Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Sunshine State Tournament
Lady Raiders Split Two Games in Tallahassee
2/15/2003 10:08:00 PM | Softball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Middle Tennessee earned a split in the final day of the Seminole Challenge on Saturday to pickup its first softball victory of the season. The Lady Raiders (1-3) fell to No. 9 ranked Florida State, 6-3, before downing Iowa State, 3-1, in the tournaments final game.
In the win over the Cyclones, Stayc Preator pitched a complete game four-hitter and struck out eight to key the victory. It marked Preator's 41st career win at Middle Tennessee.
Offensively, Dani DeCamino drove in two of the team's three runs by going 1-for-3 at the plate, while newcomer Cortney Mitchell picked up a hit in four at bats and scored two runs. Kip Phillips, Erica Buhl, and Leah Grothause also had a hit.
Earlier in the day against FSU, the Lady Raiders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Seminoles tied things up in the second inning. The score remained 1-1 until FSU plated one in the fifth to take a 2-1 advantage. The Seminoles came back to score two more in the sixth and two in the seventh for a 6-1 advantage.
The Lady Raiders added two of their own in the bottom of the seventh when Mitchell hit a one-out double to move pinch runner Muriel Ledbetter to third. Phillips then singled to bring home Mitchell and Ledbetter for the team's final runs.
Mitchell and Phillips both finished with two hits each, while Phillips also added three RBI.
The Lady Raiders will play their home opener on Wednesday with a doubleheader against East Tennessee. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 PM.
