Game 1 Box Score I Game 2 Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team split a midweek twinbill at Dayton on Wednesday, narrowly falling to the Flyers in game one, 6-5, before rolling in a five-inning game two, 8-0.
 
Freshman Mollie Paulick (7-8) pitched her second straight complete game to lead EKU (16-23) to the game-two win. Paulick scattered six hits over five scoreless innings, while striking out four batters. The native of Centerville, Ohio has now surrendered only one run in her last 13.2 innings of work.
 
The middle of EKU's lineup powered Eastern at the plate in game two. The Colonels' 4-5-6 hitters – junior Johnkyria Alston, sophomore Hannah Clark and junior Paige Murphy combined to go 8-for-9 with seven RBI and six runs scored in the victory.
 
The Colonels got on the board in the top of the first, as senior Krislyn Campos drew a leadoff walk and then scored on a double to left center by Alston. It was Alston's OVC-leading 14^th double of the season.
 
Murphy added to the lead with solo home run to center field in the top of the second. It was Murphy's fourth home run this season and second in the Colonels' last three games.
 
Eastern blew the lead open with a two-out rally in the top of the third. With two down in the frame, sophomore Rachel Minogue laced a double into left center and scored on an RBI base hit up the middle by Alston. Clark then capped the inning with a two-run home run over the left field wall.
 
EKU added three runs in the top of the fifth for the run-rule win. With one out in that inning, Alston singled into left field and then scored on another home run by Clark, this one to center field. Clark's two homers in the game gave her a team-leading nine on the season.
 
Murphy followed Clark's home run with a single. She then stole second and came home an RBI single by senior Amber Murray to make it 8-0.
 
Clark finished game two 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Alston went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Murphy was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
EKU nearly rallied for a come-from-behind win in game one.
 
After Dayton (20-18) plated six runs in the bottom of the third to take a commanding lead, EKU immediately closed the gap with four in the top of the fourth. With two outs and the bases loaded in that inning, Murphy drove a double into the gap in left center, scoring Alston and freshman Mia Sanchez. The next batter, freshman Shelby Atzinger, legged out an infield to score Clark. Murray then capped the scoring with an RBI base hit to score Murphy and make it 6-4.
 
With Paulick and freshman Ashton Martin stifling the Dayton bats out of the bullpen, the Colonels pulled to within a run in the top of the seventh when Campos crushed a two-out solo home run to left field. However, Sanchez then went down on strikes to end the comeback bid.
 
Campos finished game one 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

EKU returns to action Friday when the Colonels travel to Nashville to face Tennessee State in an OVC doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.