Simon Elfrink
Sports Editor
selfrink@murraystate.edu
Rain couldn’t stop Murray State softball from hosting a single game against Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday, March 30, at 3 p.m.
While the Racers took the Blue Raiders ten innings deep, it was Middle Tennessee who had the last laugh with a 3-1 win at Racer Field.
The low-scoring game was nothing short of a pitchers’ duel as the Blue Raiders’ starter senior right-hander Amber Baldwin went all ten innings in the circle for Middle Tennessee, allowing only a single run on six hits and a walk. Baldwin also struck out three batters in the process.
Murray State’s starter redshirt senior right-hander Taylor Makowsky held the Blue Raiders’ offense to a minimum in her own start. Makowsky allowed one run on four hits in four innings, striking out three in the process. Freshman righty Kamryn Carcich went five innings in the circle for the Racers, giving up two runs on five hits. Sophomore righty Jenna Veber pitched the last inning for the Racers, hanging a zero on two hits and facing five batters.
Middle Tennessee struck first, gaining the only run against Makowsky with an RBI single through the left side from graduate shortstop Summer Burgess in the top of the third inning.
The line of zeroes broke for the Racers in the bottom of the fourth when senior infielder Sierra Gilmore hit an RBI single into left field, scoring senior outfielder Jensen Striegel from third.
Both teams’ bats cooled off as the pitching and defense went back and forth to hang up goose eggs on the board. The game went deep into extra innings with both teams tied at one run.
In the top of the tenth inning, Carchich’s dominant day on the mound came to its end with a leadoff double from freshman infielder Nahri Tath-Slezak, followed by a double from Burgess, which drove Tath-Slezak in from second. After giving the mound up to Veber, Carcich’s ERA suffered another run after a flyout off the bat of sophomore utility player Kaylee Richetto brought Burgess in for the last run of the game, giving the Blue Raiders a 3-1 win on the Racers’ home field.
Striegel was one of two multi-hit players on the day for the Racers, the other being junior first baseman Jordan Childress, who went 2-4 with a double.
The loss puts a damper on the Racers’ recent momentum as Murray State’s record drops down to 14-16. The Racers will look to stay hot overall, having won seven of their last nine games.
Murray State will play a three-game series at Jacksonville State University on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3.