Raiders Fall on Opening Day to Cal Poly, UCLA - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

Friday, February 9

Los Angeles, Calif.

3 PM

Middle Tennessee

0-1

Cal Poly

2-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Middle Tennessee	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	2
Cal Poly	3	2	0	0	0	1	X	6	10	3

Box Score Play-by-Play

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Middle Tennessee	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
UCLA	2	2	6	1	X	11	11	0

2/9/2018 11:25:00 PM | Softball

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

By: Janelle Johnson

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Middle Tennessee softball team opened their 2018 season with two games in the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament on Friday afternoon. The Blue Raiders fell in game one of the day to Cal Poly, 6-1. Then against No. 4 UCLA, fell 11-0 in five innings.

Game One: Cal Poly 6, Middle Tennessee 1

MT and the Mustangs squared off in a rematch from last season. In the 2018 battle, Cal Poly snatched two early runs on a pair of singles and an RBI double from Shelbie Jeffries.

Middle got a run back in the top of the second after hits from Morgan Harris and Lexi Cushing. Claire Smith then put the ball in the play and on a throwing error by the Mustang pitcher, Harris was able to score. Later in the inning, MT found themselves with the bases loaded but were unable to convert.

Cal Poly added two more runs in the bottom half of the second, taking advantage of a Blue Raider error.

MT had a sprinkling of other hits in the game, including a double off the bat of Kristin Uselton, but the Raiders were not able to push a run across.

In the circle, Gretchen Greer recorded the first two strikeouts of the season as she came in in relief.

Several Blue Raiders made their career debuts including Jocelynn De La Cruz, Ryan King, Amber Baldwin, Samantha Valentine, Claire Smith and Brooke McClure.

Game Two: UCLA 11, Middle Tennessee 0 (5)

UCLA lived up to their No. 4 in the nation ranking in game two of the day. The Bruins scored in every inning of play, hitting two doubles, two triples and a home run but it was in the fourth inning that the Raiders started slowing them down.

In relief, Pattie Ruth Taylor recorded one strikeout and gave up just one run on two hits in 1.1 innings in the circle.

Greer also recorded a strikeout while freshman Baldwin, got her first career start.

Offensively, De La Cruz and Summer Burgess picked up the two Blue Raider hits in the game.

Up Next

The Raiders take a break from the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament to play in the Titan Classic tomorrow, Saturday, February 10. MT will play Rutgers at 12 p.m. and then Utah State at 2:30 p.m. in Fullerton, Calif.