EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With one out in the bottom of the 8^th inning, Hannah Hood picked up the game-winning single to give the University of Evansville softball team a 4-3 walk-off win over Murray State at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at Cooper Stadium.
 
An exciting finish saw the Purple Aces tie the game in the bottom of the 7^th before completing the comeback one inning later to open the weekend series with a victory.  Alexa Davis, Zoe Frossard and Brooke Voss each recorded two hits while Frossard led all players with two runs scored.  Sydney Weatherford went the distance in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits in eight innings of work.
 
After Weatherford sat the Racers down in order to open the game, the Purple Aces plated two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Alexa Davis singled and Zoe Frossard reached on an error and with one out, Jenna Nink hit into a fielder's choice.  Both runners scored on a Racer error to give UE the advantage.
 
Murray State cut the deficit in half when Bailey Broemmer hit a solo home run in the top of the third.  Evansville was in prime position to counter in the bottom half of the frame when a Frossard single was followed by a Brooke Voss double to put runners on second and third with one out.  Unfortunately, two quick outs ended the threat.  In the ensuing half inning, the Racers pounced as the tying run would cross the plate. 
 
Evansville did its best to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Lacy Smith and Davis led off with singles.  An error would load the bases with one out, however, the Aces were unable to push the go-ahead run across the plate.  Things remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the seventh when Murray State took their first lead of the game on a Taylor Jackson single.
 
Down to its final three outs, the Aces found some late magic.  Frossard came to the plate with two outs and her patience paid off as a single up the middle gave the Aces a chance.  Voss came through with the game-tying double in the bottom of the inning to send the game to extras. 
 
Frossard got the job done on the defensive side, making a diving catch to secure the first out as the side was retired in order.  Jess Willsey led off the bottom of the 8^th with a single to center to bring up Taylor Howe.  She reached on a fielder's choice with Willsey out at second.  Next up at the plate was Marah Wood.  Her double to right advanced pinch runner Dori Brown to third.  With the game on the line, Hannah Hood approached the plate and singled up the middle to bring in Brown to clinch the victory.
 
On Saturday, the teams will play the second game of the series at 2 p.m.