Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
21-9, 4-3
Charlotte
9-17, 3-4
Raiders Take Series From Charlotte with Doubleheader Sweep
3/24/2018 5:13:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team picked up a series win over the visiting Charlotte 49ers on Saturday afternoon. Beating out the incoming weather, the Blue Raiders won both games of the doubleheader, 1-0 and 4-2.
Middle improves to an impressive 22-9, 5-3 while Charlotte falls to 9-18, 3-5. Head Coach Jeff Breeden is now just two wins away from surpassing his best mark in his six years at the helm.
The Blue Raiders got the wins thanks dominant pitching and a couple of home runs. Cori Jennings was lights out in the circle, pitching nine shutout innings on the day and striking out nine between the two games. Keely McGee and Lexi Cushing each hit home runs to lift MT over Charlotte.
Game One: Middle Tennessee 1, Charlotte 0
The opening game of the three game series was a pitcher's duel between Jennings and the 49ers, Haley Wiseman.
Each pitched five shutout innings until McGee broke the tie with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Her first homer of the season put MT up 1-0 late in the game.
Charlotte got a base runner in the seventh but the Blue Raiders pulled out the win behind Jennings complete game shutout performance. She struck out a season-high eight, including the whole third inning, to improve to 10-4 on the year.
Game Two: Middle Tennessee 4, Charlotte 2
The Blue Raiders carried their momentum into game two. Summer Burgess reached on an error followed by Jocelynn De La Cruz reaching on with a bunt single. Lexi Cushing then smashed her seventh home run of the season. Her three-run shot bounced off the top of the right field fence to give the Blue Raiders an early lead.
Charlotte got one run back in the next frame as Meredith Harris leadoff with a triple and scored on a single up the middle.
The 49ers made it a 3-2 game in the fourth inning as Harris again leadoff with a big hit, this time a double to right center. A single to left field pushed the run across.
Jennings came back into pitch in the sixth inning in relief of starter, Amber Baldwin. Baldwin tossed five innings allowing two runs on four hits and striking out one.
MT added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Precious Birdsong leadoff with a single to center. A sacrifice bunt and tagging up put the speedy senior on third base where she scored as Cushing put the ball in play. The second baseman was not able to handle it putting Cushing safely aboard, for the 49ers third error of the day.
The Blue Raiders carried the 4-2 lead as Jennings sat Charlotte down in order to give MT the win. Jennings recorded her first career save in the victory.
Up Next
The Blue Raiders will look for the sweep of the 49ers as the two sides return to the Blue Raider Softball Field tomorrow, Sunday, March 25 at 12pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jennings, Cori (10-4)
L: WISEMAN, Haley (6-10)
Batting:
SH: GRAY, Spenser 1
Base Running:
CS: PACE, Haley 1
Batting:
HR: McGee, Keely 1
RBI: McGee, Keely 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McGee, Keely 1
