Raiders Split Doubleheader at WKU

Saturday, March 17

Bowling Green, Ky.

1 PM

Middle Tennessee

19-8, 2-2

WKU

17-10, 2-2

Middle Tennessee

WKU

3/17/2018 6:35:00 PM | Softball

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

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Middle Tennessee softball team split a C-USA series doubleheader with WKU on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Raiders won the first game, 7-4, behind a big five-run first inning. WKU won the second game, 8-6 on four home runs.

MT is now 19-9, 2-3 on the year while WKU is 18-10, 3-2.

Game One: MT 7, WKU 4

The Blue Raiders got off to a booming start against WKU in game one. Middle scored three runs on four hits and an error before the Hilltoppers changed out their starting pitcher.

Summer Burgess leadoff with a single past the second baseman and Precious Birdsong followed by reaching on an error. After a sacrifice bunt, the duo scored as Morgan Harris sent a powerful single back up the middle. Then Lexi Cushing sent a ball off the top of the fence in center for a double that was good scoring another run to put MT ahead 3-0. With a new pitcher, Kristin Uselton recorded an RBI as she sent a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield. After reaching on a double, Claire Smith scored on a passed ball to give the Blue Raiders a very early 5-0 lead.

WKU came back in the bottom half of the inning. With two aboard, Kelsey McGuffin hit a home run over the right field fence to cut MT's lead to 5-3.

Middle got one of the runs back in the top of the second as Birdsong reached on an error for the second time in as many at bats. She came around all the way from first to score on a double from Jocelynn De La Cruz to put MT up 6-3.

The Blue Raiders picked up an insurance run in the top of the sixth. Uselton got a leadoff walk and was replaced by pinch runner, Deja Portillo. Portillo came around to score as Kirstyn Cuccia singled to right center, McGee layed down a sacrifice bunt and Burgess singled to the shortstop.

Up 7-3, the Hilltoppers tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Brittany Vaughn doubled to center and then scored on two straight MT errors. The Blue Raiders regained control of the game as the next to WKU batters grounded out to secure Middle the 7-4 victory.

Cori Jennings got the win in the circle to improve to 8-4 on the year. She threw the complete game while striking out four.

Game Two: WKU 8, MT 6

The Blue Raiders again jumped out to a lead in the first inning. Burgess earned a leadoff single and came around to score as De La Cruz and Harris hit singles. Harris earned the RBI as she fired the ball back up the middle.

MT added another run in the top of the second. Smith got walked to start the frame and made her way to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground out. McGee brought Smith across as she hit a deep infield single to the shortstop.

WKU tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning. After a single, Kendall Smith hit a two-run home run over the right field wall.

The Blue Raiders came back with a home run of their own in the next frame. With Birdsong on base with a walk and De La Cruz reaching on a fielder's choice, Dani Munoz blasted her second home run of the season over the right field wall to MT up 5-3.

The lead did not last long as WKU answered again in the bottom half of the inning. The Hilltoppers scored one on back-to-back hits, including a double from Maddie Bowlds, before loading the bases on a MT error and a walk. A hit by pitch scored a run and then WKU tied the game on another walk.

In the fourth, WKU took its first lead of the series. Jordan Thomas lifted a solo home run over the right field fence to give the Hilltoppers a 6-5 lead.

The Hilltoppers extended their lead in the fifth inning on another home run. The two-run shot from Shelby Nunn put WKU up 8-5.

In the top of the seventh the Blue Raiders staged a comeback. Birdsong led off with a double to left field and came around to score on a Harris ground out to make it 8-6 in favor of the Hilltoppers. Then, with two outs, MT was able to load the bases on three straight singles from Munoz, Ryan King and Uselton. However, a strikeout put the game away giving WKU the win.

Amber Baldwin got the loss in the circle, falling to 6-3 on the year. She went three innings in the effort.

Up Next

The Hilltoppers and the Blue Raiders will return to the WKU Softball Complex for the series deciding rubber match tomorrow, Sunday, March 18. The game is set for 1 p.m.