Blue Raiders Defeat Alumni 8-1

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The current Blue Raider players defeated the alumni, 8-1, in the inaugural Middle Tennessee softball alumni game Saturday at Blue Raider Field.

The alumni boasted three pitchers who were members of the 2000 club that won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship and made the program's only appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The current players faced Jennifer Martinez and Stayc Preator, who are ranked number one and number two in every career pitching category in the Blue Raider record books. They also went up against Amanda Kendall who was on the mound when Middle Tennessee knocked off a ranked Texas A&M club.

Middle Tennessee's current players scored three runs in the first inning as Martha Davis, Shelby Stiner and Corrie Abel each crossed the plate.

The Blue Raiders scored three more runs in the second inning. Kristine Reed led off with a single and scored off an RBI double by Samantha Floyd. Catilin McLure's single plated Floyd for the second run of the inning. That set up Lindsey Vander Lugt, as the pitcher got got her first plate appearance of the fall, hitting a rope between first and second to land at first base. Davis' single scored McLure for the third run of the inning to lead 6-0.

Justine Cerda led off the fourth inning, for the current players, with a homerun over the left field wall. The second run of the inning was thanks to a double steal, which scored Ashley Cline.

The alumni got their first hit of the game as Blue Raider softball graduate assistant and former Blue Raider Liz Davis led off the fourth inning with a double and scored the only run for the alumni off a Blue Raider error. Davis also got a single in the seventh inning for the only other hit for the former players in the game.

Middle Tennessee softball closes out its fall season on Sunday at a tournament at Lipscomb University. The Blue Raiders host the Bison at 1:45 p.m. and close out the tournament by facing off against Tennessee State at 4:45 p.m. Middle Tennessee is currently 6-0 in fall play.