Softball Splits at SIUE; Two Records Fall

Sunday, March 15

Edwardsville, Ill.

12 p.m.

Murray State

13-6, 1-1

SIUE

17-6, 1-1

Murray St.

SIUE

Photo by: Patti Twaddle

3/15/2015 3:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Murray State softball team split a doubleheader with SIU Edwardsville Sunday, winning the first game, 7-2, but falling in game two, 6-4. In game one, Jessica Twaddle broke Megan Glosser's previous record of 17 games by tallying a hit in 18 consecutive games, while Mo Ramsey became with school's all-time hits lead with 181, breaking Glosser's previous record of 180.

Game 1 – Murray State 7 (13-6, 1-1), SIU Edwardsville 2 (17-6, 1-1)
The Racers fell behind early in the game when SIU Edwardsville took advantage of a bases loaded situation with a Brittany Toney walk to give them an early 1-0 lead. The Cougars had their opportunities in the next two innings, but it was big defense by the Racers that kept SIUE at bay. Murray State managed to turn a double play to end the second and then used a pop-up and a strikeout by Gaskey to escape a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the third.

Murray State finally got on the board in the third with a solo home run by Alexa Becker, which was followed by another solo shot from Jocelynn Rodgers in the fourth to give MSU the lead. In the fifth, the Racers blew the game wide open and it began with a double by Kaylyn Zierke.

Pinch runner Erica Howard then scored on a throwing error by SIUE, which was followed by a double from Jessica Twaddle to score Becker, who reached on a walk. Shelbey Miller capped the four-run frame with a third double that drove in Twaddle and Glass, who singled earlier in the inning.

Alex McDavid cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth with her own solo home run, pulling her team within four at 6-2. However, Maggie Glass got the run back for MSU in the top of the seventh with a triple that drove in Mo Ramsey, pushing the lead back to five. In the bottom of the seventh, with a runner on and one out, Gaskey took control and fanned the final two batters to end the game and give her team the win.

The Racers outhit the Cougars, 13-6, in the game and left just four runners stranded compared to eight by SIUE. Murray State also turned two double plays in the contest to push its season total to 18 in 19 games.

Four Racers had multiple hits in the game including Rodgers who was a perfect 3-for-3. Becker, Ramsey and Glass also recorded multiple hits, while Becker led the team in runs with two and Miller led in RBIs, also with two.

Gaskey moved to 6-4 on the season with the complete game win. She allowed just two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and five walks over seven innings.

Game 2 – SIU Edwardsville 6 (17-7, 2-1), Murray State 4 (13-7, 1-2)

The rubber match was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams, as you would have expected between two teams so evenly matched. The Racers struck first in the contest with a home run from Cayla Levins that scored Shelbey Miller, who reached on a walk.

The Cougars then answered in the second on a fielder's choice and ground out to tie the game it two. In the fourth, SIUE squeezed a run across in the fourth in a bases loaded situation that was amplified by a MSU error to put the Cougars on top, 3-2.

In the fifth, Levins picked up her second hit of the game, a double, and was then brought home by pinch hitter Erika Downey to tie the game at three. In the bottom of the frame, Rebecca Gray led off with a walk and was then brought home by an Alex McDavid single. McDavid eventually scored on a third MSU error and was followed by Allison Smiley, who was walked and driven home by a Tess Eby double, to make the score 6-3.

In the sixth, Kaylyn Zierke chipped away at the lead when she hit a hard single through the gap to score Miller, who reached on he own single earlier in the frame. In the seventh, Becker and Ramsey led off the frame with back-to-back singles, giving their team a chance at the win. However it was not to be, as SIUE pitcher Baylee Douglass retired the next three batters for the win.

At the plate, Levins led the way for MSU by going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. In the circle, Mason Robinson suffered her first loss of the season to fall to 7-1, after surrendering five earned runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 4.2 innings.

On Tuesday, the Racers will return home for the first time this season to host in-state opponent Kentucky. A doubleheader with the 14^th-ranked Wildcats is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.