Box Score

BOX SCORE

OXFORD, Ala. – Paige Murphy's solo home run in the bottom frame of the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie to lift the #1 Eastern Kentucky University softball team over #8 Morehead State, 2-1, in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday night at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.

The bomb made Murphy just the sixth player in the last decade in NCAA Division I softball to have 20 homers and 20 stolen bases. The senior is the only player in the nation to reach the mark this season.

Destinee Lizzmore notched the first hit of the game when she ripped a double to left center. Murphy was hit by a pitch and Hannah Clark was walked to load the bases for Johnkyria Alston. The senior sent a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Lizzmore, notching an RBI and putting EKU up 1-0.

Cassie Griffin was hit by a pitch to start the third and made her way around the bases, scoring on a single from Paige Scruggs as the Eagles tied it up at 1-1.

Emily Corbitt was issued a walk in the third inning, putting her in the Colonel record books as the single-season walks owner with 33.

Mollie Paulick collected the win after tossing 6.2 innings and giving up just one run. The sophomore moves to 19-5 on the year and 12-0 against OVC teams.

After the win EKU improves to 38-16 while Morehead State drops to 27-22.

The Colonels will return to the diamond tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET to take on #5 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the winner's bracket of the OVC Tournament.