Murray State
SIU Edwardsville
Wilson's Double Home Run Day Propels Racers Past SIU Edwardsville 9-1
3/17/2010 9:00:00 PM | Softball
Junior Taylor Wilson led the team offensively with the first two home runs of her career. Freshman Ellyn Troup also added a home run, as one of her three hits on the day. Junior Kristen Broadway pitched a complete game for the Racers (4-10) in the circle, while recording two strike outs and allowing only three hits.
" Taylor Wilson has been hitting very well and has been confident at the plate all season," said head coach Jay Pyron. "She got a couple of really good pitches today that she made the most of them."
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third when Wilson started the inning off with a home run down the left field line. Two batters later junior Jenna Bradley drew a walk and was on second after stealing when Troup came to bat. Troup hit a homer to center field on the ninth pitch at her at-bat to give MSU a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars (14-13) came out swinging in the top of the fourth, with a lead-off home run of their own. Broadway then got into a little trouble as she walked the next batter, hit the following and an error loaded the bases with no outs. However, Broadway struck out the next batter, freshman Kaitlyn England then snagged a foul fly ball at the plate, and the final batter of the inning hit a ball straight at second baseman Christian Cox who tagged out the runner to end the inning with just the lone run scoring.
The Racers added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Stephanie Mattocks drew a walk to lead off the inning and then stole second. Cox drew a second walk, which brought up Wilson. Then it was déjà vu as Wilson hit a shot down the left field line for her second home run of the day and the year. The three-run homer game MSU a 6-1 advantage.
The Racers held SIUE scoreless in the top of the fifth, and MSU added three more runs in the bottom of the inning to force the mercy rule into effect. Bradley started the inning off with a single to center field and was followed by a single from Troup. Two batters later Mattocks hit a single through the gap between first and second that scored two runs. Freshman Stephanie Edwards then hit a single up the middle that allowed Mattocks to score to end the game.
The Racers will return to Nashville, Tenn., for the third-straight weekend to start their seven-game Spring Break road trip. MSU will face its first conference series against Tennessee State, March 20-21, with the first pitch each day scheduled for noon. The Racers will stay on the road to face Alabama State (March 23) and Samford (March 24) before returning to Racer Field for their first home Ohio Valley Conference series against Jacksonville State (March 27-28).
Quotes
Head Coach Jay Pyron
"We are getting production from all throughout the line-up and starting to show what our line-up is capable of."
" Kristen Broadway had a good game for us in the circle today. It is really encouraging to see her be able to pitch us out of the jams that we got into today. That is a sign of a good pitcher and she is showing good leadership for our team."
"It was good to see us work through some things that we have been having trouble with this season. We still have things to work on, but we certainly have improved and I like the progress that we have made."
