Racers Blank Bears, Fall to Oklahoma on Day Two at Mizuno Classic

Saturday, March 7

Norman, Okla.

12 P.M.

Murray State

12-8

Missouri State

7-10

Murray State

Missouri State

Photo by: Dan Hasko

Racers Blank Bears, Fall to Oklahoma on Day Two at Mizuno Classic

3/7/2020 9:27:00 PM | Softball

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Murray State softball played two on the second day of the Mizuno Classic on Saturday. Splitting the day, the Racers earned an 8-0 victory over Missouri State before falling to #6 Oklahoma 6-1 at Marita Hynes Field in in Norman, Oklahoma.

Murray State 8, Missouri State 0
The Racers flipped the script against Missouri State in their second meeting of the weekend, cruising to an 8-0 victory after falling to the Bears by the same score the day before.

Murray State would be the first team on the board when they put together a two-run second inning to capture the momentum early on. Back-to-back two-out doubles from Lily Fischer and Jenna Bleiberg scored a pair of runs as the Racers held a 2-0 lead after the first two frames.

Fischer found herself at the plate with another run-scoring opportunity with two outs in the fourth, and the freshman from Marysville, Washington delivered once again – driving in Abby Shoulders to extend the Racer lead to 3-0 through three innings.

In the circle, Jenna Veber continued to work efficiently for Murray State as she retired six-straight Missouri State batters in the fourth and fifth innings.

The Racers took total control of the ballgame in the sixth, adding a pair of insurance runs when Sierra Gilmore and Lexi Jones hit back-to-back solo home runs to open the inning as Murray State owned a 5-0 lead over the Bears after the visiting half of the sixth.

Missouri State put a runner on second in the home half, but Hannah James would enter the circle in relief to record three-straight outs – keeping the Bears scoreless through six.

With a 5-0 advantage entering the seventh, the Racers were still not satisfied offensively as they went on to add three more in the final frame - beginning with a double steal of home and second that saw Lindsey Carroll cross the plate for another Racer score. An RBI double off the bat of Alie Kennedy, followed by an RBI single from Abby Shoulders, meant an 8-0 score line in favor of Murray State as the Racers tallied three runs with two outs in the final frame.

James completed the combined shutout after working a scoreless seventh, and the Racers sealed an 8-0 victory over Missouri State in Saturday's first game at the Mizuno Classic.

The Racers recorded 11 total hits, as Lexi Jones, Alie Kennedy, Abby Shoulders, and Lily Fischer each collected two hits apiece to lead the way, while Gilmore and Jones both brought their home run total to six on the year.

Jenna Veber earned the win in the circle, working five scoreless innings while striking out three in the outing. The freshman from Oswego, Illinois scattered three hits and did not issue a walk in the contest.

James tossed two scoreless frames in relief, striking out one without surrendering a hit.

#6 Oklahoma 6, Murray State 1
It would be the sixth-ranked Sooners who opened the scoring in Murray State's second game of the day, doing so when a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kinzie Hansen scored Grace Lyons to give her side a 1-0 lead in the first.

With Hannah James dealing in the circle for the Racers, the score would remain unchanged until the third when a two-run Sooner inning, highlighted by a Hansen solo home run, meant a 3-0 Oklahom lead after three complete.

After two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, it would be Murray State's turn to get something going offensively. Following a one-out double from Logan Braundmeier, Sierra Gilmore brought her around to score on a two-out RBI single to left field – cutting Oklahoma's lead to 6-1 through six innings of action.

With three outs to work with, the Racers were unable to produce another run in the seventh, as Murray State fell to #6 Oklahoma in a hard-fought game at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Oklahoma.

Sierra Gilmore (1-3, RBI), Jensen Striegel (1-2), and Logan Braundmeier (1-3, R, 2B) collected hits in the contest to lead the Racers offensively.

In the circle, the Racers saw 2.1 innings of work from Ellison Barrett as she allowed just one earned run while surrendering only two hits.

The Racers will be back in action for a single game on Sunday as they close the weekend at the Mizuno Classic back in Stillwater, Oklahoma against Mercer. First pitch is slated for 10:00 a.m.