Racers Earn Split on Day Two in Montgomery

Saturday, February 22

Montgomery, Ala.

1 P.M.

Murray State

8-3

North Alabama

8-4

Murray State

North Alabama

Photo by: Dan Hasko

2/23/2020 2:29:00 AM | Softball

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Murray State softball played a pair of games at the Stinger Classic on Saturday, earning a split on day two of the weekend tournament. The Racers fell to North Alabama 7-0 in the day game, but responded with a dominant 11-0 five-inning victory over Grambling State in the night cap. Murray State, now 9-3, will play one final game on Sunday in a rematch with North Alabama to close the weekend in Montgomery, Alabama.

North Alabama 7, Murray State 0
It would be Hannah James for Murray State and Megan Garst for North Alabama in the circle as the 2019 OVC Freshman of the Year matched up with the reigning ASUN Pitcher of the Year to begin day two at the Stinger Classic.

The game would be scoreless until the home half of the third when UNA posted five runs to capture the momentum. A solo shot from Georgia Land opened the scoring, while a six-hit frame overall left the Racers trailing 5-0 after three complete.

The Lions would tack on a single run in both the fourth and the fifth as UNA held a 7-0 advantage after five innings of action.

With Garst nearing a no-hit performance, Lexi Jones singled with one out in the seventh to break up the bid as the Racers put a runner in scoring position in Sierra Gilmore who got hit with a pitch before the Jones single.

An Alie Kennedy walk would load the bases in the final frame, but the Racers offense could not muster a run as Murray State fell to North Alabama 7-0.
In the circle, Taylor Makowsky turned in four solid innings of relief, giving up three hits while surrendering just one earned run.

Lexi Jones (1-3) would be responsible for the lone Racer hit, while Lindsey Carroll (0-1, 2 BB) reached base twice courtesy of two walks.

Murray State 11, Grambling State 0 (5 inn.)
The Racer bats came alive for the second game of the day as Murray State cruised to an 11-0 five-inning victory over Grambling State under the lights in Montgomery.

The Murray State offense got a spark in the opening frame as the Racers put up four runs in the top of the first. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Tyler Shemwell drove in Lindsey Carroll, before Alie Kennedy and Lexi Jones scored on a wild pitch in the ensuing at-bat. Shemwell went on to steal home later in the inning during a perfectly-executed double steal situation between her and Abby Shoulders who was running at first.

With a 4-0 lead after the first frame, the Murray State offense would break open the ballgame in a big way in the second when a grand slam off the bat of Lexi Jones doubled the lead as the Racers held an 8-0 advantage with one out in the second inning. Alie Kennedy stepped in as the very next batter and sent a solo shot of her own to left center as the sophomore from Plainfield, Illinois hit her first home run in a Racer uniform to make it 9-0 in favor of Murray State courtesy of back-to-back round trippers.

The Racers tacked on two more in the fifth when Logan Braundmeier came around to score on a ball hit to right field, and then a run-scoring single from Sierra Gilmore drove in Carroll to secure the 11-0 Racer victory.

Jenna Veber earned the win in the circle, striking out six while allowing just a single hit through three innings of work, while Ellison Barrett tossed two shutout innings in relief.

Lexi Jones (1-3, 4 RBI, 2 R, HR) led the way on offense, followed by Alie Kennedy (2-4, RBI, 2 R, HR) and Abby Shoulders (2-2, 2 SB) who each turned in two-hit performances.

The Racers return to action on Sunday when a rematch with North Alabama concludes the weekend at the Stinger Classic in Montgomery. First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.