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Courtesy Photo Murray State College sophomore C.J. Crane slides into second base in the first game of the Aggies double header versus Paris Junior College on February 21st. The Aggies defeated the Dragons 9-1 in the first game before shutting them out 10-0 in the second game of the day, improving their record to 9-1 this season.
Tishomingo, Okla. (Feb. 24, 2020) The Murray State College Softball Team took the field Friday, February 21 in Tishomingo for a double header versus Paris Junior College. The Aggies entered the games with seven wins and one loss this season and on a three-game winning streak.
In the first game of the day, Murray State got on the scoreboard first when sophomore Alexis Lambert hit a sacrifice fly to bring in fellow sophomore Mikayla Rutland, giving the Aggies a one-to zero lead. After Paris Junior College evened the score in the top of the second inning, Murray State answered with three runs to help them pull away from the Dragons. The runs were scored on a double by Rutland, a single by freshman Logan Martin and another sacrifice fly by Lambert giving the Aggies a four-to-one lead to start the third inning. A two-run RBI double from sophomore Destiny Tiger in the third inning further widened the Aggie lead and a sacrifice fly by C.J. Crane to bring Martin home and a two-run home run by freshman Kenzie Lasker in the fourth inning helped put the game out of reach and secured the Aggies’ nine-to-one victory. Overall for the game, Lasker, Lambert, and Tiger each had two RBIs and Rutland and Martin had one RBI each. Freshman Caroline Pattison was on the mound for the Aggies and faced 22 batters, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three.
The Aggies rode the momentum from the win into the second game of the double-header versus Paris Junior College. Murray State got their offense started when sophomore Taleigh Nail doubled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring two runs and a bases-loaded walk later in the first inning brought Lambert in for the score. Solo home runs by Rutland on the first at bat of the second inning and by Lasker in the third inning expanded the Aggie lead to five runs to zero.
Murray State solidified their second win of the day versus Paris Junior College on a grand slam by sophomore Payton Griffin in the fourth inning which gave the Aggies a 10 run to zero win. Freshman Kendall Candioto pitched all five innings for the Aggies, allowing zero runs and only two hits and striking out nine batters. Also, Murray State didn’t commit a single error in the field during the game.
On Saturday, February 22, the Aggie Softball Team looked to defend their home field and five-game winning streak as they welcomed Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to Tishomingo for a pair of games. NEO took an early one-run lead in the first inning, and expanded their lead in the second and third innings before the Aggies scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the NEO lead to four runs to two. A solo home run from Griffin in the fourth inning and a RBI on a single by Crane in the fifth inning helped Murray State tie the game at four runs each going into the fifth inning. Murray State ended the game in dramatic fashion after trailing five-to-four in the bottom of the seventh inning when Crane hit a walk-off single scoring two runs to secure a six-to-five victory over NEO.
Candioto was on the pitcher’s mound for the Aggies, surrendering five runs on 13 hits, striking out five and walking one batter.
Overall, she threw 112 pitches, including 76 strikes, over seven innings in the win.The Aggies continued to be sure handed in the field, not committing a single error in their second straight game.
After the close win over NEO, the Aggies hoped to build on their success in the second game of the double header.
Murray State got things started in the first inning when Lambert singled to score one run, giving the Aggies an early lead.
The Lady Norse evened the score at one run each in the following inning, before taking a one run lead in the third inning.
Trailing three-to-one to start the fourth inning, the Aggies pulled themselves within a run when freshman Daeja Johnson scored on a NEO error and then took the lead at the next at bat on a double by Tiger which scored two runs.
The Aggies expanded their lead to three runs on a pair of singles from Rutland and Lambert which each scored a run.
After a scoreless fifth inning, NEO had an explosive sixth inning where they scored seven runs before the Aggies answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 10 runs. A seventh-inning home run
A seventh-inning home run by NEO helped the Lady Norse secure a 12-to-10 victory over the Aggies.
Next, the Aggies have a short break before hosting Eastern Oklahoma State College for a double-header on March 5.