Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
16-6
Alabama A&M
1-7
Raiders Blast Past Alabama A&M
3/6/2018 6:32:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee softball team opened its home schedule with an 11-3 win over Alabama A&M on Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Raiders improve to a conference-best 16-6 record.
Precious Birdsong hit her second home run in as many games in the win. She was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Lexi Cushing went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run and a RBI.
Alabama A&M scored first in the game. Under extremely windy conditions, the Bulldogs leadoff batter, Tamia Lee-Barbadillo sent a high fly ball that the wind carried over the right field fence.
The Blue Raiders came back with two scores in the bottom half of the inning. Birdsong reached on a bunt and stole two bases before scoring as Morgan Harris sent a single through the hole in the left side of the infield. Cushing sent in the other run on a double to right field.
AAMU tied the game at two apiece in the next half inning of action. Three Blue Raider errors gave the Bulldogs the run.
In the bottom of the second, MT retook the lead. Dani Munoz reached on an error by AAMU and scored as Keely McGee sent a single to right field. Then, with two outs, Birdsong sent a ball over the fence in right field. The two-run shot gave the Blue Raiders a 5-2 edge over the Bulldogs.
However, Alabama A&M grabbed one more run on back-to-back doubles in the top of the third.
The Blue Raiders also added another run to their side of the board in the bottom of the fourth. McGee singled up the middle and after stealing second, scored as the first baseman threw the ball away on an infield hit from Burgess.
Leading 6-3, Middle put the game away in the bottom of the fifth with five runs. Harris got the inning going with a single to centerfield. Into pinch run for Harris, Brooke McClure scored the first run of the frame after moving around the base path on Cushing's second double of the game and a single to shallow center from fellow freshman Claire Smith. Up next, Munoz walked to load the bases before Bulldog pitcher, Emily Lipinski threw a wild pitch. All three of the runners moved up allowing Cushing to cross home plate to give MT an 8-3 lead.
Four more walks allowed three runs to come across and the Blue Raiders to get their 16th win of the year.
Cori Jennings got the win in the circle for Middle, her seventh of the year. She pitched three shutout innings and struck out two.
Up Next
The Blue Raiders now turn their attention to conference play. MT is set to host conference-favorite Louisiana Tech in a three game series getting underway on Saturday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jennings, Cori (7-3)
L: Rachel Sanders (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Jessica Alferos 1 ; Tiana Sanders 1
HR: Tamia Lee-Barbadillo 1
RBI: Tamia Lee-Barbadillo 1 ; Tiana Sanders 1
SH: Lauren Walker 1 ; Alexis Bates 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tamia Lee-Barbadillo 1 ; Jessica Alferos 1 ; Lauren Walker 1
Batting:
2B: Cushing, Lexi 2
HR: Birdsong, Precious 1
RBI: Burgess, Summer 1 ; Birdsong, Precious 3 ; Harris, Morgan 1 ; Cushing, Lexi 1 ; Smith, Claire 1 ; McGee, Keely 1 ; Portillo, Deja 1
SH: Smith, Claire 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Birdsong, Precious 2 ; Harris, Morgan 1 ; McClure, Brooke 1 ; Cushing, Lexi 1 ; Smith, Claire 1 ; Munoz, Danielle 2 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 1 ; McGee, Keely 2
SB: Burgess, Summer 1 ; Birdsong, Precious 2 ; McGee, Keely 2
CS: Cushing, Lexi 1
