Long Ball Plagues Racers - Drop Two in Raleigh - Murray State University Athletics

Sunday, February 24

Raleigh, N.C.

10 A.M.

Murray State

4-7

UMBC

1-1

UMBC

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Long Ball Plagues Racers - Drop Two in Raleigh

2/24/2019 9:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

After heavy rain washed out the first two days of the tournament, softball was in the forecast on Sunday at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Crabtree Invitational. The Racers played two games on the day, coming up short in both competitions. A 3-2 loss to UMBC was followed by a 9-1 defeat to NC State at the Wolfpack's own Dail Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina.

GAME 1: UMBC 3, Murray State 2:
The Racers had a runner in scoring position in the opening frame after Brenna Finck reached base on a bunt single in the home half of the first. She would go on to steal second, but that would be her final destination as the Retrievers of UMBC escaped unscathed early on. With the Racers knocking on the door, their first score would come in the next half inning. With two out in the bottom of the second, the Racers got a baserunner in Lexi Jones when she drew a walk to bring up Lindsey Carroll. Carroll's first at-bat of the day would be an RBI double to right center, scoring Jones and giving MSU a 1-0 lead through two complete.

That score would stick until the Racer's next opportunity, where a familiar scenario would unfold to begin the third. Finck would again leadoff with a bunt single and go on to swipe second to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. As the next two batters were retired, Madison Culver stepped to the plate with two out in the inning. Finck would advance to third on a passed ball, and an RBI single to right center from Culver would expand the Racer lead to 2-0 through the end of three.

After a three up, three down fourth inning from both sides, the Racers were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities in the fifth with one out and the bases loaded.

The stranded baserunners would prove costly as the Retrievers were able to breakout for three runs of their own in the top of the sixth. A one out double from Sierra Pierce followed by a single from Anna Lonchar put runners at the corners with one away. After a sacrifice fly from Valerie Hammett trimmed the Racer lead to one, Imani Dawson would deliver the dagger on a two-run blast to clear the bases and give UMBC a 3-2 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth.

The Racers would quickly apply the pressure with a one out double from Logan Braundmeier who ended up on third after stealing a base during the next at-bat. UMBC would retire the next Racer batter, but went on to walk the next two, loading the bases for MSU. With the tying run just 60 feet away, the Racers were unable to drive in a run and would trail 3-2 entering the final frame. Amber Van Duyse retired the side in order during the visiting half, but the Racers could not produce a run in their last opportunities, falling to the Retrievers 3-2.

Leading the way offensively was Brenna Finck (3-4, R, 2 SB) while Lindsey Carroll and Logan Braundmeier each doubled in the defeat. Hannah James took the loss for the Racers in the circle, giving up three earned runs over 5.2 innings of work. Additionally, Amber Van Duyse did not surrender an earned run, recording a strikeout in her 1.1 innings of relief.

GAME 2 – NC State 9, Murray State 1:
The matchup with the host Wolfpack of NC State would get off to a slow start as the first nine batters of the game were set down in order. The Racers earned their first baserunner in the third when Denise Teague reached after being hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning. MSU would go on to load the bases, but stranded all three to end their half.

NC State made the first mark on the scoreboard in the home half when the offense caught fire, posting seven runs in the frame. Sam Russ opened the scoring with a three-run blast to left while Jessica Moore went yard with a three-run home run of her own later in the inning. Skylar Johnston would be responsible for the other run of the frame by way of her RBI single to left.

The Racers struggled at the plate through the middle innings, but were able to muster a run in the sixth when Madison Culver sent a one out offering soaring over the wall in left for her third home run of the year.

The Wolfpack chipped in two more in the bottom of the inning on a two RBI triple from Brigette Nordberg, ending the contest with a final of 9-1.
The Racers got another multi-hit performance from Brenna Finck (2-3) while the Madison Culver home run accounted for the other hit and stood as the lone Racer score.

Looking Ahead:
The Racers get another shot at NC State on Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. to close out their stay in Raleigh, NC in the final game of the Fairfield Inn & Suites Crabtree Invitational. The game will be available online on ACC Network Extra as part of the ESPN family of networks in addition to the WatchESPN app for streaming on mobile devices.