Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Sunday, April 17
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
12PM
Middle Tennessee
23-21, 0
6
vs
9
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UTEP
19-24, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
UTEP
0
1
1
0
0
2
5
9
15
6
Middle Tennessee
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
6
10
2
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fifield, Kaitlin (8-12)
L: Taylor, Pattie Ruth (5-5)
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Batting:
2B: Clayton, Courtney 1 ; Ryder, Kaitlin 1 ; Garcia, Linda 1 ; Pearson, Danielle 1
HR: Clayton, Courtney 1
RBI: Clayton, Courtney 3 ; Ryder, Kaitlin 1 ; Garcia, Linda 1 ; Pearson, Danielle 2 ; Rodriguez, Jade 1
SH: Garcia, Linda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Clayton, Courtney 2 ; Pepi, Kiki 1 ; Moreno, Hope 1 ; Rasmason, Morgan 1 ; Netane,Kawehiokalani 1 ; Blair, Ariel 1 ; Smith, Cortney 1 ; Rodriguez, Jade 1
HBP: Pepi, Kiki 1 ; Moreno, Hope 1
Batting:
2B: Birdsong, Precious 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 1
HR: Whaley, Austyn 1
RBI: Whaley, Austyn 2 ; Jenkins, Carlie 1 ; Griffith, Megan 2
SH: Harris, Morgan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Birdsong, Precious 1 ; Cookus, Randi 1 ; Grove, Payton 1 ; Whaley, Austyn 3
SB: Birdsong, Precious 1
HBP: Jenkins, Carlie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball1B/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
Raiders fall after UTEP 7th inning rally
4/17/2016 3:45:00 PM | Softball
MT falls 9-6 in series finale as UTEP plates five in the seventh
MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee's (23-21, 6-9) offense was on display Sunday as they racked up double digit hits for the second game in a row and scored six runs. But a five-run seventh for UTEP (19-24, 10-5) helped the Miners rally from down 6-4 to beat the Raiders 9-6 and take the series 2-1.
The Raiders started the scoring in the first inning as Dani Munoz reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Precious Birdsong to score the opening run. That's all MT was able to get, but they led after one inning 1-0.
In the top of the second UTEP came right back. Jade Rodriguez grounded out with the bases loaded and bring home Hope Moreno to tie the game for the first of four times, 1-1.
The game's first of three lead changes happened in the third when Linda Garcia reached on a Blue Raider error that allowed Kiki Pepi to cross the plate and give UTEP a 2-1 advantage.
Middle Tennessee came right back to tie as Carlie Jenkins singled home Austyn Whaley in the bottom of the third and the game was even 2-2.
The game's only scoreless inning was the fourth, but that served as only a rest for the offenses. After Munoz singled to open the bottom of the fifth, Whaley launched her fifth homer of the season into the parking lot behind left field and the Raiders were again on top 4-2.
UTEP showed more resiliency as they used a double from Courtney Clayton and a single from Kaitlin Ryder to score Rodriguez and Clayton to tie the game for the third time in the top of the sixth 4-4.
The Raider bats didn't stay quiet for long as in the bottom of the sixth Megan Griffith hit a two-out bases loaded single to right that brought home Randi Cookus and Whaley. MT took their third lead of the game 6-4.
Then they played the seventh. Pattie Taylor, who came in in the sixth to relieve starter Kelci Cheney, hit Hope Moreno with a 1-2 pitch. Kawehiokalani Netane followed with a single, then Garcia doubled home pinch runner Morgan Rasmason to cut the Raider lead to 6-5. Danielle Pearson followed with another double that plated two more runs and lead changed hands for the final time.
After Megan Chocallo came in and struck out Rodriguez, Clayton came to bat for the fifth time in the game. Clayton hit a 3-2 pitch, the ninth pitch of the at bat after fouling off four straight, over the left field wall for a two-run shot to give UTEP the 9-6 advantage.
Cheney started and went 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits. Taylor (5-5) took the loss as she allowed four runs on four hits in just one third of an inning.
Whaley went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs, including her fifth homer of the season. Birdsong extended her 14-game hitting streak with a 2-for-5 day, capping the weekend at 8-for-11 with six runs scored and four stolen bases. Jenkins also had a two-hit day as she finished 2-for-3 and was hit by another pitch. Lauren Payne also had a superb day as she went 2-for-4 at the plate and backed that up with two amazing catches in the outfield.
The Raiders will be road warriors again as they will play their next four games away from Murfreesboro. Wednesday they travel to Martin, Tennessee to take on the Skyhawks of UT Martin, then travel to Huntington, West Virginia to take on Conference USA foe Marshall over the weekend.
The Raiders started the scoring in the first inning as Dani Munoz reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Precious Birdsong to score the opening run. That's all MT was able to get, but they led after one inning 1-0.
In the top of the second UTEP came right back. Jade Rodriguez grounded out with the bases loaded and bring home Hope Moreno to tie the game for the first of four times, 1-1.
The game's first of three lead changes happened in the third when Linda Garcia reached on a Blue Raider error that allowed Kiki Pepi to cross the plate and give UTEP a 2-1 advantage.
Middle Tennessee came right back to tie as Carlie Jenkins singled home Austyn Whaley in the bottom of the third and the game was even 2-2.
The game's only scoreless inning was the fourth, but that served as only a rest for the offenses. After Munoz singled to open the bottom of the fifth, Whaley launched her fifth homer of the season into the parking lot behind left field and the Raiders were again on top 4-2.
UTEP showed more resiliency as they used a double from Courtney Clayton and a single from Kaitlin Ryder to score Rodriguez and Clayton to tie the game for the third time in the top of the sixth 4-4.
The Raider bats didn't stay quiet for long as in the bottom of the sixth Megan Griffith hit a two-out bases loaded single to right that brought home Randi Cookus and Whaley. MT took their third lead of the game 6-4.
Then they played the seventh. Pattie Taylor, who came in in the sixth to relieve starter Kelci Cheney, hit Hope Moreno with a 1-2 pitch. Kawehiokalani Netane followed with a single, then Garcia doubled home pinch runner Morgan Rasmason to cut the Raider lead to 6-5. Danielle Pearson followed with another double that plated two more runs and lead changed hands for the final time.
After Megan Chocallo came in and struck out Rodriguez, Clayton came to bat for the fifth time in the game. Clayton hit a 3-2 pitch, the ninth pitch of the at bat after fouling off four straight, over the left field wall for a two-run shot to give UTEP the 9-6 advantage.
Cheney started and went 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits. Taylor (5-5) took the loss as she allowed four runs on four hits in just one third of an inning.
Whaley went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs, including her fifth homer of the season. Birdsong extended her 14-game hitting streak with a 2-for-5 day, capping the weekend at 8-for-11 with six runs scored and four stolen bases. Jenkins also had a two-hit day as she finished 2-for-3 and was hit by another pitch. Lauren Payne also had a superb day as she went 2-for-4 at the plate and backed that up with two amazing catches in the outfield.
The Raiders will be road warriors again as they will play their next four games away from Murfreesboro. Wednesday they travel to Martin, Tennessee to take on the Skyhawks of UT Martin, then travel to Huntington, West Virginia to take on Conference USA foe Marshall over the weekend.
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