Racers Toss Pair of Gems, Split Doubleheader With Tigers

Friday, March 29

Racer Field

2 P.M.

Murray State

Tennessee State

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Racers Toss Pair of Gems, Split Doubleheader With Tigers

3/30/2019 12:11:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Box Score Game 1 (PDF)Box Score Game 2 (PDF)

Murray State softball continued their Ohio Valley Conference campaign on Friday, hosting Tennessee State in an afternoon doubleheader in Murray, Kentucky. The Racers split the two games with TSU, dropping the first game 2-1 in extra innings before getting revenge with a 7-1 victory in game two.

Game 1: Tennessee State 2, Murray State 1:
The Racers came out strong in the first competition of the afternoon, scoring the game's first run in the opening frame after a Jensen Striegel RBI single drove in Brenna Finck to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Racers through one inning of action.

In what would become a grueling pitchers' duel, the game's next 12 batters would be retired before Tennessee State shifted the momentum to their side when Bri Vire scored on a Katie Schneider single to right field to even the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth.

The Racers would have a chance to break the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning, when they would put runners on first and second with just one away. While a base hit through the infield would likely score the go-ahead run, the inning would come to a screeching halt after TSU turned a double play to escape the frame.

With Hannah James working in the circle for the Racers, she would continue to baffle Tiger batters as she recorded 1-2-3 sixth and seventh frames to leave the game tied at 1-1 entering the home half of the seventh inning.

Needing just a single score to end the ballgame, the Racers had a golden opportunity with runners on second and third with just one down in the bottom of the seventh. Raven Loveless, who was working on a complete game in the circle for TSU, would work out of the jam to force extra innings in game one of the OVC doubleheader.

The Tigers would push across the go-ahead run in their half of the eighth when a two-out single from Sarah Snell scored Kierra Ware to give her side a 2-1 lead in extra innings.

With the Racers needing a run to extend the ballgame in the home half, they would have a runner on second with two outs, but were unable to push across the tying run – falling to TSU 2-1 in the first game of the afternoon.

Brenna Finck (3-4, 2B, SB) and Lillie Goetz (2-4, 2B) turned in impressive performances at the plate, accounting for both of Murray State's extra-base hits in the defeat.

Despite taking the loss in the circle, Hannah James tossed a spectacular outing for Murray State. Dealing eight innings and surrendering just one earned run, the freshman recorded 10 strikeouts in her 19^th start of the season.

Game 2: Murray State 7, Tennessee State 1:
The Racers would once again put up a run in the opening frame when a Lille Goetz RBI double scored Jensen Striegel to give her side a 1-0 lead through the first inning of play.

Taylor Makowsky would mystify Tiger hitters in her fifth start in the circle for the Racers, striking out six through her first three innings of work to begin the ballgame.

Game two of the afternoon would not see another score until the Racer half of the fifth, when Murray State would bat around as part of a four-run inning to take a 5-0 lead. Lillie Goetz would drive in the first two runs of the inning after she drove the first pitch to right field for her second double of the game.

Sierra Gilmore would follow by plating another pair of runs after she sent a 1-0 offering over fence in left. Her third home run of 2019 would give the Racers a 5-0 lead through the fifth inning of action.

After a solo home run from Katie Schneider would put TSU on the board in the top of the sixth, the Racers would pick up where they left off in the ensuing home half with a pair of insurance runs to hold a 7-1 advantage entering the final frame. Lillie Goetz would tie a Murray State single-game record with her third double of the ballgame, driving in Striegel to score the first run of the inning. The other score in the sixth would come via a Lexi Jones sacrifice fly to center to give her side a six-run cushion to begin the seventh inning of play.

Taylor Makowsky would go the distance in the circle after she recorded the final three outs in the seventh to secure a 7-1 victory in game two for Murray State. She would improve to 3-1 on the season, striking out eight batters and surrendering just one earned run in the win.

Lillie Goetz turned in a monster performance to fuel a potent Racer offense, driving in four runs on three doubles while scoring a pair of runs in game two of the doubleheader.

The Racers (13-17, 3-1) will return to action on Sunday with another pair of OVC contests against Belmont. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Racer Field in Murray, Kentucky.