Lady Raiders Complete Sweep of New Mexico State

Sunday, April 25

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

12:30 PM

Middle Tennessee

New Mexico State

Photo by: MT

4/25/2004 6:01:00 PM | Softball

By: MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee softball (30-14, 10-2 Sun Belt) took its first complete Sun Belt series sweep with 7-1, 4-3 victories over New Mexico State (9-41, 0-11 Sun Belt) Sunday at Lady Raider Field. For the second time in the four-game series Middle Tennessee scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Lady Raiders won the second game 4-3. With one out and the bases empty, senior Cortney Mitchell hit a single past the third baseman to represent the winning run. Herald was robbed with a hot shot to the shortstop to bring up Leah Grothause who reached base on an error by the third baseman. The Aggie third baseman overthrew the ball and it rattled by the first baseman and down into right field, which allowed Mitchell to round third and score the winning run. Middle Tennessee scored first in the game with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Kristina Hieb's RBI fielders choice gave the Lady Raiders a 1-0 lead and set up an RBI single by Trish White for the second run of the game. New Mexico State tied the game when Hieb was called for interference at third base and the umpire allowed two Aggie runners to cross the plate. The Lady Raiders took back the lead in the bottom of the third when Angie Huebner came home from an Aggie error. Back-to-back walks in the top of the sixth by relief pitcher Crystal Bobo set up New Mexico State's game-tying heroics. After Lindsay Ashley and Kristen Grow pulled of steals to second and third, Cassandra Gonzales plated Ashley on a sacrifice fly to right field. Bobo took the win in the second game, and improved to 15-10 on the season after also picking up the 7-1 decision in the first game. She tossed 3.2 innings allowing one run on one hit in the second game, and tossed a shutout in the first game with five innings pitched allowing two hits, no runs and striking out four. Mitchell led Middle Tennessee in the first game as she went 3-of-4 with two RBI, one run scored and two doubles. She ended the doubleheader with three doubles to extend her total to 23 on the season and also broke the school record for RBI in a season with 40. Muriel Ledbetter got the Lady Raiders on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third with a solo homerun over the right field wall. It was her second four-bagger of the season. The Lady Raiders exploded for six runs in the fourth. After the Aggies loaded the bases with one out, Katie Tompkins picked up an RBI off a fielders choice to score Melissa Weiland. A pitch then hit Ledbetter and Hieb went home on the play and Mitchell came up with a two RBI double to put runners at second and third and still one out. Grothause's two RBI single gave the Lady Raiders the final two runs of the inning. White came into the game in the top of the sixth in relief of Bobo. After tossing a scoreless sixth, she allowed one Aggie run in seventh but still recorded her fourth save of the year. Middle Tennessee will have the week off before traveling to Miami on Saturday to take on Florida International. First pitch is set for noon at Panther Park.