Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Austin Peay
Lady Raiders Knock Four Homeruns in Sweep of Austin Peay
4/15/2004 10:19:00 PM | Softball
Middle Tennessee started and ended strong against Austin Peay in game one as the Lady Raiders produced six runs in the first three innings and won the game 12-5. Middle Tennessee picked up its first run off an RBI single by Brittany Herald. It was a strong game at the plate for Herald as she went 5-for-5 with a homerun, two doubles and five RBI.
The Lady Raiders put together five runs in the second inning and was aided by two Lady Gov errors. The inning was highlighted by Herald's first double of the game that produced two RBI.
Crystal Bobo looked invincible through those first three innings as she forced a pop-up to the first Lady Gov batter than preceded to sit down the next eight batters, all on strikes. Austin Peay, however, put together a rally at the bottom of the fourth inning when the Lady Govs got back to the top of their order.
Lady Gov Jennifer Simpkins started the rally with a double and scored on a RBI single by Brittany Venable. The Lady Govs would get two more runs off an RBI fielders choice by Jessica Warden and a double by Sarah Longmire. Bobo ended the rally by striking out the next two batters. The Lady Govs got two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with an RBI double by Venable than Bobo allowed a run when a wild pitch sent the runner in from third.
Middle Tennessee added a run in the top of the sixth inning when Herald hit a homerun over the right field wall. With the score 8-5 to start the seventh, the Lady Raiders put the game out of reach when the team rallied for four runs. Melissa Weiland started the scoring frenzy with two outs with a single up the middle and was followed by a single by Tompkins. Pinch hitter Liz Davis plated both Weiland and Tompkins with an RBI double to keep the inning alive. Back-to-back doubles by Cortney Mitchell and Herald brought in the Lady Raiders third and fourth runs of the inning.
Bobo pitched her 10th complete game of the season and improved to 10-9 on the season. She recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts in the outing but did allow three earned runs on five hits.
Austin Peay jumped out first in the second game, when Venable hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. The Lady Raiders got one of the runs back when designated player Kristina Hieb's RBI double sent home Leah Grothause who started the inning with a lead-off single.
Middle Tennessee took the lead in the top of the third when Grothause hit a three-run homerun with two outs to send home Muriel Ledbetter and Mitchell, who started the inning with back-to-back singles. Weiland made it back-to-back homeruns when she hit a solo shot over the left field wall for her second four-bagger of the season.
Mitchell's sacrifice RBI to right field, in the top of the fourth, produced one run for the Lady Raiders as she scored Candis Littrell to make the score 6-2. Austin Peay pulled within one run when three Lady Raider errors allowed three Lady Gov runs to make the score 6-5. Austin Peay tied the game 6-6 on an RBI double by Natasha Anderson when their were two outs and a runner on first.
Ledbetter hit her first homerun of the year over the left field wall to give the Lady Raiders back the lead in the top of the sixth inning. After Mitchell drew a walk with two outs, Herald hit an RBI double to give Middle Tennessee an 8-6 lead.
Trish White came into the game with the score tied 6-6 and picked up the win, improving to 3-0 on the season. Ashley Frizzell got the start in the game, but had a no decision, but she did strike out a career-high seven batters.
Middle Tennessee heads back into Sun Belt Conference play as the Lady Raiders travel to Denton, Texas to take on North Texas Saturday and Sunday. It will be the first meeting between the two squads, as the Lady Eagles are playing their inaugural season.
