Nick Kendall
Staff Writer
nkendall1@murraystate.edu
Murray State softball went 2-2 over the weekend against Howard University Bison, North Alabama Lions and Grambling State University Tigers.
The Racers picked up their first win in a five-inning blowout against the Bison, 14-4.
Howard scored the first run in the top half of the first inning, but sophomore infielder Sierra Gilmore and a few more Racers scored eight runs in the bottom half of the side.
Murray State racked up another run the next inning thanks to solid base running from freshman utility Abby Shoulders. The Paducah, Kentucky, native barely missed the tag as she stole home, making the score 9-1.
The Racers put five more runs on the board. Freshman infielder Lily Fischer got things going once more for Murray State in the fourth inning with an RBI-double. Gilmore and junior infielder Lexi Jones also nabbed RBI-doubles.
The Bison scored three more runs in the fifth inning but they still found themselves down 10 when the game was over.
Sophomore pitcher Hannah James picked up her fourth win of the season with two strikeouts. Junior pitcher Taylor Makowsky, who came in during the fourth inning, also recorded two strikeouts in the victory.
The Lions got the best of the Racers 7-0 in game two. It took three innings until North Alabama put a run on the board from a solo home run from sophomore catcher Georgia Land.
Six hits got four more runners across the plate for the Lions, bumping their lead up to 5-0. North Alabama scored one run in the fourth and another in the fifth.
The game was only the second loss for James, who finished with a 5.0 ERA and one strikeout. Makowsky came in for relief and also picked up a strikeout.
In game three, the Racers finished in five innings with an 11-0 victory against the Tigers.
Murray State put up hits and runs in the first inning. Jones and sophomore catcher Alie Kennedy scored off wild pitches while freshman outfielder Tyler Shemwell was at bat. A forced walk with the bases loaded drove in sophomore utility Lindsey Carroll. Shemwell stole home to cap off the inning.
In the second inning, Jones doubled the lead with a grand-slam. Right after that, Kennedy sent a shot to left center field making the Racer lead 9-0.
Carroll and junior outfielder Logan Braundmeier rounded home plate and Murray State sealed the deal.
Freshman pitcher Jenna Veber picked up her second win of the season, and had six strikeouts. Senior pitcher Ellison Barrett posted a shutout in her two relief innings.
The Racers played North Alabama one last time in game four but fell again, 6-0.
Neither team scored until the sixth inning when the Lions scored three runs. They then scored another three runs in the seventh.
Veber was given the loss and is now 2-2 on the season, but she did average a 3.0 ERA and struck out three batters.
Murray State’s next game will be against Creighton University at the SIU Coach B Classic at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, in Carbondale, Illinois.