Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Ball State
Blue Raiders Defeat Ball State 13-9
2/25/2007 6:12:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee softball (6-9) defeated Ball State (3-7) 13-9 to take third place in its home tournament, the Middle Tennessee Strikeout Breast Cancer Classic, Sunday at Blue Raider Field. The Blue Raiders finished the tournament with a record of 3-2.
The Blue Raiders trailed 9-5 in the bottom of the fourth inning and used a five-run rally to take the lead. It all started with a single by Martha Davis, her third hit of the game. Whitney Darlington ground out to the shortstop to advance Davis to second. Muriel Ledbetter drew a walk to put runners on first and second and Ashley Cline hit an RBI double to score Davis. With two outs, Shelby Stiner reached first on an error by the first baseman and the play allowed Ledbetter and Cline to score. Senior Melissa Weiland capped off the inning with her first homerun of the season, which also scored Stiner. It was Weiland's 16th homerun of the year, and she now needs just eight more to break the school record.
Darlington and Ledbetter led off the sixth inning with back-to-back singles and Darlington moved to third on the throw after Ledbetter's single. Ledbetter stole second and Cline got on base thanks to a Ball State error, which allowed Darlington to score from third. A double by Weiland plated Ledbetter and Cline.
Ball State had a runner on first with one out in the top of the seventh inning but Middle Tennessee would secure the win thanks to a double play to close out the game.
The Cardinals got on the board to start the first inning posting two runs. Junior Blue Raider pitcher Amy Candioto got her third start of the season but after one third of an inning of work she was replaced by freshman Lindsey Vander Lugt.
Middle Tennessee quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Davis singled and was thrown out on a fielder's choice that allowed Darlington to reach first. Ledbetter tied the game with one swing of the bat as she hit her 17th homerun of the year scoring Darlington. Ledbetter needs just seven more homeruns to break the school record.
Ball State re-took the lead in the top of the second inning. Kamilah Holle hit a homerun over the right field wall to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.
The see saw affair continued when Middle Tennessee recaptured the lead in the third inning thanks to Davis. Sam Floyd led off with a double and was out at third on a fielder's choice that allowed Caitlin McLure to reach first. Davis launched a two RBI homerun over the centerfield wall for her first long ball of the season.
The Cardinals posted four runs in the fourth inning to again take the lead again at 7-4.
A Katie Mielke double began the Blue Raider's fourth inning. With one out, Weiland reached first thanks to a Ball State error and Mielke scored on the play.
Ball State extended its lead in the fifth inning with two additional runs to make the score 9-5. It lasted a half-inning until Middle Tennessee put together the rally in the fifth and sixth inning.
Vander Lugt went 3.1 innings before being relieved by Floyd on the mound. Floyd also went 3.1 innings allowing two runs on three hits and picked up the win. She improves to 2-2 on the season.
Weiland led the club going 2-for-4 with a double, a homerun, four RBI and two runs scored. The 13 runs scored by the Blue Raiders were the most by the team in a game this season.
Middle Tennessee returns to action on Friday at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic. The Blue Raiders face Wright State at 10 a.m. and Winthrop at 7 p.m.
