By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MURRAY, Ky. – The first game was all Tennessee Tech on Friday, but despite some late-inning heroics in the second game, Murray State escaped with a split against the Golden Eagles in their first two games.
The series is expected to conclude on Saturday with a single game at 3 p.m., weather permitting. Tech saw its record change to 14-18, 8-10 in the OVC, while Murray State improved to 15-22, 12-9 OVC, both teams breaking their losing streaks in the twinbill.
Haeli Bryson pitched a gem in game one, yielding just one run on five hits as she walked three and struck out four. Bryson improved to 6-4 on the season.
All four of Tech's runs came in the top of the second inning. With one down, Shelby Penning hit a single up the middle on a full count, then a fielder's choice allowed Carmen Betts to reach and Penning to advance as an out couldn't be recorded.
Sydney Love-Baker ripped a single through the right side of the infield, giving Penning room to score. Paxton Grimes faced an 0-2 count but was able to get through the at-bat by delivering a single to right, loading the bases.
Raleigh Lewis grounded to first and reached on a fielder's choice as the Racers tried to erase Betts at the plate. The throw got away from the Murray catcher, allowing Betts to score. Mackenzie Fitzgerald put a double into left center, plating Love-Baker and Grimes for the third and fourth runs.
The Racers got out of the inning after a Jessie Lowery single as they threw out Lewis at home 1-2 on a Bryson grounder, then caught McCulley on a swinging strike, bookending the frame as it began.
Sierra Gilmore drove in the only run of the game for Murray with a double down the left field line to bring in Logan Braundmeier from second. The Racers attempted to get another run on Kamryn Carcich's grounder to second as Lily Fischer tried to score from third. Fitzgerald threw home to Lewis and applied the tag for the first out of the frame before Bryson coaxed a Lindsey Carroll pop-up to second and a Lexi Jones grounder to short.
Fitzgerald was the only multi-hit batter in the series opener, collecting two.
Jenna Veber (5-10) took the loss in game one, allowing three earned runs – four total – on five hits in an inning and a third, while walking none and striking out two. Taylor Makowsky worked the final five and two-thirds, allowing just one Tech hit and one walk as she struck out four.
In game two, Alyssa Arden took the loss, falling to 7-10, but had a great outing despite the result. She allowed two earned runs – three total – on seven hits, walking two and striking out six.
Tech struck first in the top of the fourth as Lowery drove in Fitzgerald with a single up the middle, trading places with her at second as the Racers tried to throw her out at home. Murray tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Fischer hit a solo home run to left.
Braundmeier homered in the bottom of the sixth to take a 2-1 lead and all Murray State had to do was shut down Tech in the top of the seventh. Facing a 1-1 count, Betts went yard for her first career home run at the best possible time, hitting a solo blast to left, tying the game at two-all.
The rest of the seventh and eighth, as well as the Tech half of the nine had nothing doing. It almost looked the same was going to go for Murray in the bottom of the ninth as Arden retired the first two batters. Jones then reached on a single down the left field line. Taylor Jackson grounded to short, but the throw got away. Jones sped around the bases and came home to score the walk-off run on the play.
Hannah James went seven innings in the start, allowing two runs on five hits as she walked one and struck out four. Veber picked up her sixth victory in relief, throwing the final two frames as she allowed just one hit.
