Jakob Milani
Sports Editor
[email protected]
Murray State’s softball team had its game on Wednesday, April 20, against Southern Illinois University rained out in extra innings.
The game was tied at six runs apiece heading into the ninth inning until the rain was deemed too much to continue playing.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jenna Veber took the mound for the Racers, entering with a 1.49 ERA (Earned Run Average). She held the Salukis scoreless through the first four innings, giving the Racers time to take the lead.
The Racers first struck in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore first baseman Lily Fischer doubled up the middle to bring in junior third baseman Gracie Osbron and senior right fielder Logan Braundmeier.
Senior shortstop Sierra Gilmore added on in the bottom of the third inning with a home run over the center field fence to put the Racers up 3-0.
Later in the third inning, three more Racers managed to get on base as Osbron singled up the middle. Then, both Fischer and sophomore designated hitter Yanna Marrow were hit by pitches to load the bases.
Another run crossed as freshman left fielder Erin Lackey drew a walk to bring Osbron home and put the Racers up 4-0.
The Racers’ final two runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning. First, Braudmeier bunted down the first baseline to get an infield single. Gilmore then doubled, bringing Braundmeier to third base.
A wild pitch from junior right-handed pitcher Sarah Harness brought home Braundmeier and moved Gilmore to third. Then, after drawing a walk, Osbron stole second base, which allowed Gilmore to score and put the Racers up 6-0.
The Salukis finally got on the board in the top of the fifth inning when sophomore first baseman Elisabeth Huckleberry hit a sacrifice flyout to left field with sophomore left fielder Elizabeth Warwick tagging up and scoring on the play.
The biggest inning for the Salukis came in the top of the sixth inning.
The inning started with a double from senior shortstop Ashley Wood, followed by a double from graduate second baseman Jenny Jansen that brought Wood around to score.
Senior catcher Danyelle Eilers came in to pinch run for Jansen. With a single from Warwick to center field, Eilers came in to score and make it 6-3 Racers.
Junior right fielder Tori Schullian was then walked and Huckleberry reached on a fielder’s choice, which loaded the bases.
Freshman designated hitter Emma Austin stepped up to the plate and singled to Gilmore, which allowed Warwick to touch home plate and score.
Finally, junior center fielder Aubree DePron stepped up and singled up the middle, which proved enough to bring both Schullian and Huckleberry around to score and tie the game at six runs apiece. Wood came back up in the order and flew out to end the inning.
The Racers had no answer in the bottom half of the sixth inning as two of the three batters struck out.
The final inning of regulation came around. In the top of the seventh inning, all three Salukis grounded out, giving the Racers a chance to walk it off. But it was a “one-two-three” inning as two of the three batters went down swinging.
Rain had made its way into the area, threatening to stop the game as it went into extra innings. The Salukis had one hit in the top half of the eighth as Schullian hit a double with one out, but it was all that the Salukis could muster in the inning.
Gilmore started the bottom half of the inning with a single, which was followed up by a single from Osbron. Then, despite a two-out walk from sophomore catcher Taylor Jackson, Lackey hit a flyout to Schullian to end the inning.
Following this, the game was called because of bad weather, with the teams remaining tied at six.
Murray State’s record sits at 30-11-1 overall following the tie, with its 14-3 conference record remaining intact.
The Racers’ conference schedule picks back up with a three-game homestand against SEMO, with game one on Saturday, April 23, and games two and three being on Sunday, April 24. First pitch for game one is set for 3 p.m. at Racer Field.
