MOREHEAD, Ky. - Scoring came almost at will for the Eastern Kentucky University softball team as they scored 15 runs in both halves of a doubleheader against Morehead State, winning 15-9 and 15-1.
The Colonels (26-9, 7-1 ASUN) have now won seven of their last ten games and move above .500 in true road games this season.
GAME ONE - EKU 15, MSU 9
Victoria Byrum (9-1) collected another win, pitching 6.0 innings as the Colonels took control early in a high-scoring game one for both teams.
Lauren Narvaez and
Brooke Davis also made appearances in the circle, with Davis closing out the final two outs for the Colonels.
The Colonels posted just two scoreless innings across both doubleheaders, being held without a run in the first inning in game one before opening up the scoring in the second.
Skyler Billips was able to steal home plate thanks to a distraction by
Makayla Mathis stealing second as both runners made it safely to their base.
Two more runs were tacked on in the third as
Sharyn Duncan collected the first of what would be five home runs on the day for EKU, belting a ball to deep center field for a two-run homer.
The Colonel offense exploded in what would prove to be a decisive fourth inning, posting six runs in the top half of the frame.
Taci Haase got things started with a hard-hit grounder that the Eagle second baseman could not control to score
Kaitlyn Wallis.
Reese Knox followed up three batters later with a double to left center for two RBIs.
Kennedy Drafton made it back-to-back RBI hits with another hard grounder to second. Duncan tallied her third RBI of the game with a single down the third base line before Wallis collected an RBI with a double to left center of her own for the final run of the inning.
The Eagles posted two-run innings in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, but two more EKU runs in the top of the sixth pushed the advantage back to 11-6.
Lilly Davis joined Duncan in the home run column with another two-run homer, this time to left field. The home runs were both Duncan and Davis' first of the season.
Drafton and
Maddi Rutan put a bow on things with four final runs in the seventh inning. Drafton caused the Eagles' fourth error of the game with yet another hard-hit grounder to second, scoring two. Rutan capped the game off with an RBI single to center field.
Morehead State pushed three runs across in the bottom of the final inning, but the deficit was too great as the Colonels took game one by a six run margin, 15-9.
GAME TWO - EKU 15, MSU 1 (5 inn.)
Starting in the circle and picking up the win in game two for the Colonels was
Tayteum Vigansky (4-0). Vigansky pitched 2.2 innings, while
Brooke Davis made her second relief appearance of the game for 1.1 IP of her own.
Emma Bethel made her first appearance of the season in the final inning. The Colonel pitching staff allowed just four hits in the near-shutout performance.
The offense was humming from the jump for the Colonels, posting four runs in the opening inning. Knox and Drafton laid down back-to-back bunts that allowed
Jaelin Haynes to round the bases and score after opening the game with a leadoff single.
Rutan had herself a game to remember, totaling a 4-for-4, three home run, eight RBI appearance in the batter's box. The two-way sophomore started the game by lacing a triple down the left line that cleared Knox and Drafton from the bases.
The Colonels posted another six-run explosion in the second inning, led by Rutan. With bases loaded, Rutan unloaded to deep center for a grand slam, her second of the season and ninth home run. Two more runs came off a throwing error off a fielder's choice on a hit by
Jordan Smith, making the Colonel lead a formidable 10-0.
Home run number two on the game for Rutan came in the third inning with another bomb to center field, this time a solo shot.
The Eagles scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third, but the Colonels fired right back with two more runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to put the game to bed early.
Knox put up her third RBI of the day with a single up the middle while Drafton brought home Smith on a sac fly.
Rutan put a cap on her day with a final solo shot, this time to left field for home run number three and RBI number eight. Wallis grabbed the final RBI of the day with a sacrifice groundout to make the final score 15-1.
UP NEXT
The Colonels stay on the road, this time heading to Conway, AR for their second round against Central Arkansas. The Colonels won the first series in Richmond, 2-0, before inclement weather canceled game three of the series. Things kick off with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5 at 3 PM and 5 PM before wrapping up on Sunday with the series finale at 1 PM.
Â
