Blue Raiders Split First Day of Campbell/Cartier Classic

Friday, February 15

San Diego, Calif.

1:30 PM

Middle Tennessee

3-3

Grand Canyon

2-5

Middle Tennesee

Grand Canyon

2/15/2019 9:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SAN DIEGO - After their first game was rained out on Thursday, Middle Tennessee split their two games on Friday as part of the Campbell/Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State.

Game One: Middle Tennessee 7, Grand Canyon 5

An offensively dominated game ended in a win for Middle Tennessee (3-3) over Grand Canyon (2-5) by a score of 7-5. The Blue Raiders struck for seven runs on eight hits in their best hitting game of the young season.

The Lopes were on the board first when Kaileigh Holland's single plated a run for Grand Canyon. But the Blue Raiders quickly responded with two runs in the second inning via a double from sophomore Ryan King. Lexi Cushing added to the lead in the third inning with a three-run home run, her first homer of the year.

Trailing 5-1, Grand Canyon had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning. A two-run homer from Holland brought the Lopes within two, and a two-out error cut Middle's lead to one, but a flyout ended the inning with the Blue Raiders still ahead. Summer Burgess added two more runs with a double in the fourth inning to stretch MT's lead to 7-4. GCU added a run in the fifth, but Kailey Ahlstrom came on in the sixth inning to shut the door.

Ahlstrom (1) picked up her first collegiate save with two scoreless innings with three hits and two strikeouts.

Corrina Dodd (2-1) entered in the third inning and was credited with the win for MT. She pitched two and two thirds innings and allowed just one run on three hits and a strikeout.

Lexy Coons (1-2) took the loss for GCU, pitching three and one third of an inning allowing seven runs on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts.

Game Two: San Diego State 2, Middle Tennessee 1

Two runs in the first inning ended up being enough for San Diego State (4-2) past Middle Tennessee (3-4) by a score of 2-1.

In the bottom of the first, Katie Byrd was hit by a pitch and later scored off of Molly Sturdivant's RBI single. An error allowed another run to score and the Aztecs took a 2-0 lead after one.

MT responded in the third inning with Summer Burgess' base hit with one away. A groundout moved her to second, and Jocelynn De La Cruz came through with a two-out double to score Burgess and make the score 2-1. Middle threatened again in the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out. However, a sharp grounder to first turned into a double play that retired the side.

Sarah Pinkston (1-1) took a tough loss for MT. She pitched all six innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits.

MJ James (2-0) got the win for San Diego State, pitching four and one third of an inning allowing one run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Marissa Moreno (1) picked up her team's first save of the season with two and two thirds scoreless innings with just one hit.

News & Notes

Lexi Cushing's home run is the team's first of the season.
Seven runs is the most runs the Blue Raiders have scored in a game since May 12th of 2018 against FAU.
Pinkston threw her first career complete game.
Ahlstrom's save was her first and the team's first of the season

Up Next

The Blue Raiders will face UC Santa Barbara and Northern Illinois on Saturday in the Campbell/Cartier Classic. The game vs. UCSB will start at 9am PT/11am CT with the NIU game following shortly after.