Raiders Hang on to Defeat Belmont, 9-8

Wednesday, April 18

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6 PM

Middle Tennessee

29-17

Belmont

22-15

Belmont Bruins

Middle Tennessee

4/18/2018 10:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score Play-by-Play season stats Highlights

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team hung on to defeat Belmont 9-8 in a slugfest on Wednesday evening. The teams amassed 22 hits, seven of which were for extra bases and four of the seven were by MT.

Lexi Cushing and Dani Munoz each hit home runs in the contest while Morgan Harris had a double and Keely McGee hit a triple.

Cushing's home run was her 11^th of the year, which ties her for a single season program record. Muriel Ledbetter hit 11 during the 2006 season.

With the win, MT improves to 29-17 on the year. The Raiders are now just one win shy of surpassing the program's best record since 2007 when the squad was 30-30.

In the game, it was Belmont who struck first as Jess Andree hit a solo home run.

The Raiders fired back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs on three hits. Summer Burgess scored the first run for MT as she reached on a walk. Harris picked up the RBI on her seventh double of the season. The RBI was also her 100^th career RBI. Harris then scored on a Claire Smith bloop single to right center. Cushing, who reached on a walk also scored in the inning as Danielle Munoz sent a single into right field. Smith, Cushing and Burgess also picked up stolen bases in the frame as MT had six on the day.

Middle took a 5-1 lead in the second inning as McGee had a leadoff triple. She was able to score on a Burgess ground out to second base.

The Bruins came back with two runs in the top of the third as it was Andree again with the big bat. She sent a double to left field that cut MT's lead to 5-3.

With one swing of the bat, Munoz got one run back for the Raiders. The redshirt junior hit a solo home run over the left centerfield fence to put MT ahead 6-3. The homer was her fourth of the year and her second in the last two games.

Cushing also had a solo home run for the Raiders. Her shot to dead center cleared the outfield trees and ended up somewhere between MTSU Blvd. and the Scarlett Commons dorms.

In the top of the fifth, Belmont struck again to come within one of tying the game. The Bruins had four singles, a walk and a fielder's choice in the inning to make it a 7-6 ball game.

The Raiders capitalized on three Belmont errors in the bottom half of the inning to add some cushion back to their lead. Burgess reached on an infield single and Precious Birdsong followed by getting aboard on the first error of the inning. Kristin Uselton then layed down a bunt and made it safely to first on another error. Both Burgess and Birdsong scored on the play to put Middle ahead, 9-6.

Just when it seemed that MT had a handle on the game with one out in the top of the seventh and three run lead the Bruins struck again. Emily Bauersachs hit a two-run home run to put Belmont within one of tying the game. Cori Jennings then came into pitch and earned a strikeout and a ground out to secure the MT victory and her second save of the season.

Pattie Ruth Taylor was credited with the win in the circle. The redshirt senior pitched 1.2 innings allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out two.

Gretchen Greer and Amber Baldwin also saw time in the circle. The pair combined for three strikeouts in 5.2 innings.

Up Next

The Raiders look to carry their two game win streak and offensive momentum into weekend conference play. MT hosts Florida Atlantic in a three game series beginning on Saturday, April 21 with a doubleheader at 2pm and then concluding on Sunday with a single game at noon.