/2017 4:47:00 PM | Softball
The Murray State softball team used one big inning in each game Sunday to beat both Butler and McNeese in the final day of the 2017 Mardi Gras Invitational at Jaguar Field in Mobile, Alabama. The pair of wins gives Murray State a 4-1 record for the weekend and 8-2 overall record on the year. The 8-2 mark is the best 10-game start in the eight-year history of Murray State softball.
Game 1 – Murray St. 9, Butler 4
After being limited to just one run in its first encounter with Murray State Friday, Butler struck first Sunday with a RBI-single from Sarah Dixon and a sacrifice fly from Brandyce Sallee to take an early 2-0 lead in the first. The Bulldogs then extended their lead to 3-0 in the second with a double from Jen Foreman.
However, in the third, Kaylee Ranburger and Jessica Twaddle helped MSU pull within one with a RBI-ground out and a RBI-single, respectively. Despite the two runs in the top of the frame by the Racers, Butler added another run in the bottom of the third on a one-run single from Alyssa Garcia, pushing the lead to 4-2.
In the fifth, exploded for six runs on a two-run double from Jocelynn Rodgers, a two-RBI single from Madison Culver and a pair of bases loaded walks by Cayla Levins and Leah Kesel to make it 8-4 Racers. Rodgers added another run for MSU in the sixth on a RBI-single to cap the scoring at 9-4 and give the Racers the win.
Rodgers, Ranburger, Twaddle and Brenna Finck each had two hits in the game, accounting for eight of MSU's 10 hits in the contest. Mason Robinson got the win in relief for Murray State by allowing no runs on just three hits with four strikeouts over the final four innings of the contest. Haven Campbell began the game for Murray State and surrendered four runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts in the first three innings.
Game 2 – Murray St. 13, McNeese 5 (6 Inn.)
In game two, Murray State was first on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to an error by the Cowgirls that allowed Maggie Glass and Rodgers, who reached after being walked and hit, to score. Later in the frame, Erika Downey and a Finck plated one run each on a single and a triple, respectively, to give MSU a 4-0 lead. Twaddle made it 5-0 in the third on another error by McNeese during Glass' at bat, when she scored from third.
Starting in the fourth inning, the Cowgirls begin to slowly chip away at Murray State's lead before eventually tying the game at five in the top of the sixth. Four different McNeese players drove in runs during the stretch with no single play scoring more than two runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Twaddle got it going for the Racers with a RBI-double, which was followed by a three-run home run from Taylor Odom. Later in the inning, with two outs, Downey added another run on a RBI-single to make it 10-5 MSU. In the next at bat, the bases cleared on an error by a McNeese outfielder during Finck's at bat to make it 13-5, ending the game on the spot via the eight-run rule.
Finck led MSU in the contest by going 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI, while Twaddle was 3-for-3 with a RBI, two doubles and a walk. Robinson moved to 6-1 with the win, allowing five runs, just two of which were earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts and just one walk over six complete
Following the games Sunday, Finck and Twaddle were named to the all-tournament team. Finck was 10-for-19 for a .526 average on the weekend, to go along with a six runs, double, two triples and four RBIs. Meanwhile, Twaddle hit .471 with five runs, three doubles, four RBIs and two walks.
Up next for Murray State is a trip to Birmingham, Alabama for the 2017 Samford/UAB Classic next weekend. While in the Magic City, the Racers will take on both host teams, Iowa State and Indiana.
Game 1 – Murray St. 9, Butler 4
After being limited to just one run in its first encounter with Murray State Friday, Butler struck first Sunday with a RBI-single from Sarah Dixon and a sacrifice fly from Brandyce Sallee to take an early 2-0 lead in the first. The Bulldogs then extended their lead to 3-0 in the second with a double from Jen Foreman.
