Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 25
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
4PM
Middle Tennessee
17-23
1
vs
0
Alabama A&M
13-28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Alabama A&M
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
Middle Tennessee
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
4
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jennings, Cori (10-12)
L: Caitlyn Hayden (8-13)
Batting:
SH: Lavarsha Thigpen 1
Batting:
HR: Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
RBI: Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
SB: Birdsong, Precious 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF/C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Home Runs and Strikeouts Lift Raiders over AAMU
4/25/2017 8:40:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team picked up two shutout victories over Alabama A&M on Tuesday evening. The Raiders won the first game of the doubleheader, 1-0, in extra innings and followed by taking game two 2-0. In game two, Gretchen Greer recorded 13 strikeouts, the most in a single game for MT since the 2010 season. Middle moves to 18-23 on the season while the Bulldogs tumble to 13-29.
Game 1 – MT 1, AAMU 0 – Box Score
The Raiders nearly jumped out to a quick lead in game one. In the bottom of the first, Precious Birdsong reached on a bunt and then stole second. She made her way to third by tagging up on a deep fly ball from Morgan Harris but was unable to advance the next 60 feet.
The Raider defense was dominate in the game with Cori Jennings in the circle. She allowed a single in the first inning of action but held the Bulldogs off the bases through the next six innings of play.
The game remained knotted at 0-0 as neither team could get much going offensively.
In the top of the eighth, the Bulldogs started with a single down the left field line. A ground out and a sacrifice bunt put the go ahead run at third, but Jennings recorded her career high 10th strikeout to get the Raiders out of the jam.
Then Kirstyn Cuccia ended the game as the first batter in the bottom half of the inning. She sent a ball to deep right field that the Bulldogs nearly grabbed but it instead went over the fence for a walk-off home run. Cuccia's first home of the season, and second in her career.
Jennings picked up her 10th win in the circle and her 17th complete game. She allowed just two hits in the eight innings of work.
Game 2 – MT 2, AAMU 0 – Box Score
The Bulldogs came out swinging in game two, picking up a double to start the second inning. Then, a Raider error put the runner on third base but a strikeout from Greer and a ground out halted the AAMU momentum.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Raiders nearly took the lead. Lexi Cushing led off with a walk followed by Kaylyn Slatter hitting a single through the left side. A sacrifice bunt from Kristin Uselton moved the two over to second and third. Cuccia then dropped a sacrifice bunt of her own, which turned into a squeeze play that was unsuccessful, scratching the Raiders' chances at a run.
In the third, the Raiders had a chance again as Birdsong reached on a two out bunt single. She then stole two bases but was held up at third as the inning ended on a ground out to second.
The fourth inning was the charm for the Raiders to get on the scoreboard. Slatter came up and blasted a ball over the trees in dead centerfield to give MT a 1-0 lead. It is just the second home run that Middle has hit at home this season.
MT added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth. A two out rally ensued as Summer Burgess reached on an infield single to the shortstop. Birdsong followed with an infield single to short as well. Harris then sent a ball back up the middle that scored Burgess to make it 2-0.
Greer struck out a career-high 13 in her seventh win of season, the most strikeouts in a single game since 2010. She allowed four hits and one walk, the only walk of the doubleheader from MT.
Middle returns to the Blue Raider Softball Field this weekend for a three-game home stand with C-USA foe Marshall. The series will get underway with a doubleheader Saturday, April 29 starting at 2pm and conclude with senior day festivities for the single game on Sunday, April 30 at 12pm.
Game 1 – MT 1, AAMU 0 – Box Score
The Raiders nearly jumped out to a quick lead in game one. In the bottom of the first, Precious Birdsong reached on a bunt and then stole second. She made her way to third by tagging up on a deep fly ball from Morgan Harris but was unable to advance the next 60 feet.
The Raider defense was dominate in the game with Cori Jennings in the circle. She allowed a single in the first inning of action but held the Bulldogs off the bases through the next six innings of play.
The game remained knotted at 0-0 as neither team could get much going offensively.
In the top of the eighth, the Bulldogs started with a single down the left field line. A ground out and a sacrifice bunt put the go ahead run at third, but Jennings recorded her career high 10th strikeout to get the Raiders out of the jam.
Then Kirstyn Cuccia ended the game as the first batter in the bottom half of the inning. She sent a ball to deep right field that the Bulldogs nearly grabbed but it instead went over the fence for a walk-off home run. Cuccia's first home of the season, and second in her career.
Jennings picked up her 10th win in the circle and her 17th complete game. She allowed just two hits in the eight innings of work.
Game 2 – MT 2, AAMU 0 – Box Score
The Bulldogs came out swinging in game two, picking up a double to start the second inning. Then, a Raider error put the runner on third base but a strikeout from Greer and a ground out halted the AAMU momentum.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Raiders nearly took the lead. Lexi Cushing led off with a walk followed by Kaylyn Slatter hitting a single through the left side. A sacrifice bunt from Kristin Uselton moved the two over to second and third. Cuccia then dropped a sacrifice bunt of her own, which turned into a squeeze play that was unsuccessful, scratching the Raiders' chances at a run.
In the third, the Raiders had a chance again as Birdsong reached on a two out bunt single. She then stole two bases but was held up at third as the inning ended on a ground out to second.
The fourth inning was the charm for the Raiders to get on the scoreboard. Slatter came up and blasted a ball over the trees in dead centerfield to give MT a 1-0 lead. It is just the second home run that Middle has hit at home this season.
MT added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth. A two out rally ensued as Summer Burgess reached on an infield single to the shortstop. Birdsong followed with an infield single to short as well. Harris then sent a ball back up the middle that scored Burgess to make it 2-0.
Greer struck out a career-high 13 in her seventh win of season, the most strikeouts in a single game since 2010. She allowed four hits and one walk, the only walk of the doubleheader from MT.
Middle returns to the Blue Raider Softball Field this weekend for a three-game home stand with C-USA foe Marshall. The series will get underway with a doubleheader Saturday, April 29 starting at 2pm and conclude with senior day festivities for the single game on Sunday, April 30 at 12pm.
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