Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, March 11
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Western Kentucky
Softball Hosts WKU in Conference Opener This Weekend
3/10/2017 10:30:00 AM | Softball
Game Notes
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team hosts WKU in its home opener and conference opener on Saturday, March 11 at the Blue Raider Softball Field. The Raiders play the Hilltoppers in a single game starting at 2pm on Saturday and follow with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 12 at 12pm and 2pm.
WKU leads the all-time meetings between the two foes, 32-25, including winning four of the last six since both joining Conference USA.
Middle's last triumph over the Hilltoppers was on April 9, 2016 in the first game of a three-game series. The Raiders trailed 3-0 throughout most of the game thanks to two home runs from WKU's Kelsey McGuffin and Brooke Holloway.
However, in the seventh MT got the bases loaded with two outs. Austyn Whaley followed with a bases clearing double to tie the game at 3-3.
In the top of the eighth, Precious Birdsong earned an infield hit and followed by stealing second. Then Danielle Munoz stepped to the plate and ripped a single up the middle to score Birdsong, the game winning run.
The Raiders enter the series following a 1-3 performance last weekend in the ShareSLO Mustang Classic in San Luis Obispo, Calif. MT played Cal Poly and Saint Mary's twice in the tournament with the lone win coming in a big 8-0 defeat of Saint Mary's in six innings. Middle lost the other contests 3-0 and 2-1 to Cal Poly and 5-4 to Saint Mary's.
In the Blue Raiders' win, Birdsong went an impressive 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBI. Her season batting average is now up .419, sixth-best in the conference.
Four Raiders hit home runs in the four-game stretch. Lexi Cushing launched her fourth of the year while Whaley hit her third. Kristin Uselton and Munoz both recorded their first of the season, which was also Uselton's first in her career at MT.
Cori Jennings recorded the Raider win in the circle to move to 5-4 on the season, she struck out six and now has a 1.72 ERA, fourth-best among starting pitchers in C-USA. As a staff, the MT pitchers have a 1.87 ERA, second-best in the conference.
WKU comes into the three-game stretch following two mid-week home stands earlier this week. The Toppers hosted Bowling Green and Ohio. WKU split the series with Bowling Green, winning the first contest, 7-2, and falling in the second game, 6-4. Against Ohio, the Toppers won 6-2.
Tommi Stowers and Jordan Mauch lead WKU in batting average posting the only averages above .300 at .302. Stowers has three doubles and three home runs to go with 10 RBI. Mauch and Brittany Vaughn lead the team in home runs and RBI, with five homers and 13 RBI a piece. They also have seven doubles, 13 walks and two stolen bases between the two.
Kathryn Downing posts the best ERA for WKU in the circle amongst starting pitchers, with a 2.19 in 60.2 innings of action. She has struck out 38 for a 7-2 record on the year. Kelsey Aikey and Haylee Towers are the Toppers other two pitchers with 4.38 and 4.65 ERA's, respectively. Aikey has struck out 17 while Towers had recorded 32.
A live video stream will be available on Sunday only. Check the schedule, here, for live stat links.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team hosts WKU in its home opener and conference opener on Saturday, March 11 at the Blue Raider Softball Field. The Raiders play the Hilltoppers in a single game starting at 2pm on Saturday and follow with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 12 at 12pm and 2pm.
WKU leads the all-time meetings between the two foes, 32-25, including winning four of the last six since both joining Conference USA.
Middle's last triumph over the Hilltoppers was on April 9, 2016 in the first game of a three-game series. The Raiders trailed 3-0 throughout most of the game thanks to two home runs from WKU's Kelsey McGuffin and Brooke Holloway.
However, in the seventh MT got the bases loaded with two outs. Austyn Whaley followed with a bases clearing double to tie the game at 3-3.
In the top of the eighth, Precious Birdsong earned an infield hit and followed by stealing second. Then Danielle Munoz stepped to the plate and ripped a single up the middle to score Birdsong, the game winning run.
The Raiders enter the series following a 1-3 performance last weekend in the ShareSLO Mustang Classic in San Luis Obispo, Calif. MT played Cal Poly and Saint Mary's twice in the tournament with the lone win coming in a big 8-0 defeat of Saint Mary's in six innings. Middle lost the other contests 3-0 and 2-1 to Cal Poly and 5-4 to Saint Mary's.
In the Blue Raiders' win, Birdsong went an impressive 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBI. Her season batting average is now up .419, sixth-best in the conference.
Four Raiders hit home runs in the four-game stretch. Lexi Cushing launched her fourth of the year while Whaley hit her third. Kristin Uselton and Munoz both recorded their first of the season, which was also Uselton's first in her career at MT.
Cori Jennings recorded the Raider win in the circle to move to 5-4 on the season, she struck out six and now has a 1.72 ERA, fourth-best among starting pitchers in C-USA. As a staff, the MT pitchers have a 1.87 ERA, second-best in the conference.
WKU comes into the three-game stretch following two mid-week home stands earlier this week. The Toppers hosted Bowling Green and Ohio. WKU split the series with Bowling Green, winning the first contest, 7-2, and falling in the second game, 6-4. Against Ohio, the Toppers won 6-2.
Tommi Stowers and Jordan Mauch lead WKU in batting average posting the only averages above .300 at .302. Stowers has three doubles and three home runs to go with 10 RBI. Mauch and Brittany Vaughn lead the team in home runs and RBI, with five homers and 13 RBI a piece. They also have seven doubles, 13 walks and two stolen bases between the two.
Kathryn Downing posts the best ERA for WKU in the circle amongst starting pitchers, with a 2.19 in 60.2 innings of action. She has struck out 38 for a 7-2 record on the year. Kelsey Aikey and Haylee Towers are the Toppers other two pitchers with 4.38 and 4.65 ERA's, respectively. Aikey has struck out 17 while Towers had recorded 32.
A live video stream will be available on Sunday only. Check the schedule, here, for live stat links.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
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