However, in the third, Kaylee Ranburger and Jessica Twaddle helped MSU pull within one with a RBI-ground out and a RBI-single, respectively. Despite the two runs in the top of the frame by the Racers, Butler added another run in the bottom of the third on a one-run single from Alyssa Garcia, pushing the lead to 4-2.
In the fifth, exploded for six runs on a two-run double from Jocelynn Rodgers, a two-RBI single from Madison Culver and a pair of bases loaded walks by Cayla Levins and Leah Kesel to make it 8-4 Racers. Rodgers added another run for MSU in the sixth on a RBI-single to cap the scoring at 9-4 and give the Racers the win.
Rodgers, Ranburger, Twaddle and Brenna Finck each had two hits in the game, accounting for eight of MSU's 10 hits in the contest. Mason Robinson got the win in relief for Murray State by allowing no runs on just three hits with four strikeouts over the final four innings of the contest. Haven Campbell began the game for Murray State and surrendered four runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts in the first three innings.
Game 2 – Murray St. 13, McNeese 5 (6 Inn.)
In game two, Murray State was first on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to an error by the Cowgirls that allowed Maggie Glass and Rodgers, who reached after being walked and hit, to score. Later in the frame, Erika Downey and a Finck plated one run each on a single and a triple, respectively, to give MSU a 4-0 lead. Twaddle made it 5-0 in the third on another error by McNeese during Glass' at bat, when she scored from third.
Starting in the fourth inning, the Cowgirls begin to slowly chip away at Murray State's lead before eventually tying the game at five in the top of the sixth. Four different McNeese players drove in runs during the stretch with no single play scoring more than two runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Twaddle got it going for the Racers with a RBI-double, which was followed by a three-run home run from Taylor Odom. Later in the inning, with two outs, Downey added another run on a RBI-single to make it 10-5 MSU. In the next at bat, the bases cleared on an error by a McNeese outfielder during Finck's at bat to make it 13-5, ending the game on the spot via the eight-run rule.
Finck led MSU in the contest by going 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI, while Twaddle was 3-for-3 with a RBI, two doubles and a walk. Robinson moved to 6-1 with the win, allowing five runs, just two of which were earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts and just one walk over six complete
Following the games Sunday, Finck and Twaddle were named to the all-tournament team. Finck was 10-for-19 for a .526 average on the weekend, to go along with a six runs, double, two triples and four RBIs. Meanwhile, Twaddle hit .471 with five runs, three doubles, four RBIs and two walks.
Up next for Murray State is a trip to Birmingham, Alabama for the 2017 Samford/UAB Classic next weekend. While in the Magic City, the Racers will take on both host teams, Iowa State and Indiana.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Robinson, Mason (5-1)
L: Schnaiter, Gabbi (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Rodgers, Jocelynn 1
RBI: Ranburger, Kaylee 1 ; Twaddle, Jessica 1 ; Rodgers, Jocelynn 3 ; Levins, Cayla 1 ; Kesel, Leah 1 ; Culver, Madison 2
SH: Twaddle, Jessica 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Finck, Brenna 2 ; Ranburger, Kaylee 1 ; Twaddle, Jessica 1 ; Bialek, Kristen 1 ; Rodgers, Jocelynn 1 ; Glass, Maggie 1 ; Levins, Cayla 1 ; Downey, Erika 1
SB: Twaddle, Jessica 1
Batting:
2B: Foreman, Jenna 1 ; Christiansen, Madi 1
RBI: Foreman, Jenna 1 ; Dixon, Sarah 1 ; Sallee, Brandyce 1 ; Garcia, Alyssa 1
SH: Sallee, Brandyce 1 ; Doud, Kaitlin 1
SF: Sallee, Brandyce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Foreman, Jenna 1 ; Dixon, Sarah 1 ; St. Cyr, Zoe 1 ; Cahill, Katelyn 1
SB: Foreman, Jenna 1 ; Dixon, Sarah 1 ; Longest, Payton 1
PO: Foreman, Jenna 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballIF
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