Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, March 15
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
10 a.m.
Middle Tennessee
11-9, 1-4
7
vs
6
FIU
17-11, 2-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIU | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Middle Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | X | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jenkins, Corinne (11-6)
L: Payne, Lauren (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Sanchez, Rebekah 1 ; Leon, Ashley 1
3B: Grossman, Dominique 1
RBI: Sanchez, Rebekah 1 ; Leon, Ashley 2 ; Texeira, Stephanie 1 ; Spallone, Gabby 2 ; Grossman, Dominique 1
SH: Leon, Ashley 2 ; Grossman, Dominique 1
SF: Texeira, Stephanie 1 ; Spallone, Gabby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanchez, Rebekah 3 ; Hallett, Jessica 1 ; Grossman, Dominique 1 ; Garcia, Krystal 1 ; Belans, Ashley 2
HBP: Hallett, Jessica 1
Batting:
HR: CORTEZ, Alma 1 ; Riddell, Lauren 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1
RBI: CORTEZ, Alma 2 ; Riddell, Lauren 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1
SH: CORTEZ, Alma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1 ; Riddell, Lauren 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1
SB: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 2
CS: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Blue Raiders Earn Split Against FIU in Sunday DH
3/15/2015 4:29:00 PM | Softball
MURFRESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team (11-10, 1-5 C-USA) earned a split against FIU (18-11, 3-3 C-USA) Sunday at Blue Raider Softball Field, concluding the weekend series.
MT defeated FIU in the first contest in a thrilling come-from-behind 7-6 victory, while falling 8-4 in the second game of the twinbill.
Despite FIU winning the weekend series and taking two out of three games, MT has surpassed last season's win total (10) while also recording its first conference win of the season.
The Blue Raiders hit more home runs today (four) than they have in the first 19 games (two).
Three different Blue Raiders hit their first-career home runs as senior Alma Cortez, sophomore Lauren Riddell and freshman Morgan Harris all hit their first roundtrippers of their career. Sophmore Austyn Whaley tallied her first home run of the season in the second game while the solo shot marks her third of her career.
The three homers in game two was the first time since March 29, 2013 against UL-Monroe that the Blue Raiders belted three home runs in one game.
Game 1: MT – 7 FIU -6
All it took for MT to pull off the comeback was dominant pitching by senior Caitlin Mcclure and a seven-run fourth inning where the Blue Raiders tallied all four hits in the bottom of the fourth frame to take a 7-6 lead.
Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong led off the inning with a with a walk and stole second just before junior Carlie Jenkins got the offense going with a RBI double down the right field line to bring in Birdsong. In the ensuing at-bat, Senior Samantha Nieves singled to right center to drive in Jenkins that cut the deficit to four, 6-2.
After a walk and a catcher's interference loaded the bases, Sophmore Austyn Whaley drew a walk to bring in Nieves from third that cut the deficit in half. Then it was Harris' time to shine as there was no better way to earn your first collegiate home run with a grand slam to left field to clear the bases and give MT a 7-6 lead, and what would end up being the game-winning hit.
The Panthers would score all of their six runs in the top of the second inning thanks in large part to a three-run home run by Teixeira over the centerfield wall to give FIU an early 6-0 lead before the comeback.
From that point on, McClure dominated the FIU lineup as the Panthers wouldn't record a hit in the final three innings of the game. McClure pitched the final five innings of the contest for her third win of the season, matching last season's win output inside the circle.
Junior Kelci Cheney got her ninth start of the season while allowing six runs (two earned) in two innings of work as she wouldn't factor into the decision.
Harris paced the offense with a home run and a career-high four RBIs, while Carlie Jenkins recorded a double and an RBI. Nieves notched a hit and plated a runner, while Whaley also drove in a run.
Game 2: FIU - 8 MT - 4
FIU would strike first in the opening inning to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. MT responded in the bottom of the second when sophomore Lauren Riddell belted a solo shot to left field that tied the game at one-apiece.
The Blue Raiders kept bringing out the bats in the bottom of the third when Cortez pulled a two-run shot to right field to drive in Birdsong after the freshman took advantage of an FIU error.
The Panthers threatened in the top of the fourth but Jenkins recorded an unassisted double play that ended the inning and prevented from an FIU runner scoring from third.
In the bottom of the fourth frame, Whaley got in on the action as she blasted a solo home run to left field for her first homer of the season to give the Blue Raiders a 4-1 advantage.
But that was the last time the Blue Raiders would score as they struggled from the plate the rest of the game. FIU scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to one, 4-3, before tying the game up in the top of the sixth and scoring three runs to take a commanding lead, 6-4.
FIU would then tack on two more runs in the top of the final inning after a Grossman triple and an MT throwing error, making the attempted rally in the bottom of the seventh even harder.
MT looked to comeback in the final frame, but a three up, three down inning secured the victory for FIU.
McClure took the loss in the second game as she put in 5.2 innings of work while allowing six runs on six hits and striking out two batters to fall to 3-3. Sophomore Megan Chocallo pitched the final 1.1 innings of the contest, surrendering two hits and an earned run.
