Tigers and Racers Split Doubleheader

Tuesday, April 28

Murray, Ky.

4 PM

University of Memphis

17-31

Murray State

32-17

Memphis

Murray St.

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Apr 28, 2015 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

April 28, 2015

MURRAY, Ky. -- It was a tale of two vastly different games as the Tigers took the first of a doubleheader 5-0 against Murray State, before dropping game two 9-1 in five innings at Racer Field on Tuesday afternoon.

Memphis (17-32, 4-11 The American) tied a season high with its third-straight win after the first game. In the process, the Tigers snapped Murray State's (33-17, 17-7 Ohio Valley Conference) 13-game home win streak that had started following a pair of home losses to then No. 13 Kentucky.

Jordan Richwood (10-17) threw her third-straight complete game and second --straight shutout in game one. She gave up only three hits, which matched her total from her last outing, while striking out five and allowing just one walk.

GAME ONE -- Memphis 5, Murray State 0

Almost every Tiger that batted in game one got a hit in the win. Haleigh Ross was the only exception, but she drew two walks and had only one recorded at bat. Katie Brignac and Brittany Vaughn both had two hits as the Tigers outhit their opponents 11-3.

A two-out rally got the ball rolling for the Tigers in the second. Vaughn doubled to left, and then Sami Jo Schulz picked up her second triple of the year to knock in the game's first run. After Ross drew her first walk, Addison Maxwell stepped up and continued her sold hitting as she singled between third and short to bring in another run, making it 2-0.

Wheeler Hill, who came in to replace an injured Hannah Harrell in the bottom of the second, led off the third inning with a single that dropped between the center and left fielders. She was out at second on a fielder's choice that allowed Crowdus to get on. That allowed Anna Thomas to score her with a double down the left field line.

Thomas' double also chased CheyAnne Gaskey (17-9) from the circle. She lasted only 2.1 innings and gave up six hits and four runs. The fourth came when Vaughn doubled in Thomas later in the inning to give Memphis a 4-0 lead. Haven Campbell pitched the rest of the way for the Racers. She gave up five hits and one run while walking and striking out three batters.

As Richwood continued to mow down batters, the Tigers were unable to push any runners across home over the next three innings. Brignac came close in the fifth inning with a long fly ball to left field that was caught just in front of the wall.

She didn't miss when she got another chance in the seventh. With two outs and nobody on, Brignac slammed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in dead-away center, giving the Tigers the 5-0 lead. It was her team-leading fifth home run and 24th RBI.

GAME TWO -- Memphis 1, Murray State 9

The Tigers struggled from the circle in the second game as three Memphis pitchers combined to throw the five-inning game. Unlike the first game, the Tigers were unable to take advantage of any situations with runners on base until late in the game.

The Tigers had runners on second and third in the first inning and the bases loaded in the second, but came away empty handed in both instances. It wasn't until the fifth that the Tigers broke through. Hill and Crowdus led off with singles, and then ground outs from Thomas and Brignac brought in Hill, but the Tigers were still behind 6-1.

Calli Irvin (0-4) took the loss. She threw one inning and was credited with five runs on three hits. Then Molly Smith came in for three innings. The Racers managed four hits off of her, and four runs. Brignac came in and finished the game from there as Murray State hit a walk off single to finish the game.

Memphis found itself in trouble early as the Racers scored three runs in each of the first two innings. A walk, bunt single and passed ball put runners at second and third in the first inning with nobody out. Jessica Twaddle stepped up and lined a double into left field, scoring both to make it 2-0. She'd eventually score on a fielder's choice.

The Racers also got a runner on via a walk to leadoff the second. A double scored her, and then Smith entered for Irvin. Smith hit the first batter she faced, and then a single and error brought in the fifth run of the game. The sixth run came on a sacrifice fly to Crowdus in center. It was the first out of the inning. However, Smith settled in and got the next two batters.

Neither team would score again until the fifth, when Memphis got a run. In the bottom of the inning, Erica Howard came in and tripled to lead off. A successful squeeze play scored her to make it 7-1. After the next batter walked to put runners at first and second, Brignac came in. A double down the left field line and then a single were enough to bring in the two runs the Racers needed to cut the game short.

Mason Robinson went the distance for Murray State to improve to 13-5. The Tigers were outhit in the game 9-5, but committed one less error than the Racers. Robinson walked three batters and struck out two.

Memphis returns home to the Tiger Softball Complex for the final series of the regular season. Houston comes to town for a doubleheader on Saturday and then Senior Night on Sunday. Follow the Tigers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MemphisSoftball to stay up-to-date with news, scores and information about the University of Memphis softball program.