Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
18-24, 0
No. 25 Marshall
36-7, 0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DIXON, Jordan (27-5)
L: Jennings, Cori (11-12)
Batting:
2B: MCCORD, Taylor 1
HR: MCCORD, Taylor 1
RBI: MCCORD, Taylor 1 ; DESHIELDS, Elizabeth 2 ; ESTRADA, Abigail 1 ; ELLIS, Hayden 2 ; MARSHALL, Madi 1 ; LOOSE, Samantha 1
SH: MARSHALL, Madi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ZERKLE, Morgan 1 ; MCCORD, Taylor 4 ; BRAXTON, Shaelynn 1 ; PARSEMAIN, Chloe 1 ; ELLIS, Hayden 1
SB: ZERKLE, Morgan 2 ; MCCORD, Taylor 1 ; MARSHALL, Madi 1
CS: D'Orazio, Elicia 1
HBP: DESHIELDS, Elizabeth 1
Batting:
SH: Birdsong, Precious 1
Base Running:
CS: Birdsong, Precious 1
HBP: Slatter, Kaylyn 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Softball Drops Two to No. 25 Marshall
4/29/2017 7:56:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team dropped two conference games to No. 25 Marshall on Saturday, April 29. The Thundering Herd held the Raiders to just one run in the doubleheader, winning by scores of 8-0 and 3-1. Middle moves to 18-24, 5-13 on the year while Marshall rises to 37-7, 17-3.
Game 1 – Marshall 8, MT 0 – Box Score
The Herd jumped out to a quick lead in game one, a lead they would never relinquish. The conference's top batter, Morgan Zerkle lead off with a single up the middle and stole two bases before scoring on an infield single. Taylor McCord also scored on the play after reaching on a walk.
In the bottom of the second, MT had a chance to score as Kaylyn Slatter made it just 60 feet from home plate. She reached on a hit by pitch and advanced on a passed ball and a single to right center field from Kristin Uselton. However, the two Raiders were left stranded following a pop up to the shortstop, Zerkle and a strikeout.
Marshall made it 3-0 in the third as McCord led off with a double. She was able to score on an infield single to first base.
Then in the top of the fifith, McCord added a solo home run over the wall in left field to make it 4-0 in Marshall's favor.
The Herd put the game away in the seventh. They got the bases loaded on two singles and a hit by pitch before Hayden Ellis hit a two-run single to right center. A sacrifice squeeze bunt scored another run, making it 7-0. Then Marshall loaded the bases again and followed with a single through the left side that made it 8-0 but Precious Birdsong was able to help cap the inning. She fired a ball to Morgan Harris at home to get a Herd base runner attempting to score.
The Raiders got a runner out to second base in the bottom half of the inning as Austyn Whaley walked but it was too late to undo the damage as Marshall took it 8-0.
Jennings took the loss in the circle, pitching six and one third innings and striking out five.
The Raider offense was held to just four hits with the top of the order, Summer Burgess, Birdsong and Harris accounting for three. Uselton had the other.
Game 2 – Marshall 3, MT 1 – Box Score
Like game one, Marshall took a 2-0 lead in their first chance at the plate in game two. Elicia D'Orazio was able to score after reaching on an infield single, stealing second, advancing on an error and then finally crossing the plate as her teammate was thrown out trying to steal second. Shaelynn Braxton scored the other run on a solo homerun to center.
Gretchen Greer started in the circle for the Raiders and after giving up two runs in the first, she struck out the side, all swinging, in the second. That is just the second time that the Raiders have stuck out the side this season. Greer did it against Alabama A&M in her career performance earlier this week.
Braxton struck again for the Herd in the fourth with another solo shot, making it 3-0 in Marshall's favor.
The Raiders got on the scoreboard for the first time in the series in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Birdsong started it off with a bunt single and then stole second. She was able to score as Danielle Munoz slammed a ball to left center field.
With momentum, MT got a two-out rally going in the bottom of the fifth. Kirstyn Cuccia led off with a single up the middle and then with two outs, Burgess singled to left center. Then Birdsong sent a would-be hit to left center but was instead called out by the umpire for making contact outside the batter's box. That ended the inning and kept Marshall's 3-1 lead intact.
Keely McGee reached on a hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh, giving MT hope but a fielder's choice to Zerkle at short ended the game.
Greer took the loss in the circle, pitching five innings and striking out four. Pattie Ruth Taylor struck out two in two innings of relief, giving up no runs and just one hit.
Burgess, Birdsong and Harris all went 1-for-3 again in the second game while Munoz had the lone RBI.
The Raiders return to the diamond for Senior Day tomorrow, Sunday, April 30. First pitch is set for 12pm against Marshall.
