Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
4-4
UC Santa Barbara
3-3
Blue Raiders Stay Even at Campbell/Cartier Classic
2/16/2019 5:34:00 PM | Softball
SAN DIEGO - For the second day in a row, Middle Tennessee split two games at the Campbell/Cartier classic. After a walk-off win over UC Santa Barbara, the Blue Raiders dropped the second game against Northern Illinois.
| Game One: Middle Tennessee 2, UC Santa Barbara 1 |
Claire Smith hit a single up the middle of the diamond to score Samantha Valentine from second as Middle Tennessee (4-4) enjoyed a walk-off 2-1 win over UC Santa Barbara (3-3).
It was a pitching duel through the first five innings with neither team able to push any runs across. In the sixth inning, the Gauchos loaded the bases, but still remained scoreless.
Middle Tennessee's Kirstyn Cuccia home run to right field was the first run of the game and gave MT a 1-0 lead. It appeared to be the game-wining run until UCSB's Sierra Altmeyer's single scored a run and tied the game at one.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jocelynn De La Cruz and Lexi Cushing led off the inning with base hits and Samantha Valentine pinch ran for De La Cruz. Keely McGee battled through a 12 pitch at bat, but lined out hard to left field. Smith was the next batter, and her single gave MT the win.
Corrina Dodd (3-1) entered in the seventh inning and was credited with the win for MT. She pitched two thirds of an inning and struck out one.
Emily Schuttish (1-1) took the loss for UCSB, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning and finishing with six and a third innings pitched, two runs on five hits and a strikeout.
| Game Two: Northern Illinois 13, Middle Tennessee 2 |
Seven runs in the second inning put Northern Illinois (5-3) on track for a 13-2 win over Middle Tennessee (4-5).
A grand slam off the bat of NIU's Bianca Barone accounted for four of the seven runs scored by the Huskies in the second inning. The frame ended with seven runs on seven hits and one error by the Blue Raiders.
MT didn't find an answer until the fourth inning. With two runners on, Ryan King ripped a grounder down the left field line that bounced off the third base bag for an RBI single. The next batter was Kaylyn Slatter, who managed to do the exact same thing, hitting the base to bring in a run. However, the inning ended two batters later and MT was held scoreless the rest of the game.
Sarah Pinkston (1-2) took the loss for MT. She pitched all one inning and allowed five runs on three hits and two walks.
Mackenzie Bryan (4-1) got the win for NIU, pitching the complete six innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on nine hits with four strikeouts.
| News & Notes |
- Cuccia's home run is her first since May 11th of 2018 against Florida Atlantic.
- MT struck out just once in the win over UCSB, which is tied for their lowest total of the season.
- Nine hits against NIU is the most the Blue Raiders have had in a loss since February 8th against Mississippi State, when they had 11.
- Dodd leads the team in wins with three.
| Up Next |
The Blue Raiders will wrap up their time at the Campbell/Cartier Classic on Sunday morning. They'll get a rematch with NIU at 9am PT/11am CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dodd, Corrina (3-1)
L: Schuttish, Emily (1-1)
Batting:
RBI: Altmeyer, Sierra 1
SH: Ramirez, Genesis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fabian, Sammy 1
SB: Thies, Teah 1
Batting:
HR: Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
RBI: Smith, Claire 1 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Valentine, Samantha 1 ; Cuccia, Kirstyn 1
