Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, February 8
Starkville, Miss.
10 a.m.
Middle Tennessee
2-2
8
vs
5
Austin Peay
1-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 1 |
| Austin Peay | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
MT Picks up Two Wins on Final Day of Kickoff Classic
2/8/2015 7:17:00 PM | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Blue Raider softball team (3-2) picked up two wins Sunday to conclude the Bulldog Kickoff Classic, defeating Austy Peay 8-5 in the morning and convcincingly giving Mississippi Valley State a 13-2 setback in the afternoon.
Junior Carlie Jenkins led the offensive attack that saw 53 runs scored in the past four games, while the first baseman finished 10-for-16 with a team-high nine RBI over the weekend. Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong had an excellent opening weekend in her collegiate career as she batted .500 (9-of-18) with four RBI.
Sophomore Austyn Whaley had a solid day from the plate, where she batted .500 with four hits and plating three runners. Whaley was one of six players that finished with at least three hits over the course of the day.
Sophomore Megan Chocallo started the contest against MVSU and picked up her first win in a Blue Raider uniform, putting in 2.1 innings of work inside the circle and allowed just allowed two runs (one earned).
Game 1 : Middle Tennessee - 8 Austin Peay - 5
Much like yesterday's victory over MVSU, the bats were out to play in this one as the Blue Raiders outhit APSU 13-9 in the contest and scored at least eight runs in the third straight game.
The Blue Raiders scored in four straight innings, including three runs in the top of the third frame. Birdsong led off the inning with one of her three hits before Freeman slapped a single down the third base line.
In the ensuing at-bat, Jenkins' HBP loaded the bases for junior Megan Griffith to come up with a single to center field that drove in Birdsong and junior Kiarra Freeman. After APSU recorded a double play, Harris notched an infield single to bring in Jenkins across the plate to go up 4-1.
But APSU wouldn't go away quietly, as the Lady Govs responded in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 4-all with three runs of their own.
MT broke the tie for good in the fourth with a Birdsong triple that scored senior Alma Cortez from second after the leftfielder got on base with a single and a stolen base.
The Blue Raiders and Lady Govs traded a pair of runs in the top of the fifth that kept the MT lead at one, 6-5, before two more MT runs in the top of the sixth put the lead out reach en route to the win.
Junior Kelci Cheney (2-2) earned the victory after pitching four innings and scattered four hits and one run allowed, while senior Cailtin McClure came in for a brief stint inside the circle.
Sophomore Megan Chocallo got the nod inside the circle for her first start of the season, but didn't factor in the decision while giving up two runs in two innings of action.
Eight of nine batters notched at least one hit with Birdsong recording a 3-for-4 performance and three runs scored. Jenkins ended the contest 2-for-3 while plating three runners, she now has seven RBI in the previous two contests. Freeman and Willis also tallied two hits while Griffith drove in two runners with a hit.
Game 2: Middle Tennessee - 13 Mississippi Valley State - 2 (F/5)
All the Blue Raiders needed was a nine-run second inning to take control and never looked back as nine different players notched a hit and an RBI, including a two-RBI single by Whaley started the offensive outburst.
The Blue Raiders were never threatened during the game as they tacked on three runs in the ensuing inning to go up 12-2, and eventually end the game with a 13-2 win. In two games, The Blue Raiders outscored MVSU, 27-2 in two contests.
"(Cor'Nisha) Birdsong and (Kiarra) Freeman are fun to watch steal bases and score runs.(Kelci) Cheney pitched solid outings yesterday and today,"said head coach Jeff Breeden."Our kids played very well this weekend, and I'm proud of the way all the players contributed this weekend,"
Whaley finished 4-for-4 for a career-high in hits and three RBI to lead the offense that finished the contest with 18 hits. Jenkins also finished 4-for-4 while driving in two runners, and Nieves recorded two RBI and two hits.
McClure came in relief to pitch the final 2.3 innings and allowed zero runs and a hit.
The Blue Raiders will look to build off the 3-2 start next weekend when they head to Clermont, Fla., for the Dot Richardson Classic.
Junior Carlie Jenkins led the offensive attack that saw 53 runs scored in the past four games, while the first baseman finished 10-for-16 with a team-high nine RBI over the weekend. Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong had an excellent opening weekend in her collegiate career as she batted .500 (9-of-18) with four RBI.
