Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Monday, April 20
Hattiesburg, Miss.
11 a.m.
Middle Tennessee
17-24, 4-17
5
at
3
Southern Miss
17-28, 3-15
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Southern Miss | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Payne, Lauren (5-5)
L: RODGERS, Shelbee (5-12)
S: Cheney, Kelci (2)
Batting:
2B: Whaley, Austyn 1
HR: SHADLEY, Marinna 1
RBI: Munoz, Danielle 1 ; SHADLEY, Marinna 4
Base Running:
RUNS: CORTEZ, Alma 1 ; Riddell, Lauren 1 ; Uselton, Kristin 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1 ; SHADLEY, Marinna 1
HBP: Harris, Morgan 1
Batting:
2B: ESTRADA, Selena 1
HR: CLEARY, Katie 1
RBI: CLEARY, Katie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: JOHNSON, Rachel 1 ; CLEARY, Katie 1 ; STRINGER, Michelle 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
MT Earns First C-USA Series Win over Southern Miss
4/20/2015 1:49:00 PM | Softball
Shadley's Grand Slam the Difference in Victory
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team (17-24, 4-17 C-USA) enjoyed a 5-3 series-clinching victory Monday morning against Southern Miss (17-28, 3-15 C-USA) at the USM Softball Complex.
Starters: Kiarra Freeman (RF), Alma Cortez (CF), Carlie Jenkins (1B), Morgan Harris (C), Samantha Nieves (SS), Lauren Riddell (DP), Kristin Uselton (3B), Austyn Whaley (2B), Marinna Shadley (LF), Caitlin McClure (P)
The win gives MT its first conference series victory of the year and the two wins over the weekend surpasses last season's win total in conference play as well as on the road.
McClure improved to 5-5 on the year after putting in five solid innings of work to allow two runs and two hits. The right-hander's five wins is the most she's won in a season inside the circle. Junior Kelci Cheney came in for the final two innings of relief as she allowed just one run on one hit for her second save of the season.
The offense was led by the bottom half of the lineup that combined for six of the team's seven hits and five RBIs. Shadley posted a career-high four RBIs that came off her first-career grand slam and second home run of her career.
Nieves accounted for the team's other RBI and a hit while Riddell and Uselton both tallied singles. Whaley went 2-for-4 from the dish to lead the team in hits, including a double. Cortez also tallied a single as well for the visitors.
All it took was one swing of the bat for Middle Tennessee to take a commanding lead thanks to Shadley's clutch opposite field two-out grand slam, 4-0. Riddell started a string of three-straight singles with two down that was followed by Harris and Whaley with singles to set up Shadley in the at-bat.
After Katie Cleary hit a two-run home run in the third to cut the lead in half, 4-2, the Blue Raiders added a run in the top of the fifth with a bases-loaded two-out walk drawn by Nieves to bring in Cortez. The Whittier, Calif., native led off with a single before a Jenkins walk and a Harris hit-by-pitch loaded the bases.
USM made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh bringing the game-tying run to the plate after cutting the lead to, 5-3, but Cheney recorded her second save of the season forcing a groundout to the shortstop and clinching the victory.
"In game three, we really had strong pitching performances once again," said head coach Jeff Breeden. "This is the first series in three years that I really felt good about three conference games in a row. Marinna Shadley came up huge for us today at the plate! Her grand slam was an opposite-field blast! Overall, it was a good weekend with solid defensive play."
The Blue Raiders will return to Blue Raider Softball Field on Wednesday for a 6 p.m., first pitch against in-state rival, Belmont. That game will be the annual Pink Game spreading breast cancer awareness. MT's originally scheduled home game against Chattanooga tomorrow has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, April 28th at 5 p.m.
Starters: Kiarra Freeman (RF), Alma Cortez (CF), Carlie Jenkins (1B), Morgan Harris (C), Samantha Nieves (SS), Lauren Riddell (DP), Kristin Uselton (3B), Austyn Whaley (2B), Marinna Shadley (LF), Caitlin McClure (P)
The win gives MT its first conference series victory of the year and the two wins over the weekend surpasses last season's win total in conference play as well as on the road.
McClure improved to 5-5 on the year after putting in five solid innings of work to allow two runs and two hits. The right-hander's five wins is the most she's won in a season inside the circle. Junior Kelci Cheney came in for the final two innings of relief as she allowed just one run on one hit for her second save of the season.
The offense was led by the bottom half of the lineup that combined for six of the team's seven hits and five RBIs. Shadley posted a career-high four RBIs that came off her first-career grand slam and second home run of her career.
Nieves accounted for the team's other RBI and a hit while Riddell and Uselton both tallied singles. Whaley went 2-for-4 from the dish to lead the team in hits, including a double. Cortez also tallied a single as well for the visitors.
All it took was one swing of the bat for Middle Tennessee to take a commanding lead thanks to Shadley's clutch opposite field two-out grand slam, 4-0. Riddell started a string of three-straight singles with two down that was followed by Harris and Whaley with singles to set up Shadley in the at-bat.
After Katie Cleary hit a two-run home run in the third to cut the lead in half, 4-2, the Blue Raiders added a run in the top of the fifth with a bases-loaded two-out walk drawn by Nieves to bring in Cortez. The Whittier, Calif., native led off with a single before a Jenkins walk and a Harris hit-by-pitch loaded the bases.
USM made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh bringing the game-tying run to the plate after cutting the lead to, 5-3, but Cheney recorded her second save of the season forcing a groundout to the shortstop and clinching the victory.
"In game three, we really had strong pitching performances once again," said head coach Jeff Breeden. "This is the first series in three years that I really felt good about three conference games in a row. Marinna Shadley came up huge for us today at the plate! Her grand slam was an opposite-field blast! Overall, it was a good weekend with solid defensive play."
The Blue Raiders will return to Blue Raider Softball Field on Wednesday for a 6 p.m., first pitch against in-state rival, Belmont. That game will be the annual Pink Game spreading breast cancer awareness. MT's originally scheduled home game against Chattanooga tomorrow has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, April 28th at 5 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
