LEXINGTON — A huge day for a former Calloway County softball standout highlighted Murray State’s appearance in the John Cropp Classic, hosted by Southeastern Conference power Kentucky.

That moment came in Friday’s first game for the Racers against Michigan State of the Big Ten when second baseman Adison Hicks slugged a solo walk-off home run in an 6-5 win over the Spartans. That was the former Kentucky Region 1  Player of the Year’s third homer as a Racer.

For much of that game, it did not seem that such heroics would be needed. The Racers (who emerged from the tournament with a 6-8 mark this season) had a 5-0 lead after five innings but the Spartans tied the game in the top of the seventh.

Hicks was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

After carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Bre Haislip was relieved after allowing three earned runs and striking out four. Karlye Graber pitched an inning in relief and allowed two earned runs before Raylee Roby (2-1) got the win after allowing one hit across two-thirds of an inning.

Hicks went 2-for-3 on the day with a double and the game-winning homer. Katy Huels went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored, and Kenley Minor went 1-for-3 with a double. Bailey Broemmer had one hit and an RBI, while Ava Ozment added an RBI on a sacrifice fly. Huels and Allie Waldron added two stolen bases each.

This was one of two wins the Racers claimed in Lexington in five outings.

Win No.2 came on Saturday against Dayton by a 5-0 score with Haislip (2-2) pitching a complete-game shutout, going the distance with six strikeouts and allowing just three hits and two walks.

Rylee Webb recorded two RBIs and a double in her only at-bat of the day. Broemmer went 2-for-4 with an RBI  and Huels went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a pair of walks. Ava Ozment went 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Earlier that day, the Racers tried to earn a sweep of Michigan State but were denied, 7-4, after starting the game with three runs in the top of the first. 

Minor went 2-for-4 in the game with two RBIs. Broemmer went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base, and Katy Huels went 1-for-3 with a pair of stolen bases. 

Sunday, Dayton justified its 8-5 mark so far this season with a 7-2 win. The Racers scored both runs in the seventh inning with Hicks and Kynadee Warner both scoring on Flyers’ errors. Warner was 3-for-3 at the plate in the loss.

The final game for the Racers meant a return engagement with a UK team they pushed to the limit several days earlier in Murray. In fact, the Racers had a late lead before the Wildcats snatched the win with a late rally.

Sunday, UK looked the part of a program that has gone to 16 straight NCAA Tournaments, winning by an 8-0 score in six innings to move to 17-4 this season.