The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri on Sunday, losing game one, 2-1, before shutting out the Redhawks, 2-0, in game two at the Southeast Softball Complex.
Junior Johnkyria Alston broke EKU’s single-season doubles record in the game two win. After the Colonels took the lead on an RBI single by sophomore Rachel Minogue in the top of the third, Alston blasted her record-breaking 19th two-bagger of the season to straightaway center in the top of the fifth, scoring Minogue to make it 2-0.
That was all the cushion freshman pitcher Mollie Paulick needed. The Centerville, Ohio native (10-9) tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout to earn her 10th win of the spring. She struck out three batters on the afternoon.
Alston finished game two 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Minogue went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Game one was a pitchers’ duel just like game two, only the host Redhawks (19-25, 4-12 OVC) came out on top.
EKU (20-25, 7-7 OVC) grabbed an early lead, as senior Krislyn Campos led off the game with a triple into the gap in left center and then scored on an RBI base hit from Minogue.
Southeast Missouri, however, responded with back-to-back RBI doubles by Rachel Anderson and Parker Bandy in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead.
Eastern loaded the bases in the top of the fourth and put runners at second and third in the top of the fifth, but could not convert the runners to runs in either frame.
Madeline Krumrey (11-8) pitched a complete game to earn the win for SEMO.
Senior Alex Sallberg (7-12) started in the circle for EKU and pitched 2.2 solid innings, surrendering only two unearned runs on five hits. Paulick tossed 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only one hit. For the day, Paulick held SEMO scoreless for 10.1 innings while allowing four hits.
Campos finished game one 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Minogue went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Paige Murphy also tallied two hits in the game.
After going 4-for-6 in the doubleheader, Minogue is now batting an OVC-leading .431 on the year.
Eastern hosts No. 20 Kentucky on Tuesday at Gertrude Hood Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
— www.EKUSports.com —
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications