Raiders drop both games Saturday

Saturday, March 5

Orlando, Fla.

8:00 AM

Middle Tennessee

North Florida

3/5/2016 1:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MT falls to North Florida and La Salle, lose three straight

By: @MT_Athletics

ORLANDO, FLA. – Middle Tennessee (9-10) drops both games at the UCF Tournament on Saturday as they lost to North Florida (7-12) 7-6 before falling to La Salle (1-6) 5-0.

North Florida got things going early when Jenna Brownell singled up the middle with two and two on to plate the first two runs of the game. Navia Penrod and Katie Mandigo scored to give the Ospreys the early 2-0 lead after one inning.

In the top of the second Dani Munoz hit her team leading third home run of the season and cut the North Florida lead to 2-1. But MT was not done there.

Austin Whaley tripled to score Precious Birdsong, then Kirstyn Cuccia followed with a base hit to score Whaley and the Raiders took a 3-2 lead in the second inning.

The lead lasted until the fourth when the Ospreys scored four more two-out runs. Shelby Duncan earned a bases loaded double that scored Alex Arciola, Penrod and Mandigo to retake the lead 5-3. Duncan then scored on a Stacy McClelland base hit and North Florida's lead ballooned to 6-3 after four innings.

Middle Tennessee came right back to tie the game in the top of the fifth. A bases loaded hit by Kristen Uselton scored Cuccia and Payton Grove, and three batters later Randi Cookus earned a bases loaded hit that brought home Lauren Payne. The Raiders' three-run top of the fifth tied the score at 6-6.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh. Duncan led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Brownell followed with a base hit to score Duncan and the Ospreys took the win 7-6.

Kelci Cheney got the start, but only went 3.2 innings as she allowed six runs on seven hits and walked three. Pattie Taylor (2-2) pitched well out of the pen as went 2.2 innings and gave up just four hits. But the one run Taylor surrendered was the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

In the second game La Salle jumped on the board early as Valerie Pineiro singled to right center to bring home Mackenzie Obert and Kendra Heyer. After just half an inning, the Explorers were on top 2-0.

The score stayed the same until the fifth when the La Salle bats got hot again. Pineiro came up with another RBI hit as her single scored Heyer. Emma Schweigert followed by reaching on a fielder's choice that brought home Obert for a 4-0 Explorer lead. La Salle added one more as Lindsey Gaines doubled home Schweigert and the lead ballooned to 5-0 after five.

That turned out to be all Mary Cate Scott (1-1) needed in the circle, as she baffled the Raider hitters all day. She earned a complete game shutout as she only allowed five hits, and walked no one in the strong performance.

Cheney (6-6) took another tough loss as she allowed five runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work. Kristen Adkins came out of the bullpen and pitched well, throwing 2.0 shutout innings and allowing just three hits.

The Raiders will finish the tournament Sunday as they play LIU Brooklyn, scheduled to start at 11 a.m. The Blackbirds lost their only game Friday, a 5-4 8 inning defeat to North Florida. LIU Brooklyn will play two afternoon games Saturday.