Softball Drops A Pair of 5-4 Heartbreakers to Memphis

Wednesday, May 1

Central Park

3 p.m.

Murray State

21-25

Memphis

23-35

Memphis

Murray St.

Photo by: Murray State Sports Information

5/1/2013 5:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

| Game 1 Box Score (PDF) | Game 2 Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

The Murray State softball team found itself down 5-1 in the final inning of both games of Wednesday's doubleheader with Memphis at Central Park in Murray. In both games, the Racers rallied in the final half-inning only to fall just short and lose each contest by a 5-4 margin.

In game one, the Tigers (24-35) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Lelani Bernardino scored on a passed ball in the top of the first. The Racers (21-25), however, went on to tie the game in the next inning on a solo home run from Casey Castile, her eighth of the season.

In the third, Memphis surged to 4-1 lead when they were able to capitalize on a pair of throwing errors by the Racers and an RBI single from Bernardino. The Tigers would tack on the would-be game-winner in the sixth when Laura Curtis sent one sailing over the wall in left field.

With her team's back to the wall, Christian Cox got the bottom of the seventh started right when she singled through the right side. Cox came home in the next at bat when Erica Howard made it 5-3 by hitting the first home run of her collegiate career.

Two batters later Alexa Becker made it a one-run game when she went yard for the 12th time this season. That would be as close as the Racers would get, as Memphis reliever Jordan Richwood struck out the next batter to clinch the win for her team.

The Racers outhit Memphis 8-5 in the game, with eight of the nine MSU starters recording hits in the contest. Benardino led the Tigers in the opener by going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI.

Ellen Roberts pitched six full innings to earn the win for Memphis by allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Shelby Kosmecki (8-17) took the loss for Murray State, as she allowed two earned runs on four hits with a strikeout and two walks over three innings. J.J. Francis closed out the game for the Racers and struck out three while allowing just one run on two hits over four innings of work.

In game two, the Racers were first on the board in the first inning when Castile scored Mo Ramsey on a sacrifice fly to right field. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth when Curtis hit her second home run of the afternoon to tie the game at one all. Neither team was able to score in the final three and a half innings, so the game went to extras with the international tie breaker in effect.

In the eighth, Memphis was able to score four runs on four hits to take a 5-1 lead to the bottom of the eighth. The Racers picked up three runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-RBI single from Ellyn Troup and a RBI single from Bridges, but once again came up just short and fell 5-4.

Ramsey finished the game at 2-for-4 with two runs, while Howard went 2-for-3. Morgan Mosby led the way for Memphis by going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs in the finale.

CheyAnne Gasey (12-8) took the loss for the Racers by allowing four earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Roberts (15-23) was once again the winner for the Tigers as she threw the final two innings of the contest and allowed two earned runs on three hits with one strikeout and no walks.

The Racers will now turn their attention back to OVC play when they host Austin Peay this weekend. With its place in the conference tournament already secured, Murray State will look to lock up its current fourth place standing in the three-game series.

First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is schedule for Noon, with Sunday's single game slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Prior to Sunday's game, Sarah Anderson, Christian Cox, Shelby Kosmecki and Ellyn Troup will be honored as seniors. As this season marks just the fourth season of softball at Murray State, Cox, Kosmecki and Troup will go down as the first-ever four-year Racers in program history.