Beech Tree News Network

Former BCHS softball standout CheyAnne Gaskey has etched her name into the record books at her new school. Gaskey set the Murray State University single game strikeouts record when she fanned 14 batters on Sunday in the Arkansas Invitational Tournament.

The weekend started roughly for the Racers. Murray State dropped its first two games of the tourney on Friday. On Sunday the Racers had to face the St. Louis Billikens, one of the teams that beat the Racers in the opening days of the tourney. St. Louis drew first blood with 2 runs in the first inning, but the Racers, with Gaskey in the circle, fought back to take the lead after the second inning.

St. Louis took back the lead after their half of the second, and lead 4-3 heading to the sixth inning. Murray State managed to tie the game, and after a scoreless seventh inning the game went into extra innings. Gaskey-the starting pitcher for the Racers-remained in the circle for Murray despite the game going into extra innings. Neither team was able to score in the eighth, so the game went to the ninth, and final inning.

Murray’s bats came alive in the inning, with the Racers plating three runs to take a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Gaskey stayed in circle for the Racers, and retired the side to grab her first win of the young season. Gaskey struck out one batter in the ninth to give her a record 14 K’s for the game. The 14 strikeouts is a record for Murray State Softball. The Racers completed their rally from an 0-2 tournament start to capture the Arkansas Invitational Championship later on Sunday by beating Louisiana-Monroe by a final of 10-2.

On the season Gaskey is 1-2 with an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 3.0. She has 27 strikeouts and 21 walks so far this season.

Gaskey was a stellar high school softball player for BCHS, including two years First Team All State honors. In her five-year pitching career Gaskey tallied 1,545 strikeouts for the Bears. She was twice named to the All 12th District Team and Third Region team.  She and was the 2010 and 2011 3rd Region Player of the Year.  Records have also been submitted to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association as Gaskey will be entering the record books in several categories from her high school career.

CheyAnne is the daughter of Jim and Heather Gaskey of Morgantown.

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Story by Joe K. Morris, BtN/WLBQ.