Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Sunday, March 21
Murfreesboro, TN
12:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
11-11
1
vs
0
Western Illinois
9-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Western Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
Middle Tennessee
0
0
1
0
0
0
X
1
4
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mead, Gretchen (1-1)
L: Savannah Rodriguez (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Piper Foote 1
Batting:
SH: Richetto, Kaylee 1 ; Marinakis, Mia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hill, Kelci 1
HBP: Richetto, Kaylee 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
SS
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
3B/1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Burgess becomes all-time hits leader, MT pitching dominates
3/21/2021 5:27:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The COVID-19 pandemic was not the end Summer Burgess wanted for her senior season, but it only delayed the inevitable, as Burgess, back at Middle Tennessee (12-11) as a graduate student, became the program's all-time leader in hits on Sunday afternoon.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
» After Mercer run-ruled Western Illinois on Saturday, the Leathernecks answered on Sunday with a 9-2 win over the Bears before taking on the Blue Raiders to finish off their weekend.
» Gretchen Mead earned her second start of the season after 2.1 good innings in relief on Saturday afternoon.
» Mead gave up a double to the first batter she faced but proceeded to retire the next 14 Leathernecks in order before allowing a two-out single in the fifth inning.
» Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders got on the scoreboard for the first and only time in the third inning, as Kelci Hill came around to score on a throwing error by the Western Illinois shortstop.
» MT threatened to score insurance runs in the sixth, as Lexi Cushing led off with a single and advanced to third but was unable to make it another 60 feet to home.
» A leadoff single in the seventh put pressure on MT, but the Blue Raider defense put the clamps on the Leatherneck offense and helped Mead finish off her first career complete game shutout.
» Mead's seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings of great work are both new career highs for the junior right-hander.
» Gracie Kirby made her second start of the season in the win and went 1-for-2 with one of her team's four hits, a single through the left side in the second inning.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, MERCER 0
» Burgess singled in the infield in MT's first turn at the dish for career hit No. 244, passing Precious Birdsong (2015-18) for the most hits ever in a Blue Raider career.
» Corrina Dodd got her second start of the weekend and dominated in the circle once again, holding the Bears to one hit to earn her third career complete game shutout. Mercer batters faced a three-ball count only twice and advanced past first base just one time.
» Dodd was perfect through 4.1 innings and struck out six Bears, one shy of her season high.
» The Blue Raiders broke the ice in the third inning, as Lani Rodriguez singled and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Hill.
» Ryan King singled to lead off the fifth, and pinch runner Jaya Herring went first-to-third on a sacrifice bunt, but the Blue Raiders couldn't push across another run in that scoring opportunity.
» MT threatened again in the sixth as Kaylee Richetto singled and pinch runner Savannah Freeman advanced to third, but once again the Blue Raiders were kept from adding insurance.
» Dodd's sixth strikeout of the game ended Mercer's chance at a comeback, and the Blue Raiders finished the weekend with three wins and just one loss.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the team's 3-1 weekend: "It feels good. I challenged them yesterday because I wasn't happy with what we did yesterday at all, and they responded today. We've still got a ways to go with our hitting, but there's only one other day with our pitching since I've been here that we had a better pitching performance, and that's over in Charlotte when Cori [Jennings] threw the no-hitter then backed it up in the next game. Gretchen [Mead] was awesome in her game, and Corrina [Dodd] was awesome in her game. Other than that day in Charlotte, this was the best pitching performance we've had in my era here."
» Breeden on Burgess breaking the program's all-time hits record: "I don't have enough words to say how proud I am of her because I think she's the epitome of a student athlete. I don't think she could change anything and be any better of a person, any better kid or any better player. If I had a daughter and she was like Summer, I'd be the happiest man in the world."
» Shortstop Summer Burgess on the team's 3-1 weekend: "It's been awesome. Our pitchers really helped us out today, Gretchen and Corrina. They really made it fun to play behind them. Despite our hitting, our pitching and defense really kept us in it today for two big wins."
