Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The more than 90 minute rain delay did not slow down the Colonels' offense as sophomore
Paige Murphy's two-run blast in the top of the first put the EKU softball team up for good in Sunday's 8-1 win over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at Cougar Field.
Sunday's second game was canceled per an Ohio Valley Conference rule which prohibits a contest from beginning past 5 p.m.
Murphy finished with two RBIs on the day, along with senior
Kayla Joyce and freshman
Rachel Minogue. Joyce,
Sarah Fobbs and
Hannah Clark each recorded two hits for EKU in the win.
With
Krislyn Campos aboard, Murphy sent her first long ball of the year over the wall in right center to put EKU up 2-0 in the top of the first.
The Colonels added two more in the following inning after a two run shot to the gap in right center that scored Campos and
Brittany Oldaker, extending the EKU lead to 4-0.
The EKU (27-8, 11-2 OVC) offense stalled briefly before plating two runs in both the fifth and the seventh inning to seal its 11th conference win of the season.
In the fifth, the Colonels' speed and aggressive base running paid dividends as Joyce crossed the plate following and erred throw from the SIUE catcher after Joyce swiped third. Later in the inning, a wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed Fobbs to score and the Colonels to widen their lead to 6-0.
The Cougars answered with an RBI double from Alyssa Heren in the home half of the fifth to plate their lone run of the contest.
Senior right hander
Hayley Flynn shutdown the Cougar offense, as Flynn and the EKU defense allowed just three hits on the day. Flynn went the distance for the Colonels, tossing seven innings and striking out 11 for her fifth complete game of the season and her 18th win of the year.
With a 6-1 lead heading into the final inning, the EKU offense added two runs after a two RBI double to center field from Minogue gave the Colonels an 8-1 advantage on their way to the win.
The Colonels quickly nixed any comeback attempt from the Cougars, retiring the side in order for the victory.
Heren led the way for the Cougars, going 2-for-4 on the day and one RBI.
The EKU win avenged Saturday's OVC doubleheader loss at Eastern Illinois that ended the Colonels' 11-game winning streak.
The Colonels travel to No. 15 University of Kentucky on Wednesday for a non-conference matchup. Wednesday's first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
