Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, April 10
Murfreesboro, TN
2:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
17-17, 3-4
9
vs
5
Marshall
12-6, 1-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Marshall
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
5
5
2
Middle Tennessee
4
4
1
0
0
0
X
9
11
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ahlstrom, Kailey (4-1)
L: JONES, Laney (4-2)
Batting:
2B: ADAMS, Katie 1 ; HALLIWILL, Paige 1
HR: HARRELL, Aly 1 ; STEVENSON, Mya 1
RBI: HARRELL, Aly 3 ; ADAMS, Katie 1 ; STEVENSON, Mya 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HARRELL, Aly 1 ; STEVENSON, Mya 1 ; MICHALLAS, Camryn 1 ; BROWN, Armani 2
SB: STEVENSON, Mya 1
HBP: STEVENSON, Mya 1 ; BROWN, Armani 1
Batting:
2B: De La Cruz, Jocelynn 1 ; Rodriguez, Lani 1
3B: Burgess, Summer 1
HR: De La Cruz, Jocelynn 1
RBI: Hill, Kelci 1 ; Hutchinson, Makenzie 1 ; De La Cruz, Jocelynn 4 ; Smith, Claire 1 ; Rodriguez, Lani 2
SH: Hill, Kelci 1 ; Rodriguez, Lani 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burgess, Summer 3 ; Hill, Kelci 1 ; Hutchinson, Makenzie 1 ; De La Cruz, Jocelynn 2 ; Cushing, Lexi 1 ; Smith, Claire 1
SB: Burgess, Summer 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball3B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
2B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
Blue Raider bats thump Thundering Herd
4/10/2021 5:32:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It was Middle Tennessee's turn to put runs on the board early in the game on Saturday, as the Blue Raiders (17-17, 3-4) jumped out to a big lead and cruised to a 2-1 advantage in the series over Marshall (12-6, 1-2).
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, MARSHALL 5
» MT split Friday's series-opening doubleheader with the Thundering Herd, dropping game one before coming back to win game two in 10 innings.
» Kailey Ahlstrom earned the start in the circle and worked through a 1-2-3 first inning to keep Marshall off the board in the first frame for the first time in the series.
» Summer Burgess got the Blue Raiders going in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single to left field. Three batters later, Jocelynn De La Cruz ripped a double down the left field line that scored Burgess for the game's first run.
» Lexi Cushing then walked to put two runners on, and Claire Smith singled to score De La Cruz in the ensuing at bat. Lani Rodriguez finished out the scoring in the first inning with a two-run double over the head of the centerfielder to make it a 4-0 game.
» The Blue Raiders added four more runs to the scoreboard in the second inning, as Makenzie Hutchinson singled up the middle to allow Burgess to score her second run.
» De La Cruz slugged her first homer of the season to score three more Blue Raider runs and give her team an 8-0 advantage through two innings.
» Marshall ended the no-hitter in the third inning with a two-run homer to cut in the Blue Raider lead, but MT scored again in its half of the third to bring the score to 9-2. Kelci Hill singled to bring home Burgess again.
» Burgess's three runs scored were a new season high and tied her career high.
» After Ahlstrom tossed perfect fourth and fifth innings, the Herd struck again in the sixth with a solo home run.
» Marshall then plated two more runs in the seventh, but the rally fell short, and the Blue Raiders secured their second win of the four-game set.
» Ahlstrom's 5.2 innings pitched gives her a 4-1 record on the year, and her four strikeouts on Saturday tied her season high.
» De La Cruz's four RBIs is a new season high and came one short of tying her career high.
» Smith's 3-for-4 day at the dish marks a new season high and ties her career high for hits in a game.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the team's offensive outburst: "I thought we hit it really hard. We must've saved our hits from earlier in the spring for conference time. Our kids came ready to play yesterday, and they definitely came ready to play today. When we closed out that first inning and they didn't score, we just started going for it."
