Racers Refuse to Surrender Runs in Doubleheader Sweep

Saturday, April 6

Racer Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

16-18, 0

Tennessee Tech

15-16, 0

Tennessee Tech

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

4/6/2019 10:22:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score Game 1 (PDF)Box Score Game 2 (PDF)

Murray State softball returned to action on Saturday afternoon for an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader against the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech. The Racers, who entered Saturday's games tied for first place in the conference standings, would keep their place at the top of the OVC after sweeping Tennessee Tech with wins of 1-0 and 5-0 at Racer Field in Murray, Kentucky.

Game 1: Murray State 1, Tennessee Tech 0:
In what would be a slow start at the plate for both sides in the first contest of the afternoon, the game would see just one batter above the minimum through the first three frames. With a pitchers' duel brewing between two of the OVC's top freshman pitchers, Hannah James and Alyssa Arden would take turns displaying their talent in the circle as they cruised through their opponent's lineup in the early stages of game one.

Brenna Finck and Lillie Goetz would draw a pair of walks to put Racer runners on the bases in the home half of the fourth, but Arden would escape the inning unscathed after she worked out of the inning and kept the game scoreless through four innings of action.

James would continue to frustrate Golden Eagle hitters through the fifth and sixth, as she added two more strikeouts to her tally while retiring the side in order in back-to-back frames.

Pitching would continue to be the story in the first contest, as both sides would still be searching for their first run upon entering the seventh inning of ballgame.

TTU would put a runner on second in the seventh, but Hannah James would record two consecutive outs to keep zeros on the scoreboard through seven innings of work as the game approached the home half of the final frame.

The Racers would spoil the no-hit bid in the home half of the seventh after a one-out single to left from Madison Culver put the go-ahead run on the bases for Murray State. After Kristen Bialek entered the game to run for Culver, Lexi Jones would earn a trip to first base after being hit by a pitch, putting a runner in scoring position with just one away in the inning. Lindsey Carroll would deliver with a single to left center to follow, but Bialek would be held at third as the Racers loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. With the winning run just 60 feet away, Ellison Barrett would step to the plate for Murray State with a chance to give her side the victory in the first game of the day. Barrett would get the job done at the dish for the Racers, as a ground ball to short scored Bialek from third to secure a 1-0 victory in game one.

Hannah James delivered yet another brilliant performance in the circle, tossing another complete game to earn her ninth win of the season. She would not walk a single batter as she allowed just three hits and fanned three more in the 1-0 victory to begin the afternoon.

At the plate, while the Racers managed just two hits in the ballgame, singles from Madison Culver and Lindsey Carroll in the final frame could not have come at a more opportune time as Murray State earned the win in part one of the conference doubleheader.

Game 2: Murray State 5, Tennessee Tech 0:
While the Racers did not see their first hit until the seventh inning of game one, the second outing of the day would start quite differently for Murray State. The Racers would plate a pair in the opening frame when Madison Culver laced a two-run single to center field to score Sierra Gilmore and Jensen Striegel as the Racers captured a 2-0 lead through the end of the first inning.

Taylor Makowsky would get the nod in the circle for the Racers in game two, making her second start of the week for Murray State. She established a rhythm early on, as the Golden Eagles were unable to generate any consistent offense in the opening innings of the ballgame.

Refusing to surrender a run through five innings of work, the Racers would add to their margin in their half of the fifth inning. Logan Braundmeier would begin the frame with a single to left center, and would advance to second when Brenna Finck laid down a perfectly executed bunt to move the runner into scoring position. With Braundmeier advancing to a third on a fielder's choice in the ensuing at-bat, Murray State would have runners at the corners after Lillie Goetz drew a two-out walk. Goetz would swipe second base to put runners on second and third with Sierra Gilmore at the plate with a chance to give her side some insurance runs late in the competition.

Gilmore would send a two-out offering into center field and, after the ball was misplayed by the center fielder, the ball would reach the wall – allowing Gilmore to come all the way around to score, clearing the bases and giving Murray State a 5-0 advantage through five innings of play.

Makowsky would continue to deal a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and, after a scoreless bottom half of the inning, would need just three more outs to give the Racers the doubleheader sweep of the Golden Eagles. She would record another strikeout in the final frame as she would not surrender a run, earning a complete game shutout in the 5-0 Racer triumph in game two of the afternoon.

Makowsky improved to 5-2 on the year after allowing just five hits in her seven-inning shift while allowing just one free pass in the ballgame.

At the dish, Sierra Gilmore (2-2, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Madison Culver (2-3, 2 RBI) would propel the Racers to their third OVC doubleheader sweep of the season.

Now 7-1 in the OVC, the Racers are out to their best start against conference competition in program history.

Murray State returns to action on Tuesday as they travel to Austin Peay for another conference doubleheader in Clarksville, Tennessee.