Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Cassi Gibson ripped a line drive up the middle with two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the seventh inning of a tie game to give Eastern Kentucky a 2-1 win over Tennessee State on Sunday. The victory allows the Colonels to win the series two games to one and even its Ohio Valley Conference record at 5-5.

TSU (9-18, 4-6 OVC) scratched out a run in the top of the first to take an early lead. Two singles sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt put runners at the corners. The Colonels got a ground ball up the middle for a chance at a double play. Raquel Howes made a diving stab and flipped the ball to second from her stomach for the second out of the inning, but the relay to first was just a hair late and the runner scored from third.

EKU (10-22, 5-5 OVC) got on the board and tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and Samm Daniels on first, Diane Gallagher roped a double to the fence down the left field line. Daniels scored easily from first to tie the game 1-1.

The Tigers went down in order in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half of the inning, DeAnn Horswill led off the inning with a walk. After a pop-up, a ground ball moved the runner to second. A pass ball and a walk put runners at the corners with two outs for Eastern. Gibson lined the first pitch she saw straight up the middle to plate the game-winner.

Gibson finished 2-for-4 with one RBI. Gallagher and Jena Handley each had two hits. Stacye Toups (5-3) allowed one run on six hits in seven innings of work.

Six different Tigers accounted for Tennessee State’s six hits. Caitlin Eaton (2-6) went the distance for TSU, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out four.

The Colonels will host a pair of non-conference doubleheaders to begin the week. On Monday, Dayton will visit Gertrude Hood Field with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.