Raiders Defeat UAB to Advance to C-USA Tournament Semifinals

Thursday, May 10

Charlotte, N.C.

3:30pm

Middle Tennessee

37-20

UAB

25-31-1

Middle Tennessee

UAB

5/10/2018 7:58:00 PM | Softball

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By: MT will play No. 1 FAU in the Semifinals on Friday, May 11

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Middle Tennessee softball keep the wins rolling as the Raiders blasted past No. 2 UAB 11-6 to advance to the semifinals of the C-USA Softball Championship Tournament.

MT picked the right time to have an offensive explosion. The 11 runs were the most against a conference opponent this season and tied for the most runs MT has scored in a single game this season.

The Raiders improve to 37-20 on the year, the fourth-most wins in program history and the most since 2001.

The high scoring affair started with a four-run first inning for MT. The Raiders pushed the bases loaded on an error, infield single and a walk. Then Claire Smith singled down the third base line to put MT up, 1-0. Danielle Munoz then hit a bases clearing double to the fence in left center to give Middle the early 4-0 advantage.

UAB got on the board on the bottom half of the inning, striking together two hits and a couple of groundouts. Rachel Rogers earned the RBI.

In the bottom of the third, the Blazers struck again. This time for three runs to tie the game at four apiece. A single up the middle, a bunt and a Blue Raider error loaded the bases. A squeeze bunt and two groundouts evened the game up.

Middle did not let the tie last long as they came back with a three-run fourth inning. Kirstyn Cuccia started the rally with a double to right center. Keely McGee followed by sending a single to left. Precious Birdsong then picked up a RBI with another single to left. Kristin Uselton then laid down a squeeze bunt that allowed McGee to slide home to give MT a 6-4 lead. Lexi Cushing made it 7-4 as she grounded out to second and Birdsong scored.

The Blazers went down in order in the bottom half of the inning and MT came back out firing in their next at bats. The Raiders struck for two more runs. Munoz got aboard on a hit by pitch and Cuccia walked. After a sacrifice bunt, Summer Burgess put the ball in play and the Blazers threw it away to allow both runs to score.

UAB pushed the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth. Amber Baldwin came into pitch at the start of the inning and was able to steer MT out of the jam. She struck out one, forced a pop up and a ground out to keep the Raiders ahead 9-4.

Cuccia added a couple of insurance runs in the next frame with a two-run home run. Her third home run of the year put the Raiders ahead 11-4.

The Blazers were retired in order in the sixth but made it interesting in the seventh. Analyse Petree lead off with a first pitch solo home run to make it an 11-5 game. Then the Blazers continued with a double and scored on a Blue Raider error. Holding onto a five-run lead, MT settled down and fielded two groundouts and a pop up to first to secure the 11-6 win.

Cori Jennings pitched three innings and struck out two allowing only one earned run. Amber Baldwin got the win, her 10^th of the year. She went four innings, allowed just three hits, and picked up one strikeout.

Up Next

The Raiders move on to play No. 1 and regular season champion Florida Atlantic tomorrow, Friday, May 11. The semifinal matchup is slated for an 11am CT first pitch. The winner moves on to the C-USA Tournament final while the loser plays the winner of a Louisiana Tech and UAB matchup.