Cushing Breaks Single Season Home Run Record as MT Splits with FAU

Saturday, April 21

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2 PM

Middle Tennessee

30-17, 0

FAU

22-23, 0

FAU

Middle Tennessee

4/21/2018 9:27:00 PM | Softball

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team split a doubleheader with Florida Atlantic on Saturday afternoon. The Raiders won the first game, 6-1, but the Owls that took the second, 4-3.

Sophomore first baseman Lexi Cushing hit her 12^th home run of the season in the second game. The home run broke the MT single season record for home runs, previously held by Muriel Ledbetter who hit 11 in 2006.

Cori Jennings started both games in the circle for MT, going 1-0. The senior pitched 12.1 innings on the day and allowed just two runs on eight hits while striking out eight. The one win was her 15^th of the season.

Middle is now 30-18, 8-9 on the year following the doubleheader. This is the first time since 2007 that MT has reached 30 wins and the Raiders still have eight games to go in the regular season.

Florida Atlantic moves to 23-23, 10-7 on the year after the split day on the diamond.

Game One: MT 6, FAU 1

After two scoreless innings, the Raiders struck for three runs in the bottom of the third. Keely McGee got aboard on an error and was able to make her way to third on another error and a stolen base. Morgan Harris then sent her home on a single up the middle. Lexi Cushing hit in the other runs as she sent a single down the left field line. Harris and Kristin Uselton, who walked, scored to give MT a 3-0 lead.

In the next frame, FAU got the bases loaded but Jennings picked up a strikeout to get out the jam.

The Raiders struck for another run in the bottom of the fourth. Danielle Munoz led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by Deja Portillo. McGee then sent a double to left center field that allowed Portillo score, upping MT's lead to 4-0.

The Owls got on the board in the next inning with a sacrifice fly. After two hits, Samantha Lageyre hit a fly ball to center that Amanda Peck scored on to make it a 4-1 game.

Middle added a couple of insurance runs in the fifth as Harris started off the inning with a walk. Cushing then sent a single to right field and the two scored as Kirstyn Cuccia singled to shallow centerfield.

Jennings sealed the 6-1 win with a strikeout and several groundouts down the stretch.

Game Two: FAU 4, MT 3

The second game of the day started as a pitcher's duel as both sides accumulated just five total hits through four and a half innings of action.

The Raiders struck first in the game, finally getting a pair of runs across in the fifth. Jocelynn De La Cruz led off with a single to left field. Brooke McClure came into pinch run and the speedy freshman scored after moving up on sacrifice bunt from Cuccia. Burgess got the RBI was she sent another single into left field. Birdsong followed with a hard hit ball into right field and Burgess made her way to third on the play. The Raiders then drew out a 2-0 lead as Birdsong stole a base and Burgess crossed home on the throw down to second.

The MT runs, started a scoring spree as FAU countered with a run in the next frame. Madisyn Palmer got aboard on a lead off infield single. She stole second and scored on a single up the middle. The Owls looked to be threatening to score more on a sacrifice fly to right field but missed tagging up and instead the inning ended as the runner left early.

Up 2-1, Cushing added a solo home run in the sixth. The sophomore absolutely smashed a ball well over the left field and into the parking lot behind the Blue Raider Softball Field. The homer was her 12^th of the year, breaking the MT single season record.

However, the Owls staged a comeback in the top of the seventh. With one out, FAU got back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. The Owls scored one on a fielder's choice and then another on a Blue Raider error to tie the game at 3-3. Lageyre then sent a single to center that allowed FAU to take their first lead of the series, 4-3.

The Raiders went down in order in the bottom half of the inning to split the day with the Owls.

Up Next

The teams will meet for one more series deciding game tomorrow, Sunday, April 22. First pitch is scheduled for 12pm, weather permitting, at the Blue Raider Softball Field.