Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Buzz Classic
Lady Raiders 1-2 at Buzz Classic
3/22/2003 9:46:00 PM | Softball
MARIETTA, Ga. - In opening day action of the abbreviated Buzz Classic, hosted by Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee (14-8) ended the day 1-2 as they fell to Georgia State 5-3, defeated Princeton 5-4 and lost no No. 16 Florida State (22-9) 5-0 Saturday.
Middle Tennessee softball dropped its first game of the day against Georgia State 5-3. The Lady Raiders scored in the first inning when Megan Cherinka hit an RBI single to send home Muriel Ledbetter.
Georgia State answered in the bottom of the third inning with two runs and added three in the fourth. The Lady Raiders tried to rally in the top of the seventh as the team with the bases loaded, as Leah Grothause hit an RBI single and then Cortney Mitchell scored on a Georgia State error.
Freshman Tiffany Childress took the loss and falls to 3-2. She threw 3.2 innings giving up four runs on five hits and struck out five. Ledbetter came into the game in relief and tossed 2.1 innings giving up one run on two hits.
In the second game, the Lady Raiders bounced back to defeat Ivy League member Princeton 5-4. Middle Tennessee spotted Princeton two runs in the bottom of the second inning when the Tigers scored on an RBI single and on an unearned run.
The Lady Raiders exploded in the top of the third inning with four runs. The inning began with a Kip Phillips doubled and then Muriel Ledbetter drew a walk and Cortney Mitchell hit her third double of the day to send home Phillips and pick up an RBI. It was Mitchell's 15th RBI of the season and ties her for fourth place in the Lady Raider record books.
Middle Tennessee got its second run of the inning with an RBI double by Grothause to send home Ledbetter. Erica Buhl got an RBI single to send in Mitchell and Grothause scored on a Princeton error.
Phillips got the insurance run the Lady Raiders needed in the top of the fourth inning when she scored on a wild pitch. It provided to be a fortuitous run as Princeton rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Senior ace Stayc Preator improved to 8-2 with the Lady Raider win over Princeton, her fifth win in a row. She gave up four runs on nine hits in the complete game.
Middle Tennessee ended out the first day at the Buzz Classic with a 5-0 loss to No. 16 Florida State. It was the third loss this season to the Seminoles.
FSU jumped on the board in the top of the second on two Lady Raider miscues, which resulted in both of the Seminole runs. Florida State added two more runs in the top of the third inning.
Phillips spoiled a no-hitter for FSU pitcher Casey Hunter in the bottom of the sixth inning when she hit a single past second base with one out. The Lady Raiders couldn't convert as Ledbetter hit into a double play to end the inning.
Florida State's Shundra Colzie added another run for the Seminoles when she hit an RBI double to send home Beth Wade.
The Lady Raiders play Nicholls State at 10 a.m. Central Sunday to round out action at the Buzz Classic.
