Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Wednesday, April 1
Nashville, Tenn.
5 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
13-17
6
at
5
Belmont
9-20
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 |
| Belmont | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Payne, Lauren (4-4)
L: CLANCY (1-3)
S: Chocallo, Megan (1)
Batting:
2B: Munoz, Danielle 1 ; Riddell, Lauren 1
3B: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1
RBI: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 2 ; Munoz, Danielle 2 ; Jenkins, Carlie 2
SH: Harris, Morgan 1 ; Cookus, Randi 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1
SF: Jenkins, Carlie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1 ; Munoz, Danielle 2 ; Jenkins, Carlie 1 ; Cookus, Randi 1
SB: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1
Batting:
2B: WELLS 1 ; HODGE 1
RBI: WILSON 1 ; HOLLINGSWORT 1 ; DALY 1 ; ZERONIAN 1 ; BESSETTE 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WELLS 1 ; WILSON 1 ; TURNER 1 ; HODGE 1 ; BESSETTE 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
MT Hangs on for 6-5 Victory at Belmont
4/1/2015 8:14:00 PM | Softball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team (13-17) hung on for a tight 6-5 win over Belmont (9-20) Wednesday evening at Rose Park.
With the win, the Blue Raiders are 3-1 in midweek contests this season, while the victory at Rose Park is the 10th straight on Belmont's home field, and the 12th win in the past 13 contests overall.
Senior Caitlin McClure tossed three innings en route to the victory while allowing three runs on seven hits. She improves to 4-4 on the season, which surpasses last season's win total inside the circle.
Junior Kelci Cheney recorded her 15th start of the season for the visitors and allowed two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings of work. Sophomore Megan Chocallo came in for the final 1.1 inning and gave up just one hit to pick up her first-career save.
The one through four hitters paced the offense combining to go 7-for-14 with four RBIs, two doubles and a triple.
Senior Samantha Nieves paced the offense going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Her single in the top of the first extended her hitting streak to eight. Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong tallied a triple and two RBIs, while despite not coming away with a hit, junior Carlie Jenkins plated two runners and a run scored.
Sophomore Lauren Riddell went 2-for-2 from the plate with a double and juniors Randi Cookus and Kiarra Freeman both tallied hits.
The Bruins would score three runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the MT lead to one, 6-5. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bruins were able to get a pair of runners on first and second with two outs, but Chocallo was able to get the final out and force the final batter to fly out to left field, securing the win for the Blue Raiders.
"Megan Chocallo came into the game in a pressure-packed situation and did what she was supposed to do, and that's to shut our opponent down" stated head coach Jeff Breeden.
The Blue Raiders struck first in the top of the second after Birdsong sent a triple down the left field line that scored junior Randi Cookus from third.
MT went up, 2-0, in the top of the third after a Nieves single to centerfield and a Riddell double set up Jenkins for a sacrifice fly that drove in Nieves from third base.
After the Bruins tied things up in the bottom of the third, MT responded with two runs of its own thanks to a two-out two RBI double to left center to score Birdsong and Cortez. Birdsong got on base earlier with a fielder's choice and Cortez reached base off a single to the pitcher right before stolen bases by Birdsong and Cortez put the teammates on second and third.
Middle Tennessee stretched its lead to four, 6-2, after tallying a run in the fifth and sixth inning. Following a Jenkins walk and a Cookus single in the fifth, Belmont would walk Freeman to load the bases just before Birdsong drew the base on balls to score Jenkins.
In the top of the sixth, Nieves led off the inning with a walk right before Riddell notched her second hit of the game. In the enusing at-bat, Jenkins sent a sac-fly to left field to plate Nieves to give the Blue Raiders their sixth run of the contest.
MT would score at least one run from the second to sixth inning, adding pressure to Belmont's offense as the game went on.
"We did a very good job today of scoring methodically," said Breeden. "We also showed a lot of defensive improvement on situations we worked in practice yesterday, and I'm very proud we translated that improvement to the field in today's game. We are looking to play well this weekend at Charlotte."
The Blue Raiders will head to Charlotte, N.C., for a three-game series against Charlotte that will begin on Friday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
With the win, the Blue Raiders are 3-1 in midweek contests this season, while the victory at Rose Park is the 10th straight on Belmont's home field, and the 12th win in the past 13 contests overall.
Senior Caitlin McClure tossed three innings en route to the victory while allowing three runs on seven hits. She improves to 4-4 on the season, which surpasses last season's win total inside the circle.
Junior Kelci Cheney recorded her 15th start of the season for the visitors and allowed two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings of work. Sophomore Megan Chocallo came in for the final 1.1 inning and gave up just one hit to pick up her first-career save.
The one through four hitters paced the offense combining to go 7-for-14 with four RBIs, two doubles and a triple.
Senior Samantha Nieves paced the offense going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Her single in the top of the first extended her hitting streak to eight. Freshman Cor'Nisha Birdsong tallied a triple and two RBIs, while despite not coming away with a hit, junior Carlie Jenkins plated two runners and a run scored.
Sophomore Lauren Riddell went 2-for-2 from the plate with a double and juniors Randi Cookus and Kiarra Freeman both tallied hits.
The Bruins would score three runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the MT lead to one, 6-5. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bruins were able to get a pair of runners on first and second with two outs, but Chocallo was able to get the final out and force the final batter to fly out to left field, securing the win for the Blue Raiders.
"Megan Chocallo came into the game in a pressure-packed situation and did what she was supposed to do, and that's to shut our opponent down" stated head coach Jeff Breeden.
The Blue Raiders struck first in the top of the second after Birdsong sent a triple down the left field line that scored junior Randi Cookus from third.
MT went up, 2-0, in the top of the third after a Nieves single to centerfield and a Riddell double set up Jenkins for a sacrifice fly that drove in Nieves from third base.
After the Bruins tied things up in the bottom of the third, MT responded with two runs of its own thanks to a two-out two RBI double to left center to score Birdsong and Cortez. Birdsong got on base earlier with a fielder's choice and Cortez reached base off a single to the pitcher right before stolen bases by Birdsong and Cortez put the teammates on second and third.
Middle Tennessee stretched its lead to four, 6-2, after tallying a run in the fifth and sixth inning. Following a Jenkins walk and a Cookus single in the fifth, Belmont would walk Freeman to load the bases just before Birdsong drew the base on balls to score Jenkins.
In the top of the sixth, Nieves led off the inning with a walk right before Riddell notched her second hit of the game. In the enusing at-bat, Jenkins sent a sac-fly to left field to plate Nieves to give the Blue Raiders their sixth run of the contest.
MT would score at least one run from the second to sixth inning, adding pressure to Belmont's offense as the game went on.
"We did a very good job today of scoring methodically," said Breeden. "We also showed a lot of defensive improvement on situations we worked in practice yesterday, and I'm very proud we translated that improvement to the field in today's game. We are looking to play well this weekend at Charlotte."
The Blue Raiders will head to Charlotte, N.C., for a three-game series against Charlotte that will begin on Friday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
True Blue Testimonials - Senior Catcher Ansley Blevins
Tuesday, February 24
Season Preview - MTSU Softball
Thursday, February 05
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Spring Sports Show hosted by The Boulevard – April 21, 2025: Softball and Baseball
Monday, April 21
