MT Wins in a Walk-off over Utah State - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

Saturday, February 10

Fullerton, Calif.

12 PM

Middle Tennessee

0-3

Rutgers

1-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rutgers	0	2	0	2	0	1	2	7	7	0
Middle Tennessee St.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	2

Box Score Play-by-Play

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Utah State	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	4	2
Middle Tennessee	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	8	2

Photo by: Nick Allen/SportsLingo.com

2/10/2018 6:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score Play-by-Play Box Score Play-by-Play Season Stats

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Middle Tennessee softball team recorded their first win of the 2018 season at the Titan Classic on Saturday, February 10. The Blue Raiders bested Utah State, 3-2, on a walk-off error. Earlier in the day, MT fell to Rutgers, 7-0.

In the win, Precious Birdsong went 3-for-4, scoring the game winning run and freshman Jocelynn De La Cruz went 2-for-4, recording the game tying RBI in the win over the Aggies.

Game One: Rutgers 7, Middle Tennessee 0

In the first meeting between the two sides, the Scarlet Knights got out to a quick lead. In the second inning, Rutgers put together a walk, a double and a squeeze bunt play to draw out a 2-0 lead.

The Knights added another two runs in the fourth, stringing a trio of singles together with a pair of stolen bases and a passed ball to extend their lead. Then a solo home run from Sierra Maddox made it 5-0.

It look like the Raiders were getting things started as Summer Burgess got aboard in the sixth with a single, her second hit of the game after recording a double in the fourth. De La Cruz followed with a single of her own but two straight infield pop ups put the hopes of a comeback to rest.

Rutgers sealed the win with two more runs in the seventh.

Lexi Cushing and Samantha Valentine also recorded hits in the game with Valentine's being her first career hit for MT.

Game Two: Middle Tennessee 3, Utah State 2

For the first time in the 2018 season, Middle scored first in the game. Birdsong got aboard on an infield single and came around to score by tagging up on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kristin Uselton.

The Raiders held onto the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning. The Aggies recorded their two runs off a Blue Raider error with two outs. They set up the runs as Riley Plogger hit a double down the left field line.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Raiders nearly tied it back up. Morgan Harris started it off with a single up the middle. She moved to second a sacrifice bunt. Then Kirstyn Cuccia sent a single up the middle and Harris went home, she was thrown out at the plate to remain down by a run.

Still trailing by one, the Raiders staged a comeback late in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Burgess singled up the middle and Birdsong followed sending one to left. Then De La Cruz singled up the middle to bring the tying run, Burgess, around to score. Then with the game winning run, Birdsong, on third base, Uselton put the ball in play to the Aggie third baseman. She overthrew it to first base, allowing Uselton to reach safely and Birdsong to score giving Middle the 3-2 walk-off win.

Amber Baldwin picked up her first career win in the circle, striking out three in the complete game.

Up Next

The Blue Raiders return to the field tomorrow in the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament for their final day of play in California. MT is set to take on Maryland and UC Riverside at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. back inside Easton Stadium at UCLA.