Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, February 27
Clearwater, Fla.
11:15 a.m.
Middle Tennessee
vs
Maine
Blue Raiders Set for USF Under Armour Invite
2/26/2015 9:11:00 AM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - After having the weekend off due to the cancellation at the Ole Miss Red and Blue Classic, the Blue Raiders will head to Clearwater, Fla., for the USF Under Armour Invitational. It's the last tournament of the season as MT will play five games in three days, beginning with Maine at 11:15 a.m., and Radford at 1:45 p.m., on Friday.
Follow the Blue Raiders: Facebook | Twitter
USF Under Armour Invite Schedule
Friday, February 27
@MT_Softball vs. Maine – 11:15 a.m.
@MT_Softball vs. Radford – 1:45 p.m.
Live Stats
Saturday, February 28
@MT_Softball vs. Oakland – 12:45 p.m.
Live Stats
@MT_Softball vs. Rhode Island – 2:45 p.m.
Live Stats
Sunday, March 1
@MT_Softball vs. East Carolina – 9:00 a.m.
Live Stats
About the Blue Raiders
Last Time Out
MT finished 4-1 at the Dot Richardson Classic two weekends ago, including a 5-3 extra-inning victory over Louisville on Sunday. It was the first time since 2012 MT had defeated an ACC opponent (Virginia Tech), and its the best 10-game start since a 7-3 mark to begin the 2004 season. Junior Carlie Jenkins paced the offense with a .467 average from the plate (7-of-15) with 11 RBIs and a home run.
Stepping up in the Circle
Since allowing 18 runs in the first two games of the season, the pitching staff of senior Caitlin McClure, junior Kelci Cheney, sophomore Megan Chocallo and freshman Makenzie Prince have stepped up inside the circle. In the last eight games, the Blue Raiders have allowed just 22 runs (14 earned) and a 2.42 ERA while allowing opposing batters to hit .234 from the dish. In the seven wins, the pitching staff has an ERA of 2.54 as opposed to an 8.38 ERA in three losses.
Sizzling Start
Junior Carlie Jenkins has adjusted nicely since arriving on campus as she is leading the team with a .548 average from the dish, which is good for third in C-USA. The Rockwall, Texas' 20 RBIs is also a team-high and fifth in the league. The first baseman is on a nine-game hitting streak and has a RBI in the last eight contests. She also leads the conference with six doubles.
Nightmare on the Paths
Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong and junior Kiarra Freeman has posed a problem for opponents as the two outfielders are a combined 11-of-13 stealing bases and have scored 25 runs together. Birdsong is hitting .406 from the leadoff spot while Freeman is hitting a solid average of .353.
Around Conference USA
The Blue Raiders are in a gauntlet of a conference as 10 of 12 teams boast a winning record, while Florida Atlantic is a conference-best 13-1 this season. All 10 teams with a winning record have a winning percentage above .600. In the east division, the combined record for all six teams including MT is 53-18 (.746).
About the Opponents
Maine (1-4, 0-0 America East)
The Black Bears are off to a 1-4 start under fourth-year head coach Lynn Coutts. Maine's lone win came in a 3-1 victory in its season opener against Jacksonville State. Three of the Bears' four losses have been by three runs or less. The Bears are hitting just .162 against their opponents while Janelle Bouchard is leading the team with a .250 average and one RBI. Despite a slow start offense, the Bears have yet allowed more than four runs this season while the pitching staff boasts a 2.68 ERA. Alexis Bogdanovich is 1-1 on the year with a 1.50 ERA inside the circle and averaging five K's per contest.
Radford (1-6, 0-0 Big South)
Third-year head coach Maggie White has the Highlanders off to a 1-6 start to the season. RU picked up its first win of the season in its most recent outing against George Mason, 12-4.Kayla Bishton is leading the Highlanders with a .429 average while Whitney Davis leads the way with nine RBIs and a .368 hitting clip. MT will look to take advantage of a Radford pitching staff that has an ERA of 4.32, while Brittany Wratchford has the team's lone victory inside the circle in relief action.
