Raiders Come From Behind to Advance to C-USA Championship Game

Friday, May 11

Charlotte, N.C.

11am

Middle Tennessee

38-21

FAU

29-25

Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic

5/11/2018 4:02:00 PM | Softball

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Kirstyn Cuccia's sixth inning grand slam was the difference.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – With three wins already under their belts at the C-USA Tournament, the Middle Tennessee softball team added a fourth on Friday afternoon. The Blue Raiders came from behind to defeat No. 1 seeded FAU, 7-5, to advance to the Championship game.

As the No. 6 seed, MT is the lowest seed to advance to the C-USA Championship game since 2014, when No. 7 Marshall faced No. 1 Tusla.

MT was propelled to victory thanks to a grand slam from junior Kirstyn Cuccia in the top of the sixth inning.

This is the first time that MT has advanced to the C-USA Championship game, as it the program's first time in the tournament.

MT is now 38-20 on the year and has recorded the most wins since the 2001 season.

For the first time in the tournament, the opponent scored first. In the bottom of the first Emily Lochten lifted a solo home run to right center to put the Owls ahead, 1-0.

FAU added three more runs in the fourth, all with two outs. Samantha Lageyre sent a double up the middle and both base runners aboard scored. Then starting pitcher, Tatum Buckley sent a single to right that scored Lageyre.

Down by four, the Raiders started their comeback in the next inning. Keely McGee singled down the left field line and Summer Burgess followed by sending one back up the middle. Then Precious Birdsong picked up an RBI on another single up the middle. Kristin Uselton cut FAU's lead in half as she sent a sacrifice fly to left.

Down 4-2, Middle was hungry for more in the sixth. Lexi Cushing beat out a deep infield single and Claire Smith followed by sending a ball to left center. Then Danielle Munoz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With no outs, Cuccia hammered a ball to deep right field. It cleared the fence for a grand slam to give the Raiders the 6-4 lead.

The Owls tried to counter in the bottom half of the inning. Lochten led off with a bunt single before stealing second and third. Buckley drove her home with a double to right center. Gretchen Greer, with two strikeouts already in the game, earned a third to end the FAU rally.

The Raiders added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Uselton started things off with a single to left field. A couple of ground outs moved Uselton to third. Claire Smith then beat out an infield single up the middle that gave Uselton time to give MT the 7-5 advantage going into the final frame.

Greer pitched the Owls into three straight outs, a fly out to centerfield, ground out to short and another fly ball to right.

Greer got the win in the circle, just her fifth of the year. She struck out three in relief for the Raiders.

Up Next

The Blue Raiders will look to win one more game to secure their first ever C-USA Championship. MT will face either No. 2 UAB or No. 1 FAU tomorrow, Saturday, May 12 at 11 am CT. The game will be broadcasted live on CBS Sports Network.