Nashville --- The Tennessee State University softball team
picked up a doubleheader split against Morehead State Saturday afternoon at Tiger
Field.
The Tigers dropped a 5-3 decision in extra innings before
defeating the Eagles 10-4 in the second game of the day. TSU improved to 7-14 (2-2
OVC) while Morehead State moved to 10-12 (3-1 OVC).
In the bottom of the second, Bridget Metzger singled and
then advanced to second on a throwing error by the center fielder. She moved to
third when Webb singled to center and later scored on a sacrifice fly by
Caitlin Eaton.
The Tigers increased the lead to 2-0 when Brittany Webb hit
a solo homerun down the left field line in the third.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Eagles used back-to-back
singles to spark a rally that would tie the game 2-2.
The game went into extra innings after the Tigers weren't
able to capitalize on a lead-off single by Tamara Perkins and left her stranded
on second base in the bottom of the seventh.
Three hits and a walk led to Morehead capturing a 3-2 lead
in the top of the eighth. With runners on first and second and only one out,
Megan Hedrick came in for Schnebly, and got the next two batters to fly out to
end the inning.
TSU answered in the bottom of the eighth with a run and had
a chance to win the game but fell short. With one out, Caitlin Eaton singled
before Natalie Papini came in to pinch run for her. The next batter, Christy Hill, doubled off the left field fence to score Papini all the way from first
and tie the game 3-3.
With still only one out in the inning, Christy Hill moved to
third on a wild pitch. A few moments later, however, Hill got caught in a
rundown and Katie Jordan was thrown out trying to reach second for an inning
ending double-play.
In the top of the ninth, Morehead's Amber Riddle hit a two-run
homer to right center to give the Eagles a 5-3 edge.
MSU held on for the win as TSU's batters went down in order
in the bottom of the frame.
Hedrick (1-5) was charged with the loss for while Alex
Gjevre (5-7) earned the win for Morehead
State. Metzger (2-of-4)
and Webb (2-of-4) each recorded two hits for TSU.
In the second game of the day, Morehead grabbed a 1-0 lead
in the top of the first but TSU answered with a four-run inning in the bottom
half to capture a 4-1 lead. The Tigers had three hits and capitalized on an
Eagle error in the frame.
The next inning, Caitlin Eaton drove in Bridget Metzger to
increase TSU's lead to 5-1.
In the top of the third, Amber Riddle recorded her second
homerun of the day to cut the deficit down to 5-2. The Eagles scored another run on a squeeze
play to make the score 5-3 before the inning ended.
TSU opened up the lead, 10-3, in the bottom of the sixth,
scoring five runs on two hits and two MSU errors. The Tigers went through the
entire batting line-up in the inning.
The Eagles scored another run in the top of the seventh but
that would be as close as they would get.
Megan Hedrick (2-5) earned the win for TSU while Sarah
Funston (5-4) picked up the loss for MSU.
Caitlin Eaton went 3-for-3 at the plate and turned in a
game-best four RBI. Bridget Metzger crossed the plate for TSU three times.
The Tigers hit .271 for the day and recorded 16 hits.
The series is scheduled to conclude tomorrow at Tiger Field.
First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