Birdsong finished 2-for-3 from the plate and led the MT offense on the day with a .600 batting average (3-for-5) from the dish with a double and three stolen bases. Cortez led MT with two RBIs and a homer while Riddell finished with an RBI and a homer as well. Whaley ended the day with a hit and an RBI.
"We showed some power today with four home runs, and of course the grand slam was in the first game was huge!" said head coach Jeff Breeden. "Caitlin (McClure) pitched very well the entire series against FIU. We must play more consistent each day because championship teams have good pitching, play great defense, and have timely hitting. We don't have all three yet, but are working toward that each day."
The Blue Raiders will look to grab a couple midweek wins in a doubleheader on Wednesday against Austin Peay on the road. MT defeated APSU, 8-5, in the first contest in the Mississippi State Invitational earlier in the season.
MT defeated FIU in the first contest in a thrilling come-from-behind 7-6 victory, while falling 8-4 in the second game of the twinbill.
Despite FIU winning the weekend series and taking two out of three games, MT has surpassed last season's win total (10) while also recording its first conference win of the season.
The Blue Raiders hit more home runs today (four) than they have in the first 19 games (two).
Three different Blue Raiders hit their first-career home runs as senior Alma Cortez, sophomore Lauren Riddell and freshman Morgan Harris all hit their first roundtrippers of their career. Sophmore Austyn Whaley tallied her first home run of the season in the second game while the solo shot marks her third of her career.
The three homers in game two was the first time since March 29, 2013 against UL-Monroe that the Blue Raiders belted three home runs in one game.
Game 1: MT – 7 FIU -6
All it took for MT to pull off the comeback was dominant pitching by senior Caitlin Mcclure and a seven-run fourth inning where the Blue Raiders tallied all four hits in the bottom of the fourth frame to take a 7-6 lead.
Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong led off the inning with a with a walk and stole second just before junior Carlie Jenkins got the offense going with a RBI double down the right field line to bring in Birdsong. In the ensuing at-bat, Senior Samantha Nieves singled to right center to drive in Jenkins that cut the deficit to four, 6-2.
After a walk and a catcher's interference loaded the bases, Sophmore Austyn Whaley drew a walk to bring in Nieves from third that cut the deficit in half. Then it was Harris' time to shine as there was no better way to earn your first collegiate home run with a grand slam to left field to clear the bases and give MT a 7-6 lead, and what would end up being the game-winning hit.
The Panthers would score all of their six runs in the top of the second inning thanks in large part to a three-run home run by Teixeira over the centerfield wall to give FIU an early 6-0 lead before the comeback.
From that point on, McClure dominated the FIU lineup as the Panthers wouldn't record a hit in the final three innings of the game. McClure pitched the final five innings of the contest for her third win of the season, matching last season's win output inside the circle.
Junior Kelci Cheney got her ninth start of the season while allowing six runs (two earned) in two innings of work as she wouldn't factor into the decision.
Harris paced the offense with a home run and a career-high four RBIs, while Carlie Jenkins recorded a double and an RBI. Nieves notched a hit and plated a runner, while Whaley also drove in a run.
Game 2: FIU - 8 MT - 4
FIU would strike first in the opening inning to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. MT responded in the bottom of the second when sophomore Lauren Riddell belted a solo shot to left field that tied the game at one-apiece.
The Blue Raiders kept bringing out the bats in the bottom of the third when Cortez pulled a two-run shot to right field to drive in Birdsong after the freshman took advantage of an FIU error.
The Panthers threatened in the top of the fourth but Jenkins recorded an unassisted double play that ended the inning and prevented from an FIU runner scoring from third.
In the bottom of the fourth frame, Whaley got in on the action as she blasted a solo home run to left field for her first homer of the season to give the Blue Raiders a 4-1 advantage.
But that was the last time the Blue Raiders would score as they struggled from the plate the rest of the game. FIU scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to one, 4-3, before tying the game up in the top of the sixth and scoring three runs to take a commanding lead, 6-4.
FIU would then tack on two more runs in the top of the final inning after a Grossman triple and an MT throwing error, making the attempted rally in the bottom of the seventh even harder.
MT looked to comeback in the final frame, but a three up, three down inning secured the victory for FIU.
McClure took the loss in the second game as she put in 5.2 innings of work while allowing six runs on six hits and striking out two batters to fall to 3-3. Sophomore Megan Chocallo pitched the final 1.1 innings of the contest, surrendering two hits and an earned run.
Birdsong finished 2-for-3 from the plate and led the MT offense on the day with a .600 batting average (3-for-5) from the dish with a double and three stolen bases. Cortez led MT with two RBIs and a homer while Riddell finished with an RBI and a homer as well. Whaley ended the day with a hit and an RBI.
"We showed some power today with four home runs, and of course the grand slam was in the first game was huge!" said head coach Jeff Breeden. "Caitlin (McClure) pitched very well the entire series against FIU. We must play more consistent each day because championship teams have good pitching, play great defense, and have timely hitting. We don't have all three yet, but are working toward that each day."
The Blue Raiders will look to grab a couple midweek wins in a doubleheader on Wednesday against Austin Peay on the road. MT defeated APSU, 8-5, in the first contest in the Mississippi State Invitational earlier in the season.
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Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
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Spring Sports Show hosted by The Boulevard – April 21, 2025: Softball and Baseball
Monday, April 21
