The Murray State softball team began the OVC portion of its schedule Sunday with a doubleheader split against Morehead State at Racer Field in Murray, Kentucky. The Racers walked off with a grand slam by Jocelynn Rodgers for a 5-1 win in the opener, however the Eagles scored four runs in the seventh to rally past Murray State in game two.
Game 1 – Murray State 5, Morehead State 1
Ellen Barrett scored Morehead State’s only run of the game in the second when she belted a home run over the wall in left field. The Eagles’ lead held until the fifth when Brenna Finck launched her second home run of the season to center field, tying the game at one.
Morehead State had a chance in the top of the seventh after Hannah Murphy singled and advanced to second, but could not plate her thanks to solid defense by the Racers. In the bottom of the seventh, Murray State loaded the bases with two outs on walks by Brenna Finck and Lexi Jones and a single from Kristen Bialek. Following Jones’ walk, Rodgers brought all runners home with the second walk-off grand slam of her career to give the Racers a 5-1 win.
Jessica Twaddle was 1-for-1 in the game with two walks, while Finck was 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit by pitch. Mason Robinson gave up just one run on four hits in the game with a strikeout to move to 16-4 on the year.
Game 2 – Morehead State 4, Murray State 2
In game two, Twaddle gave Murray State an early 1-0 lead with an RBI-single in the first. The Racers added to the lead in the fifth when Finck, who reached on a single, scored her second run of the game on a ground out by Taylor Odom.
Murray State led for the entire game until the seventh when the Eagles began the inning by putting the first four runners on base on three hits and a walk. Lindsay Ward tied the game at two with a double to center field, before Taylor Wheeler plated the go-ahead run on a triple. Wheeler herself scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Allison Rager to make it 4-2 Morehead State. In the bottom of the seventh, Megan Tymorek sat the Racers down in order to give her team the come-from-behind win.
Twaddle once again led Murray State in the game by going 2-for-2 with a RBI. Haven Campbell allowed four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and three walks over 6.0 innings in the circle to take the loss for the Racers and fall to 8-5 on the year. Ellison Barrett closed out the game for Murray State and allowed no runs and no hits over one full inning.
Murray State returns to Racer Field to host Eastern Kentucky Monday in a doubleheader that has been moved up to begin at 11 a.m.
by Parker Griffith