Oakland (6-8, 0-0 Horizon League)
Head coach Connie Miner, in her third-year at the helm has the Grizzlies at a 6-8 mark. The Grizzlies defeated Ave Maria on Wednesday after dropping five of their previous six contests. Sarah Hartley leads a lineup that has seven players hitting over .300 as Hartley is hitting at a .410 clip with 11 RBIs. The Grizzlie pitching staff is allowing a 4.33 ERA with Erin Kownacki posting a 2-3 record in five starts and four complete games.
Rhode Island (0-4, 0-0 A-10)
Under seventh-year head coach Erin Layton, the Rams are off to a slow 0-4 start to the season. Most recently, URI fell to Stetson, 9-0 at the Westin Lake Mary Leadoff Classic. Emily Hendricks leads the way with a .385 batting average from the plate while five players have tallied an RBI. URI has a team ERA of 7.58 while opponents have limited the Rams to just five runs in four games.
East Carolina (6-7, 0-0 AAC)
After starting 5-1 to the season, the Pirates have dropped six of their previous seven contests to give them a 6-7 mark. Bethy Keylon-Randolph leads ECU at the helm in her third season, while posting a 28-win season in 2014. The Pirates are hitting .257 as a team with Kacie Oshiro posting a .375 batting average, while Ali Ramirez has notched a team-high 12 RBIs. Casey Alcorn and Abby Wynne has hit three homers as well. The pitching staff has an ERA of 4.06 with Sarah Christian notching a 3-2 record and a 1.83 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY
Maine: MT and the Black Bears are tied 1-1 in the all-time series, with Maine winning the last matchup, 7-4 on March 14, 1996.
Radford: The all-time series is deadlocked, 2-2, with the Highlanders winning the last two matchups. In the most recent outing, RU defeated MT, 6-3 last season.
Oakland: Saturday's meeting between the two opponents is the first meeting between the two foes.
Rhode Island: MT won the only contest between the two opponents in a 6-0 shutout victory on March 25, 2000.
East Carolina: The Pirates and Blue Raiders are tied 3-apiece, while ECU has won three of the last four meetings after MT won the first two contests. In the most recent outing, MT fell, 3-2, in extra innings on Feb. 8, 2009.
UP NEXT
MT will open its home slate on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., against Tennessee State at Blue Raider Softball Field.
Follow the Blue Raiders: Facebook | Twitter
USF Under Armour Invite Schedule
Friday, February 27
@MT_Softball vs. Maine – 11:15 a.m.
@MT_Softball vs. Radford – 1:45 p.m.
Live Stats
Saturday, February 28
@MT_Softball vs. Oakland – 12:45 p.m.
Live Stats
@MT_Softball vs. Rhode Island – 2:45 p.m.
Live Stats
Sunday, March 1
@MT_Softball vs. East Carolina – 9:00 a.m.
Live Stats
About the Blue Raiders
Last Time Out
MT finished 4-1 at the Dot Richardson Classic two weekends ago, including a 5-3 extra-inning victory over Louisville on Sunday. It was the first time since 2012 MT had defeated an ACC opponent (Virginia Tech), and its the best 10-game start since a 7-3 mark to begin the 2004 season. Junior Carlie Jenkins paced the offense with a .467 average from the plate (7-of-15) with 11 RBIs and a home run.
Stepping up in the Circle
Since allowing 18 runs in the first two games of the season, the pitching staff of senior Caitlin McClure, junior Kelci Cheney, sophomore Megan Chocallo and freshman Makenzie Prince have stepped up inside the circle. In the last eight games, the Blue Raiders have allowed just 22 runs (14 earned) and a 2.42 ERA while allowing opposing batters to hit .234 from the dish. In the seven wins, the pitching staff has an ERA of 2.54 as opposed to an 8.38 ERA in three losses.
Sizzling Start
Junior Carlie Jenkins has adjusted nicely since arriving on campus as she is leading the team with a .548 average from the dish, which is good for third in C-USA. The Rockwall, Texas' 20 RBIs is also a team-high and fifth in the league. The first baseman is on a nine-game hitting streak and has a RBI in the last eight contests. She also leads the conference with six doubles.