Sophomore Austyn Whaley had a solid day from the plate, where she batted .500 with four hits and plating three runners. Whaley was one of six players that finished with at least three hits over the course of the day.
Sophomore Megan Chocallo started the contest against MVSU and picked up her first win in a Blue Raider uniform, putting in 2.1 innings of work inside the circle and allowed just allowed two runs (one earned).
Game 1 : Middle Tennessee - 8 Austin Peay - 5
Much like yesterday's victory over MVSU, the bats were out to play in this one as the Blue Raiders outhit APSU 13-9 in the contest and scored at least eight runs in the third straight game.
The Blue Raiders scored in four straight innings, including three runs in the top of the third frame. Birdsong led off the inning with one of her three hits before Freeman slapped a single down the third base line.
In the ensuing at-bat, Jenkins' HBP loaded the bases for junior Megan Griffith to come up with a single to center field that drove in Birdsong and junior Kiarra Freeman. After APSU recorded a double play, Harris notched an infield single to bring in Jenkins across the plate to go up 4-1.
But APSU wouldn't go away quietly, as the Lady Govs responded in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 4-all with three runs of their own.
MT broke the tie for good in the fourth with a Birdsong triple that scored senior Alma Cortez from second after the leftfielder got on base with a single and a stolen base.
The Blue Raiders and Lady Govs traded a pair of runs in the top of the fifth that kept the MT lead at one, 6-5, before two more MT runs in the top of the sixth put the lead out reach en route to the win.
Junior Kelci Cheney (2-2) earned the victory after pitching four innings and scattered four hits and one run allowed, while senior Cailtin McClure came in for a brief stint inside the circle.
Sophomore Megan Chocallo got the nod inside the circle for her first start of the season, but didn't factor in the decision while giving up two runs in two innings of action.
Eight of nine batters notched at least one hit with Birdsong recording a 3-for-4 performance and three runs scored. Jenkins ended the contest 2-for-3 while plating three runners, she now has seven RBI in the previous two contests. Freeman and Willis also tallied two hits while Griffith drove in two runners with a hit.
Game 2: Middle Tennessee - 13 Mississippi Valley State - 2 (F/5)
All the Blue Raiders needed was a nine-run second inning to take control and never looked back as nine different players notched a hit and an RBI, including a two-RBI single by Whaley started the offensive outburst.
The Blue Raiders were never threatened during the game as they tacked on three runs in the ensuing inning to go up 12-2, and eventually end the game with a 13-2 win. In two games, The Blue Raiders outscored MVSU, 27-2 in two contests.
"(Cor'Nisha) Birdsong and (Kiarra) Freeman are fun to watch steal bases and score runs.(Kelci) Cheney pitched solid outings yesterday and today,"said head coach Jeff Breeden."Our kids played very well this weekend, and I'm proud of the way all the players contributed this weekend,"
Whaley finished 4-for-4 for a career-high in hits and three RBI to lead the offense that finished the contest with 18 hits. Jenkins also finished 4-for-4 while driving in two runners, and Nieves recorded two RBI and two hits.
McClure came in relief to pitch the final 2.3 innings and allowed zero runs and a hit.
The Blue Raiders will look to build off the 3-2 start next weekend when they head to Clermont, Fla., for the Dot Richardson Classic.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cheney, Kelci (2-2)
L: AYALA (1-2)
Batting:
2B: WILLIS, Cheyenne 1
3B: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1
RBI: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1 ; Jenkins, Carlie 3 ; Griffith, Megan 2 ; Harris, Morgan 1
SH: Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 3 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 2 ; Jenkins, Carlie 1 ; WILLIS, Cheyenne 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1
SB: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 2 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 1 ; WILLIS, Cheyenne 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1
CS: Jenkins, Carlie 1
HBP: Jenkins, Carlie 1
Batting:
2B: HOEG 1
RBI: GABLE 2 ; SPARKS 1 ; GROVES 2
SH: BURROUGHS 1
SF: GABLE 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOEG 1 ; BURROUGHS 2 ; GABLE 1 ; BROWER 1
SB: BURROUGHS 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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