Racers Swept By JSU; Show True Meaning Of Sport After Games

Friday, March 30

Racer Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

9-21, 0

Jacksonville State

16-16, 0

Jacksonville St.

Murray St.

Photo by: Bryan Edwards/Murray Ledger & Times

Racers Swept By JSU; Show True Meaning Of Sport After Games

3/30/2018 6:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)

The Murray State softball team fell to Jacksonville State in both games of Friday's OVC doubleheader at Racer Field, 9-3 and 5-0. However, it was what happened after the game that mattered most.

On March 19, the Jacksonville area and JSU's campus experienced heavy damage from tornadoes that came through the area. While no JSU softball players or staff were injured, the storms did major damage to several of the softball student-athletes residences and to the home of Gamecock softball, University Field.

With that in mind, following Friday's doubleheader, the Racer softball team presented each member of JSU's team and staff with baskets filled with comfort items that may have been lost to the storms for some. It was a moment that transcended sport and reminded all present that no matter what happens on the field, everyone is on the same team off the field.

"Every year our parents get Easter baskets for our players, so giving them to JSU was just something nice we thought we could for a group of people who are going through something right now that we can't even imagine," said head coach Kara Amundson after the game. "They have multiple players who lost the place where they live and that shows that there is just so much more to life that softball. So we just wanted to reach out and show our support for them and while we can't imagine what they are going through, we wanted them to know we stood with them. We really owe a debt of gratitude to our players' parents, as they were the ones who helped organize this and helped make it a reality."

In game one, the Gamecocks jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on the Racers and never looked back. The Racers did plate two in the fifth on a RBI-triple from Brenna Finck, followed by Finck scoring in the next at bat on a wild pitch. Murray Stat also added a third run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Ellison Barrett, but it was not enough as JSU notched the 9-3 win.

Madison Culver accounted for the half of MSU's hits in the game as she went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run. Haven Campbell took the loss for Murray State by allowing four runs on three hits over 1.1 innings, while Olivia Suski allowed three earned runs on six hits over 3.1 innings. Ellison Barrett finished the game on a positive note in her first appearance in the circle for the Racers this year, as she gave up no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks over the final 2.1 innings of the game.

In game two, the Racers mustered just two hits, from Finck and Culver, and just could not find an offensive rhythm as they fell 5-0. Amber Van Duyse went 6.1 innings for Murray State and gave up one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts, while Barrett closed the game out and gave up two runs on two hits

Murray State returns to action Wednesday with their first home mid-week game of the season against in-Commonwealth rival Western Kentucky at 5 p.m.