Raiders Clinch C-USA Tournament Spot in Walk-Off Fashion

Thursday, May 2

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6 PM

Middle Tennessee

26-24, 10-11

UAB

16-31, 5-16

UAB

Middle Tennessee

5/2/2019 8:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: @MTAthletics

Murfreesboro, Tenn.- The Middle Tennessee softball team clinched a spot in the C-USA conference tournament in a walk-off win against UAB. Brooke McClure drove in the game winning run from second to propel the Raiders (26-24, C-USA 10-11) past UAB (16-31, C-USA 5-16), and back into the conference tournament.

Middle Tennessee 5, UAB 4.

The Blazers struck first in the top of the second inning with a bases clearing double by Natalie Erwin, putting UAB ahead 3-0.

Freshmen pitcher Corrina Dodd kept the Raiders within striking distance by recording three straight scoreless innings while the Raider offense could get jump stated. Dodd finished with 5.1 innings pitched, allowed two earned runs, on four hits, three walks, and recorded a strikeout.

Murfreesboro native Kirstyn Cuccia led off the fifth inning for the Raiders with a double to the right field wall. Keely McGee pinch ran for Cuccia and was awarded third on a defensive interference call. With Raider runners on the corners and one out Samantha Valentine legged out a bunt single scoring McGee and cutting the Blazer lead to 3-1.

Later in the inning, Valentine and Claire Smith stole second and third putting two runners in scoring position for shortstop Summer Burgess. The junior drove in both runners with a triple down the the right field line that pinballed between the tarp and the outfield wall.

The Blazers reclaimed their lead in the top of the sixth on a Raider miss que, jumping ahead 4-3.

However, southpaw Kailey Ahlstrom came in and got the last two outs of the sixth inning and kept the Blazers to a manageable one run lead. Ahlstrom would complete the game Dodd began, and pitched the final 1.2 innings.

Catcher Ryan King led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to right field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Burgess later walked and stole second putting the winning run in scoring position for Brooke McClure. Down to their final strike, McClure smacked a ball into no-man's-land between second base and center field to bring home the game winning run. The walk off hit McClure extened McClure's on base streak to 21 straight games.

"[McClure's] hit was great," says Head Coach Jeff Breeden. "[McClure] stepped in the box and had a good at bat, and things went our way. We were due for a little luck, and she got in there and got the jod done for us."

"When I get two strike on me late in games, those aren't my strikes anymore, those are my team's, so I have to go up and take a cut for them," said McClure. "But there is no better feeling than hitting a walk off and having your team come up and hug you. I couldn't have gotten in that situation without Ryan's [King] hit or Samantha [Valentine] bunt. I'm so proud of our team."

The Raiders will head to North Texas for their final series of the season before the C-USA tournament. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and will conclude the regular season with one game on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.