The Murray State softball team ended its 2017 regular season with a split against Austin Peay, Saturday afternoon at Cheryl Holt Field in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Racers took the opener, 9-1, in five innings, but fell in game two, 8-2.
Game 1 – Murray St. 9, Austin Peay 1 (5 Inn.)
The Racers exploded for six runs in the top of the second inning of game one and it began with a two-run home run from Taylor Odom. Later in the inning, Jenny Homann drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, while Kaylee Ranburger and Jessica Twaddle each had RBI singles.
In the fifth, Mallory Young had a RBI-single and Homann homered for the first time in her collegiate career to cap the scoring at nine. Kendall Vedder drew a bases loaded walk for Austin Peay in the bottom of the fifth to put the Govs on the board, but it was not enough, as MSU picked up the 9-0, fine-inning win.
Young led the Racers in the contest by going a career-high 3-for-3, to go along with two runs and a RBI. Ranburger, Twaddle and Levins followed Young with two hits each.
Mason Robinson moved to 23-7 on the year with a four-inning performance in which she allowed no runs on one hit with five strikeouts and three walks. Amber Van Duyse tossed the final inning for MSU and allowed one run on one hit with a strikeout and two walks.
Game 2 – Austin Peay 8, Murray St. 2
In game two, turnabout was fair play, as this time it was the Govs that had two big offensive innings. Austin Peay scored five runs in the first and three in the fourth to put MSU in an 8-0 hole. The Racers staved off having the game end via the eight-run rule with two runs in the sixth, but could not add to the total and fell, 8-2.
Kacy Acree led a potent offensive attack for Austin Peay by going 4-for-4 in the game with two runs and a RBI. Ranburger and Brenna Finck led the Racers with two hits each in game two, while Twaddle and Ranburger were responsible for driving in each of the two runs.
Haven Campbell (11-9) took the loss for Murray State by giving up five runs, one earned, on four hits over two-thirds of an inning, while Mason Robinson allowed three runs on four hits over 3.1 innings. Ellison Barrett closed out the game for Murray State and gave up only two hits while walking one and striking out one, over two complete inning.
Murray State ends it 2017 regular season at 35-16 overall and 11-7 in the OVC. The overall total was just one win shy of tying the program record for regular-season wins of 36 set in 2016.
The Racers will begin their “second season” Wednesday when they travel to Oxford, Alabama for the 2017 OVC Softball Championship at Choccolocco Park, May 10-13. Murray State’s seed, opponent and game time have yet to be determined.
by Parker Griffith
