Racers Earn Split at UT Martin

Saturday, April 8

Martin, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Murray State

26-15, 3-3

UT Martin

25-12, 4-3

Murray St.

UT Martin

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

4/8/2017 8:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 GAME ONE BOX SCORE (PDF)GAME TWO BOX SCORE (PDF)SEASON STATS (PDF)

The Murray State softball team split a doubleheader with UT Martin Saturday at Bettye Giles Field in Martin, Tennessee. The Racers staved off a late Skyhawk rally in game one and held on for the 6-5 win. In game two, it was Murray State's rally that came up short as UT Martin walked away with a 6-4 victory.

Game 1 – Murray St. 5, UT Martin 4
Murray State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one and it began with a bunt single from Kaylee Ranburger. Ranburger would come home in the next at bat on a double by Twaddle, who then came home herself one batter later on a home run from Jocelynn Rodgers.

In the third, Brenna Finck began the inning with a single and advanced to third after back-to-back singles from Ranburger and Twaddle. Madison Culver then brought Finck home in the ensuing at bat on a RBI groundout that pushed the lead to 4-0.

In the bottom half of third, UT Martin loaded up the bases with no outs and looked poised to do serious damage to MSU's lead. However, the Racers were able to retire three straight batters after a RBI-single from Lauren Meyers cut the lead to 4-1.

In the fifth, Madison Culver plated a pivotal run for MSU on a sacrifice fly that scored Brenna Finck and extended the Murray State lead to 5-1. In the sixth, the Skyhawks once again loaded the bases with no outs and this time scored three runs, cutting the lead to 5-4.

After Murray State did not score in the seventh, UT Martin put the tying runs at second and the winning run on first with only one out, but timely pitching and good defense helped record the last two outs for the Racers to help them preserve the 5-4 win.

Twaddle was a perfect 4-for-4 in the game with a run, a double and a RBI, while Ranburger was 3-for-4 with a run. Mason Robinson picked up her 18^th win of the season in circle by allowing two earned runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and no walks in a complete game effort.

Game 2 – UT Martin 6, Murray St. 4
Game two was almost an exact opposite of game one, as this time it was UT Martin that jumped out to the early lead and had to turn away a late charge by MSU to preserve the win. The Skyhawks scored four runs in the first and one in the second to put the Racers in an early 5-0 hole.

The Racers slowly chipped away at the lead beginning in the third by scoring one run each in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The runs in the fourth and fifth came courtesy of the long ball as Twaddle and Maggie Glass, respectively, each launched solo home runs.

After Cayla Levins singled up the middle in the sixth to score Twaddle, the Racers had runners at the corners with only one out but were unable to score any further runs. UT Martin then retired the first two batters in the seventh and just when the game looked over, Ranburger gave the Racers new life by reaching on an error.

Jessica Twaddle followed suit in the next at bat and became the game-tying run when she reached on another UT Martin error. Despite the fact that the go-ahead run was coming to the plate, the game to an abrupt end on the very same play after Ranburger attempted to go to third and was thrown out to give UTM the 6-4 victory.

Brenna Finck was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run to lead MSU in game two, while Twaddle followed at 1-for-3 with two runs, a RBI, a walk and a home run. Haven Campbell took the loss for Murray State after allowing four runs, none of which were earned, on three hits and a walk over one full inning. Amber Van Duyse finished the game for Murray State and allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout over the final five innings.

Murray State returns to OVC action Sunday when it closes out a seven-game road swing with a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri. First pitch in Cape Girardeau is scheduled for 1 p.m.