» Breeden on Kailey Ahlstrom's day in the circle: "Her game was awesome today. She had command of her changeup whenever she wanted it today. She had command over both sides of the plate. Her rhythm was really good, and she was in good control over her breathing. It was the best game she's thrown this spring."
» Breeden on Sunday's series finale: "It's going to be championship Sunday tomorrow for this series. I hope we come with the same energy we've had these last two days. Marshall's a good team, so it'll take our best."
» Third baseman Jocelynn De La Cruz on her two-hit, four-RBI performance: "It feels really good, especially since we weren't doing so well as a team beforehand. I think it was a really big day for everybody, and that gives everybody even more confidence. Today, I just wanted to relax, and I just wanted to help my team win."
» De La Cruz on the team's mindset heading into Sunday's series finale: "Our energy is up, and every single person on the bench is in the game. It's a great atmosphere. Tomorrow, we're going to bring the same energy and same focus."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall — April 11, 12 p.m. CT
» 10% maximum capacity; masks and social distancing required
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, MARSHALL 5
» MT split Friday's series-opening doubleheader with the Thundering Herd, dropping game one before coming back to win game two in 10 innings.
» Kailey Ahlstrom earned the start in the circle and worked through a 1-2-3 first inning to keep Marshall off the board in the first frame for the first time in the series.
» Summer Burgess got the Blue Raiders going in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single to left field. Three batters later, Jocelynn De La Cruz ripped a double down the left field line that scored Burgess for the game's first run.
» Lexi Cushing then walked to put two runners on, and Claire Smith singled to score De La Cruz in the ensuing at bat. Lani Rodriguez finished out the scoring in the first inning with a two-run double over the head of the centerfielder to make it a 4-0 game.
» The Blue Raiders added four more runs to the scoreboard in the second inning, as Makenzie Hutchinson singled up the middle to allow Burgess to score her second run.
» De La Cruz slugged her first homer of the season to score three more Blue Raider runs and give her team an 8-0 advantage through two innings.
» Marshall ended the no-hitter in the third inning with a two-run homer to cut in the Blue Raider lead, but MT scored again in its half of the third to bring the score to 9-2. Kelci Hill singled to bring home Burgess again.
» Burgess's three runs scored were a new season high and tied her career high.
» After Ahlstrom tossed perfect fourth and fifth innings, the Herd struck again in the sixth with a solo home run.
» Marshall then plated two more runs in the seventh, but the rally fell short, and the Blue Raiders secured their second win of the four-game set.
» Ahlstrom's 5.2 innings pitched gives her a 4-1 record on the year, and her four strikeouts on Saturday tied her season high.
» De La Cruz's four RBIs is a new season high and came one short of tying her career high.
» Smith's 3-for-4 day at the dish marks a new season high and ties her career high for hits in a game.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the team's offensive outburst: "I thought we hit it really hard. We must've saved our hits from earlier in the spring for conference time. Our kids came ready to play yesterday, and they definitely came ready to play today. When we closed out that first inning and they didn't score, we just started going for it."
» Breeden on Kailey Ahlstrom's day in the circle: "Her game was awesome today. She had command of her changeup whenever she wanted it today. She had command over both sides of the plate. Her rhythm was really good, and she was in good control over her breathing. It was the best game she's thrown this spring."
» Breeden on Sunday's series finale: "It's going to be championship Sunday tomorrow for this series. I hope we come with the same energy we've had these last two days. Marshall's a good team, so it'll take our best."
» Third baseman Jocelynn De La Cruz on her two-hit, four-RBI performance: "It feels really good, especially since we weren't doing so well as a team beforehand. I think it was a really big day for everybody, and that gives everybody even more confidence. Today, I just wanted to relax, and I just wanted to help my team win."
» De La Cruz on the team's mindset heading into Sunday's series finale: "Our energy is up, and every single person on the bench is in the game. It's a great atmosphere. Tomorrow, we're going to bring the same energy and same focus."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall — April 11, 12 p.m. CT
» 10% maximum capacity; masks and social distancing required
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
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