Racers Take Two At Hornet Invitational

Saturday, February 15

Montgomery, Ala.

12:00 p.m.

Murray State

3-2

Gardner-Webb

1-2

Gardner-Webb

Murray St.

2/15/2014 6:45:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

| GWU Box Score (PDF) | ASU Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

The Murray State softball team picked up two wins on Saturday by taking down Gardner-Webb, 4-2, and host Alabama State, 6-2, on the first day of the 2014 Hornet Invitational at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex in Montgomery.

Game 1 - Murray State 4, Gardner-Webb 2
In game one, the Racers (4-2) used strong fourth and fifth innings to break a deadlock and get past a scrappy Gardner-Webb team. Jocelynn Rodgers broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fifth with a single that scored Casey Castile and Maggie Glass. However, the Runnin' Bulldogs (1-2) answered in the top of the fifth with a lead-off home run from Jessica Childers to cut the deficit in half.

In the bottom of the fifth, Murray State tacked on two more runs thanks to hits from Mo Ramsey and Alexa Becker, as well as an error by GWU. Ramsey was first in when she crossed the plate on an error by the Runnin' Bulldogs after a successful steal attempt by Becker. In the next at-bat, Castile brought Becker home with a sacrifice fly to left pushing the lead to 4-1.

Gardner-Webb attempted a comeback in the seventh when Kellie Beres reached on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, allowing Childers to score and make the score 4-2. However, GWU would get no closer, as J.J. Francis caught a line drive in the next at bat to end the game and give her the first save of her career.

Along with Rodgers, Becker and Ramsey, Leslie Bridges and Cayla Levins also tallied hits in the game to give the Racers five on the afternoon. In the circle, CheyAnne Gaskey moved to 3-1 on the year after she allowed just one run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over six innings of work.

Game 2 - Murray State 6, Alabama St. 2
In game two, the Racers jumped on Alabama State early and held on for the win. Murray State scored one run in the second, two in the third and three in the fifth in a game in which they never really allowed the Hornets to get in. MSU tallied 14 hits in the contest and added an additional four via the walk. Meanwhile, Alabama State got just eight base runners in the game on six hits, a Racer error and a hit by pitch.

Rodgers put the Racers on the board in second when she came up with her second RBI single of the day to score Glass, who reached in the previous at-bat on a double. In the third, Becker made it 3-0 with her first home run of the season and the 20^th of her career. With the long ball, Becker moves into a four-way tie for second on MSU's career home run list.

In the fifth, the Racers added their final three runs with RBI singles by Glass and Levins and a RBI fielder's choice by Rodgers. The Hornets added two runs in the sixth, but it was not enough as Murray State held on for the 6-2 win.

Mason Robinson went six innings for MSU in the circle for the first win of her collegiate career. She finished the game with two unearned runs on five hits and eight strikeouts. Leslie Bridges entered the game in the top of the seventh to close out the win, marking here first appearance in the circle for MSU since 2011. She made the most of the opportunity as well, allowing no runs on just two hits in the final frame.

Becker finished the game with two runs on three hits and two RBIs, while Glass went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Levins also went 2-for-3 in the second game and to go along with a RBI. Ten different Racers got a hit in the game including Ramsey, Bridges, Rodgers, Jessica Twaddle, Shelbey Miller, Taylor Odom and Mallory Young, with the last two each recording their first collegiate hit.

On Sunday, the Racers will close out play in the Hornet Invitational against Alabama A&M. First pitch against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., in Montgomery.