Posted: Mar. 19, 2018 | Source: The Morehead News
Senior designated player Kylie Holton cranked an RBI double off the right centerfield wall in the sixth inning, and that proved to be the winning margin as the Morehead State softball team edged Oakland 3-2 in the final game of the Eagle Classic at University Field Sunday.
The Eagles moved to 16-6 in 2018, while the Golden Grizzlies slid to 6-14.
“We have been in quite a few tight games this year, and when we get in those games I feel our team has the confidence that we are going to pull it out,” said head coach David Williams. “We challenged them to go ahead and get that go-ahead run in the sixth. We got people on and we moved runners and got good at-bats. I think there is a quiet confidence with our team. They believe no matter what the situation is that someone will come through.”
Freshman right-fielder Paige Scruggs got the go-ahead inning kick-started with a one-out single. She stole second, and junior first baseman Allison Rager moved down to her position on a free-pass walk. Following a fielder’s choice ground out, Holton lifted a 2-0 pitch high and deep to right field. Oakland’s outfielder made a stabbing attempt for the ball at the wall, but it ricocheted off and allowed Scruggs to trot home with the eventual winning run.
Scruggs also collected the opening RBI of the game with a ground out in the first, and senior third baseman Ellen Barrett singled home center-fielder Aubrey Bennettto make it 2-0.
Senior pitcher Chelsea McManaway made the lead hold up until the top of the sixth when OU tied it with back-to-back RBI hits. McManaway improved to 11-2 with 11 more strikeouts today.
Six different Eagles tallied a hit apiece.
Morehead State is scheduled to host nationally-ranked Kentucky on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. Check MSUEagles.com, Twitter and Facebook (MSUEagles) for updates to the schedule due to incoming inclement weather.
