Softball 2/10/2023 11:00:00 PM

Softball blasts Iowa Central, stops Butler

Box Score By Kevin Farr
Murray State Sports Information
Facing their toughest competition to date, the second-rated Murray State softball team turned up its offensive charge with a pair of double-digit run totals for a sweep of opponents in the THF Winter Blast Friday in Denison, Texas.

Coach Aaron Mullens' Lady Aggies walloped Iowa Central, 20-2, in the opener and then doubled up Division I seventh-ranked Butler Community College, 10-5, to stay unbeaten at 6-0 on the young season. Murray State was slated to battle Dodge City and Lamar College to close out the prestigious event on Saturday.

It was all Murray State in the first contest against an outmatched Iowa squad as they opened it up from nearly the start, plating 10 runs in the second inning. Abby Beck began the barrage with a solo home run and Kenzie Tuck capped the flurry with a three-run blast. In between the Lady Aggies tallied three doubles and two triples.

The Lady Aggies tacked on two more runs in the third inning before wrapping up the run rule with an eight-run fifth that was highlighted by a K.J. Morgan grand slam home run.

Murray State finished with 14 hits, 11 of which went for extra bases. Morgan tallied three hits and five runs batted in while Shallen Mershon chipped in three hits as well, including a home run, and drove in three. Tuck added a double in addition to her homer and ended with five RBI.

Ileana Lucio worked four solid innings, yielding two unearned runs on one hit while striking out six for the pitching victory.

In the much-awaited finale with Butler, Murray held a slim 3-2 lead after four innings before breaking it wide open with a seven-run outburst in the fifth stanza. The Lady Aggies got initial singles from Tuck, Rayna Rock and Jadyn Hook ahead of five bases loaded walks to plate runs.

Murray State made the most of six hits in the game as Chesnie Hewitt smacked a triple and drove in one while Mershon tossed in a double and RBI.

Freshman Christina Clark fired four innings in the pitching triumph, allowing two runs on two hits with four strikeouts along the way.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Chesnie Hewitt: INF; Sophomore

#17 Jadyn Hook: INF; Sophomore

#5 Ileana Lucio: P; Sophomore

#18 Shallen Mershon: C; Sophomore

#3 Kenzie Tuck: INF; Sophomore

#11 Christina Clark: P; Freshman

#7 Rayna Rock: Utility; Freshman

#12 Abby Beck: INF; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#4 Chesnie Hewitt
: Sophomore
: INF

#17 Jadyn Hook
: Sophomore
: INF

#5 Ileana Lucio
: Sophomore
: P

#18 Shallen Mershon
: Sophomore
: C

#3 Kenzie Tuck
: Sophomore
: INF

#11 Christina Clark
: Freshman
: P

#7 Rayna Rock
: Freshman
: Utility

#12 Abby Beck
: Sophomore
: INF