Box Score

OXFORD, Ala. – With elimination on the line and her Colonel career on the brink, senior Krislyn Campos stepped up to lead the No. 6 Eastern Kentucky University softball team past No. 7 Tennessee Tech, 11-2, in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday at Choccolocco Park.
 
Campos finished 2-for-2 with a career-high five RBI and two runs scored as EKU (26-30) used a big third inning to pull away from Tech (16-30) in five innings.
 
Campos got the Colonels going early, as she drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a base hit by junior Johnkyria Alston to tie the game at 1-1.
 
In the bottom of the second, Campos struck again, this time with an RBI double to center field to plate pinch runner Brooke Harrison and give EKU the 2-1 lead.
 
After TTU knotted it up with a run in the top of the third, Eastern exploded for six in the home half of the frame to put the game out of reach. Sophomore Hannah Clark started the rally with a leadoff solo home run to right field. Junior Paige Murphy then walked and went to second on a groundout by senior Amber Murray. Sophomore Brittany Oldaker followed that up with a double to center field that plated Murphy and made it 4-2.
 
After senior Kelly Wood drew a walk, Campos blasted a three-run shot over the wall in left to make it 7-2. Alston capped the inning with another RBI single, scoring freshman Mia Sanchez and making it 8-2.
 
The Colonels continued to pile it on in the bottom of the fourth to enact the run rule. With one out and the bases loaded, Campos lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Murray. Sanchez then put down an RBI bunt base hit, plating freshman Shelby Atzinger. The next batter, sophomore Rachel Minogue, pushed Wood across the plate with a base hit to right, making the score 11-2.
 
Oldaker went 3-for-3 on the day with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Freshman Mollie Paulick (13-11) earned the win in the circle, going 4.0 innings and surrendering only two runs on four hits.
 
Campos' performance gave her sole possession of EKU's single-season (48) and career (152) runs records.
 
EKU advances to play Friday at 11:00 a.m. ET against the loser of Thursday's No. 1 Jacksonville State/No. 4 Eastern Illinois game.