Published: April 11, 2008 01:26 pm         

Eagle Softball smacks EKU

MSU is now 24-7 & 9-4 in OVC, sitting second in the league

MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State scored three unanswered runs in the second and third innings and then rode the pitching arm of sophomore Alex Gjevre, who tossed a three-hitter while allowing no earned runs, as the Eagles defeated Eastern Kentucky 4-1 Wednesday at Gertrude Hood Field. MSU won its fourth consecutive game and improved to 9-4 in the league and 24-7 overall. EKU lost its fifth straight game and fell to 8-7 in the OVC.

The Eagles claimed the season series from EKU with the win. MSU had dropped a 2-1 game in the previous meeting before wining 5-4 in the second game of a twinbill in Morehead on March 25.

Freshman Rebecca Butler provided much of the firepower at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Sophomore outfielder Courtney Seiler, who is hitting over .450 in OVC play, added two hits, and senior shortstop Allie Honkofsky broke a 1-1 second-inning tie with her second career home run. Ironically, Honkofsky's only other round-tripper came earlier this season against EKU when she belted a game-winning three-run job in the second game of the doubleheader.

Gjevre, who leads the OVC and ranks in the top 20 nationally in ERA, was stellar again today. She picked up the complete-game win, improving to an OVC-best 11-3, and allowed just three hits while collecting three strikeouts. Gjevre's 25th career win also enabled her to climb to fifth place in career wins at MSU in less than two full seasons. She now has an 0.82 ERA and has allowed just 12 earned runs to score in 102 innings in the circle.

The Eagles scored first in the opening half-inning off EKU rookie pitcher Stacye Toups. Bri Jones drew a leadoff walk and moved to second and third on Kari Quinn's and Brandy Bucher's sacrifice bunts. Butler recorded her first RBI with a single through the left side on a 2-2 pitch from Toups.

The Colonels answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. A throwing error loaded the bases for Amber Lenz. She singled home leadoff batter Chanze Patterson, but that would be virtually it for EKU as far as scoring chances went. Lenz later doubled, but only Cassi Gibson was able to also hit safely against Gjevre.

Honkofsky broke the tie in the top of the second. She took a one-out 2-2 Toups offering over the fence in left center field.

The Eagles made it a 4-1 game in the top of the third. Jones walked again to lead off and Quinn reached when her sacrifice bunt attempt was booted by EKU. Jones moved to third on the fielding blunder, and then Quinn accepted a free pass to second via a wild pitch. Butler cracked a single to left center field after that to score both Eagle baserunners.

Toups was lifted in the third inning for reliever Kalyn Fox and absorbed the loss to fall to 6-5 this season.

Morehead State returns home this weekend for a crucial three-game series with current OVC-leader Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks were 12-1 in the league before a game Wednesday night against Samford. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. with Sunday's single game set for 1 p.m. as well.