» Burgess on breaking the program's all-time hits record: "It's been a long time coming. Last year got canceled, and this year I've been trying to get over that hump, and now I'm free to just do me. My mentality is just to have fun this year since I won't be able to do it for much longer. I'm going to take every opportunity to do my best to help my team win and have fun while doing it."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Jacksonville State — March 24, 3 p.m.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
» After Mercer run-ruled Western Illinois on Saturday, the Leathernecks answered on Sunday with a 9-2 win over the Bears before taking on the Blue Raiders to finish off their weekend.
» Gretchen Mead earned her second start of the season after 2.1 good innings in relief on Saturday afternoon.
» Mead gave up a double to the first batter she faced but proceeded to retire the next 14 Leathernecks in order before allowing a two-out single in the fifth inning.
» Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders got on the scoreboard for the first and only time in the third inning, as Kelci Hill came around to score on a throwing error by the Western Illinois shortstop.
» MT threatened to score insurance runs in the sixth, as Lexi Cushing led off with a single and advanced to third but was unable to make it another 60 feet to home.
» A leadoff single in the seventh put pressure on MT, but the Blue Raider defense put the clamps on the Leatherneck offense and helped Mead finish off her first career complete game shutout.
» Mead's seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings of great work are both new career highs for the junior right-hander.
» Gracie Kirby made her second start of the season in the win and went 1-for-2 with one of her team's four hits, a single through the left side in the second inning.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, MERCER 0
» Burgess singled in the infield in MT's first turn at the dish for career hit No. 244, passing Precious Birdsong (2015-18) for the most hits ever in a Blue Raider career.
» Corrina Dodd got her second start of the weekend and dominated in the circle once again, holding the Bears to one hit to earn her third career complete game shutout. Mercer batters faced a three-ball count only twice and advanced past first base just one time.
» Dodd was perfect through 4.1 innings and struck out six Bears, one shy of her season high.
» The Blue Raiders broke the ice in the third inning, as Lani Rodriguez singled and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Hill.
» Ryan King singled to lead off the fifth, and pinch runner Jaya Herring went first-to-third on a sacrifice bunt, but the Blue Raiders couldn't push across another run in that scoring opportunity.
» MT threatened again in the sixth as Kaylee Richetto singled and pinch runner Savannah Freeman advanced to third, but once again the Blue Raiders were kept from adding insurance.
» Dodd's sixth strikeout of the game ended Mercer's chance at a comeback, and the Blue Raiders finished the weekend with three wins and just one loss.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the team's 3-1 weekend: "It feels good. I challenged them yesterday because I wasn't happy with what we did yesterday at all, and they responded today. We've still got a ways to go with our hitting, but there's only one other day with our pitching since I've been here that we had a better pitching performance, and that's over in Charlotte when Cori [Jennings] threw the no-hitter then backed it up in the next game. Gretchen [Mead] was awesome in her game, and Corrina [Dodd] was awesome in her game. Other than that day in Charlotte, this was the best pitching performance we've had in my era here."
» Breeden on Burgess breaking the program's all-time hits record: "I don't have enough words to say how proud I am of her because I think she's the epitome of a student athlete. I don't think she could change anything and be any better of a person, any better kid or any better player. If I had a daughter and she was like Summer, I'd be the happiest man in the world."
» Shortstop Summer Burgess on the team's 3-1 weekend: "It's been awesome. Our pitchers really helped us out today, Gretchen and Corrina. They really made it fun to play behind them. Despite our hitting, our pitching and defense really kept us in it today for two big wins."
» Burgess on breaking the program's all-time hits record: "It's been a long time coming. Last year got canceled, and this year I've been trying to get over that hump, and now I'm free to just do me. My mentality is just to have fun this year since I won't be able to do it for much longer. I'm going to take every opportunity to do my best to help my team win and have fun while doing it."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Jacksonville State — March 24, 3 p.m.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
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