EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — What a difference 24 hours make. After dropping a pair of run-rule decisions on Saturday, the Morehead State softball team closed out its season with a 3-1 road victory over SIU Edwardsville on Sunday. The Eagles needed 10 innings to get the job done, but won their final game of the year for the first time since 2019, while topping their 2023 victory total.
It was MSU’s first 10-inning contest since April 1, 2023, when the team dropped a 4-2 decision at home against Lindenwood in 11 innings. It was his first victory in a game that lasted at least 10 innings since toppling Belmont 10-7 in 13 innings at home on April 14, 2017.
The Eagles finished the campaign with a 5-15 road mark, their highest win total since going 8-18 in 2021.
Freshman Addie Stem (6-13) started in the circle and picked up the win for Morehead State (12-28, 6-21). The right-hander went 10 innings, giving up one run on seven hits, allowing four walks and striking out three.
“Honestly I feel that all my pitches were working and it kept SIUE off guard well,” Stem said. “The stellar defense behind me kept us in the game so that offense could pull ahead. We couldn’t have ended the season on a better game! I’m so proud of this team!!”
At the plate, the Eagles were led by sophomore Taikibrea Campbell, who went 2-for-5 on the day with a double and two RBI. Senior Peyton Jordan furnished a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 3-for-5 with a double. Freshman Sela Pickford He also helped out for Morehead State, putting together two hits in five trips to the plate.
The Eagles scored in the first and the Cougars matched it in the third, but the two teams remained off the board until the 10th, when freshman Taikibrea Campbell hit a two-out double to left-center field.
I honestly was so calm in the box I wasn’t telling myself ‘get a hit, get hit.’ I was just doing me and being patient waiting on my pitch.It was an outside pitch and I just stayed back and drove it in the gap,” Campbell said..”I was just so happy I got us ahead.(Our) defense was having a great game, so I knew we were coming back out and holding them for three outs to win the ball game.”
The Eagles only had two hits through the first seven innings, before unleashing five over the next three in extra innings.
“It was a great team win today,” said MSU head coach Megan Griffith. “Addie threw a great game and defense had her back the entire way. Taikibrea came up big with the two run double to put us ahead and Peyton had a heck of a last game going 3 for 5 at the plate and playing great defense.”
It was the final game for the careers of four Eagles: Jordan, Becca Crawford, Kaytlyn Cripps and Trinity Spear. Jordan and Spear each played four seasons at MSU. It was the only school for Jordan, who went out with a bang.
“(I’m) so grateful for the opportunity and so glad I was able to help my team get the win,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better game to end my senior year and so thankful for my teammates that made this year so memorable for me.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run at the top of the first inning. Jordan came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State and get them on the board.
The Cougars then tied the ballgame at one before the Eagles came back to reclaim their advantage in the tenth inning. Morehead State pushed two runs across on a two-run double off the bat of Campbell that brought home Jordan and junior Ilencia Lightbody, which brought the score to 3-1 in favor of the Eagles. The score remained 3-1 for the rest of the game, as Morehead State held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Jordan picked up three base knocks in the game for Morehead State.
» Morehead State’s highest scoring inning was the tenth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Morehead State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn’t surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Morehead State pitchers limited SIUE to just 1-for-10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 41 SIUE hitters in the game, allowing 22 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out three.
» The Eagles drew four walks from SIUE pitching.
» Campbell led the Eagles at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
» SIUE was led offensively by senior Jenna Herron, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
» Senior Kelsey Ray led the Cougars pitching staff, throwing five innings of one-run ball.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
