Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Wednesday, April 22
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
6 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
18-24
10
vs
0
Belmont
10-29
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Belmont
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
1
Middle Tennessee
0
0
4
0
6
10
11
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Chocallo, Megan (3-4)
L: CLANCY, Katie (1-5)
Batting:
2B: WELLS, Kayla 1 ; DELONEY, Chelsey 1 ; ANDREE, Jess 1
Batting:
2B: CORTEZ, Alma 1
3B: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1
RBI: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 3 ; CORTEZ, Alma 2 ; Harris, Morgan 1 ; Munoz, Danielle 1 ; Cookus, Randi 1 ; Uselton, Kristin 1 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BIRDSONG, Cor'Nisha 1 ; CORTEZ, Alma 1 ; Jenkins, Carlie 2 ; Harris, Morgan 1 ; Munoz, Danielle 1 ; Cookus, Randi 1 ; Uselton, Kristin 1 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Blue Raiders Roll Past Belmont
4/22/2015 8:58:00 PM | Softball
Seven Different Players with Hit and RBI
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Coming off its first conference series win of the season, the Middle Tennessee softball team (18-24) rode the momentum into Wednesday evening with a convincing 10-0 shutout over Belmont (10-29) at Blue Raider Softball Field.
Starters: Cor'Nisha Birdsong (CF), Alma Cortez (LF), Carlie Jenkins (1B), Morgan Harris (C), Samantha Nieves (SS), Lauren Riddell (DP), Kristin Uselton (3B), Austyn Whaley (2B), Kiarra Freeman (RF), Megan Chocallo (P)
With the win, the Blue Raiders are now 14-7 in non-conference games this season, and have won more games this season than the past two seasons combined. MT sweeps the season series against Belmont, outscoring the in-state rivals, 16-5, in two games.
The pitching of Chocallo and junior Kelci Cheney contributed to the fourth shutout of the season for the Blue Raiders. Chocallo would get the win and improve to 3-4 on the year after putting in four solid innings of work and scattering six hits. Cheney came in for the final inning to get the job done and allow no hits.
Seven different Blue Raiders tallied at least a hit and an RBI. The top of the order that featured Birdsong, Cortez and Jenkins went a combined 6-for-10 with five RBIs, four runs scored with a double and a triple.
Jenkins led the team with three hits (3-for-3) with two runs scored while Birdsong showcased a 2-for-4 performance with a career-high three RBIs and a triple. Cortez also contributed to the victory with a pair of RBIs and a double.
Harris and Nieves both tallied a hit and an RBI, while Uselton notched a single and an RBI. Freeman got in on the action with two hits, two runs scored and plating a runner.
Offensively, the Blue Raiders took advantage with runners in scoring position, going 6-for-10 from the dish and also going 8-for-15 with runners on base.
With the game scoreless in the top of the third and two outs, the Bruins had a chance to take a 1-0 lead, but with the Belmont runner coming home, Cortez found Nieves on the relay and then gunned the runner down at home to end the inning.
"I felt like the relay from the fence to plate was the biggest play of the game to give us moment," said head coach Jeff Breeden.
From that point on, it was all Blue Raiders as the hosts took a commanding 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third frame. Following back-to-back singles by Freeman and Birdsong, Cortez sent a double to deep left field to score the speedsters and put MT up 2-0. Later in the inning, Harris' groundout brought Cortez home and Nieves singled through the left side to drive in Jenkins.
After Cheney forced a three up, three down fifth frame, the Blue Raiders exploded for six runs on five hits that was highlighted by Birdsong's bases-clearing triple with two outs that clinched the run-rule victory.
"(Megan) Chocallo and (Kelci) Cheney combined for a great shutout," stated Breeden. "We again played great defense and that keeps you in the game. We are looking to repeat these performances for the next few days. I'm proud that our kids are executing our game plans and having fun!"
MT will look to continue the solid play tomorrow at Samford with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Starters: Cor'Nisha Birdsong (CF), Alma Cortez (LF), Carlie Jenkins (1B), Morgan Harris (C), Samantha Nieves (SS), Lauren Riddell (DP), Kristin Uselton (3B), Austyn Whaley (2B), Kiarra Freeman (RF), Megan Chocallo (P)
With the win, the Blue Raiders are now 14-7 in non-conference games this season, and have won more games this season than the past two seasons combined. MT sweeps the season series against Belmont, outscoring the in-state rivals, 16-5, in two games.
The pitching of Chocallo and junior Kelci Cheney contributed to the fourth shutout of the season for the Blue Raiders. Chocallo would get the win and improve to 3-4 on the year after putting in four solid innings of work and scattering six hits. Cheney came in for the final inning to get the job done and allow no hits.
Seven different Blue Raiders tallied at least a hit and an RBI. The top of the order that featured Birdsong, Cortez and Jenkins went a combined 6-for-10 with five RBIs, four runs scored with a double and a triple.
Jenkins led the team with three hits (3-for-3) with two runs scored while Birdsong showcased a 2-for-4 performance with a career-high three RBIs and a triple. Cortez also contributed to the victory with a pair of RBIs and a double.
Harris and Nieves both tallied a hit and an RBI, while Uselton notched a single and an RBI. Freeman got in on the action with two hits, two runs scored and plating a runner.
Offensively, the Blue Raiders took advantage with runners in scoring position, going 6-for-10 from the dish and also going 8-for-15 with runners on base.
With the game scoreless in the top of the third and two outs, the Bruins had a chance to take a 1-0 lead, but with the Belmont runner coming home, Cortez found Nieves on the relay and then gunned the runner down at home to end the inning.
"I felt like the relay from the fence to plate was the biggest play of the game to give us moment," said head coach Jeff Breeden.
From that point on, it was all Blue Raiders as the hosts took a commanding 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third frame. Following back-to-back singles by Freeman and Birdsong, Cortez sent a double to deep left field to score the speedsters and put MT up 2-0. Later in the inning, Harris' groundout brought Cortez home and Nieves singled through the left side to drive in Jenkins.
After Cheney forced a three up, three down fifth frame, the Blue Raiders exploded for six runs on five hits that was highlighted by Birdsong's bases-clearing triple with two outs that clinched the run-rule victory.
"(Megan) Chocallo and (Kelci) Cheney combined for a great shutout," stated Breeden. "We again played great defense and that keeps you in the game. We are looking to repeat these performances for the next few days. I'm proud that our kids are executing our game plans and having fun!"
MT will look to continue the solid play tomorrow at Samford with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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