Nightmare on the Paths
Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong and junior Kiarra Freeman has posed a problem for opponents as the two outfielders are a combined 11-of-13 stealing bases and have scored 25 runs together. Birdsong is hitting .406 from the leadoff spot while Freeman is hitting a solid average of .353.
Around Conference USA
The Blue Raiders are in a gauntlet of a conference as 10 of 12 teams boast a winning record, while Florida Atlantic is a conference-best 13-1 this season. All 10 teams with a winning record have a winning percentage above .600. In the east division, the combined record for all six teams including MT is 53-18 (.746).
About the Opponents
Maine (1-4, 0-0 America East)
The Black Bears are off to a 1-4 start under fourth-year head coach Lynn Coutts. Maine's lone win came in a 3-1 victory in its season opener against Jacksonville State. Three of the Bears' four losses have been by three runs or less. The Bears are hitting just .162 against their opponents while Janelle Bouchard is leading the team with a .250 average and one RBI. Despite a slow start offense, the Bears have yet allowed more than four runs this season while the pitching staff boasts a 2.68 ERA. Alexis Bogdanovich is 1-1 on the year with a 1.50 ERA inside the circle and averaging five K's per contest.
Radford (1-6, 0-0 Big South)
Third-year head coach Maggie White has the Highlanders off to a 1-6 start to the season. RU picked up its first win of the season in its most recent outing against George Mason, 12-4.Kayla Bishton is leading the Highlanders with a .429 average while Whitney Davis leads the way with nine RBIs and a .368 hitting clip. MT will look to take advantage of a Radford pitching staff that has an ERA of 4.32, while Brittany Wratchford has the team's lone victory inside the circle in relief action.
Oakland (6-8, 0-0 Horizon League)
Head coach Connie Miner, in her third-year at the helm has the Grizzlies at a 6-8 mark. The Grizzlies defeated Ave Maria on Wednesday after dropping five of their previous six contests. Sarah Hartley leads a lineup that has seven players hitting over .300 as Hartley is hitting at a .410 clip with 11 RBIs. The Grizzlie pitching staff is allowing a 4.33 ERA with Erin Kownacki posting a 2-3 record in five starts and four complete games.
Rhode Island (0-4, 0-0 A-10)
Under seventh-year head coach Erin Layton, the Rams are off to a slow 0-4 start to the season. Most recently, URI fell to Stetson, 9-0 at the Westin Lake Mary Leadoff Classic. Emily Hendricks leads the way with a .385 batting average from the plate while five players have tallied an RBI. URI has a team ERA of 7.58 while opponents have limited the Rams to just five runs in four games.
East Carolina (6-7, 0-0 AAC)
After starting 5-1 to the season, the Pirates have dropped six of their previous seven contests to give them a 6-7 mark. Bethy Keylon-Randolph leads ECU at the helm in her third season, while posting a 28-win season in 2014. The Pirates are hitting .257 as a team with Kacie Oshiro posting a .375 batting average, while Ali Ramirez has notched a team-high 12 RBIs. Casey Alcorn and Abby Wynne has hit three homers as well. The pitching staff has an ERA of 4.06 with Sarah Christian notching a 3-2 record and a 1.83 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY
Maine: MT and the Black Bears are tied 1-1 in the all-time series, with Maine winning the last matchup, 7-4 on March 14, 1996.
Radford: The all-time series is deadlocked, 2-2, with the Highlanders winning the last two matchups. In the most recent outing, RU defeated MT, 6-3 last season.
Oakland: Saturday's meeting between the two opponents is the first meeting between the two foes.
Rhode Island: MT won the only contest between the two opponents in a 6-0 shutout victory on March 25, 2000.
East Carolina: The Pirates and Blue Raiders are tied 3-apiece, while ECU has won three of the last four meetings after MT won the first two contests. In the most recent outing, MT fell, 3-2, in extra innings on Feb. 8, 2009.
UP NEXT
MT will open its home slate on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., against Tennessee State at Blue Raider Softball Field.
Players Mentioned
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