Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, April 16
Murfreesboro, TN
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
19-17, 5-4
1
vs
0
Western Kentucky
15-7, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Western Kentucky
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
Middle Tennessee
0
0
0
0
1
0
X
1
1
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dodd, Corrina (6-3)
L: Kelsey Aikey (4-7)
S: Ahlstrom, Kailey (2)
Batting:
2B: Jordan Ridge 1
SH: Taylor Davis 1
Batting:
2B: Cushing, Lexi 1
SH: Smith, Claire 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burgess, Summer 1
SB: Burgess, Summer 2
Game Leaders
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Dodd wins pitcher’s duel, MT takes game one
4/16/2021 9:24:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — In a matchup that featured some of the best bats in Conference USA, Corrina Dodd and Kailey Ahlstrom silenced the Hilltopper offense as Middle Tennessee (19-17, 5-4) took game one over Western Kentucky (15-7, 0-1) on Friday night.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, WESTERN KENTUCKY 0
» Friday night's game was WKU's first C-USA action of the season after having its scheduled opening series against Marshall postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hilltopper program. Western Kentucky received votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
» Dodd got the nod to start in the circle for the Blue Raiders and kept the Hilltoppers off the scoreboard all six innings she finished.
» MT had the first scoring chance of the game, loading the bases with no outs in the second inning but failing to put a run on the board.
» WKU answered with a chance of its own in the top of the third, advancing two runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but Dodd and the Blue Raider defense kept the game scoreless.
» Lexi Cushing led off MT's fourth inning with a double, but that scoring threat was thwarted again by the Western Kentucky defense.
» Cushing's classmate Summer Burgess led off the fifth with a walk and stole second base. A few batters later, Burgess's heads-up baserunning allowed MT to score the only run of the ballgame on an error committed by the WKU shortstop.
» Meanwhile, Dodd was dealing in the circle, as she got 12 consecutive outs before surrendering a leadoff double in the seventh inning.
» With the tying run just two bases away, Ahlstrom entered out of the bullpen to strike out the first batter she faced.
» The Blue Raider defense again showed its strength in the ensuing at bat, as Jocelynn De La Cruz fielded a ground ball and fired it over to Cushing at first base for the second out. Cushing then tossed it across the diamond to Burgess at third, who applied the tag for the final out of game one.
» Dodd earned the win, her sixth of the season, and lowered her season ERA to 2.54 after collecting her fourth career shutout.
» Ahlstrom notched save No. 2 on the year and moved up in the Blue Raider career record book for saves. Friday's game-ender was her fifth career save, tying her with Stayc Preator (2000-03) for second all-time.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on getting the win despite having one hit: "We know [WKU pitcher Kelsey] Aikey is going to be really good, [Shelby] Nunn's good, their whole pitching staff is good. The key tonight was that [Corrina] Dodd matched her pitch-for-pitch. She did a great job, then [Kailey] Ahlstrom comes in and gets a great double play. Our kids just stayed the course. They believe they can play, and they showed it tonight. Not only can they win when we hit, but they can win playing defense and pitching. That's what champions do: they pitch and play defense."
» Breeden on Corrina Dodd's bounce back performance: "She's got some character about her. I'm sure she didn't like the way last week went for her anymore than I did. I thought she worked hard all week long and came back strong. If we can get all our pitchers on, if Amber [Baldwin's] on tomorrow, and Ahlstrom's on tomorrow, we'll be hard to handle."
» Pitcher Corrina Dodd on rebounding from last week's performance: "Through this week at practice, I focused on pitching strikes, going at the batters, and not getting in my head. I was in those tough positions in practice so that if it came, which it did in this game, like that inning that we had runners at second and third, it just played itself out here."
» Dodd on the team's atmosphere: "Everybody's in great spirits. After this past weekend, it really fueled us to come out here and beat WKU."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky — April 17, 2 & 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+
» Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky — April 18, 12 p.m. CT on CUSA.tv
» 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 1, WESTERN KENTUCKY 0
» Friday night's game was WKU's first C-USA action of the season after having its scheduled opening series against Marshall postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Hilltopper program. Western Kentucky received votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
» Dodd got the nod to start in the circle for the Blue Raiders and kept the Hilltoppers off the scoreboard all six innings she finished.
» MT had the first scoring chance of the game, loading the bases with no outs in the second inning but failing to put a run on the board.
» WKU answered with a chance of its own in the top of the third, advancing two runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but Dodd and the Blue Raider defense kept the game scoreless.
» Lexi Cushing led off MT's fourth inning with a double, but that scoring threat was thwarted again by the Western Kentucky defense.
» Cushing's classmate Summer Burgess led off the fifth with a walk and stole second base. A few batters later, Burgess's heads-up baserunning allowed MT to score the only run of the ballgame on an error committed by the WKU shortstop.
» Meanwhile, Dodd was dealing in the circle, as she got 12 consecutive outs before surrendering a leadoff double in the seventh inning.
» With the tying run just two bases away, Ahlstrom entered out of the bullpen to strike out the first batter she faced.
» The Blue Raider defense again showed its strength in the ensuing at bat, as Jocelynn De La Cruz fielded a ground ball and fired it over to Cushing at first base for the second out. Cushing then tossed it across the diamond to Burgess at third, who applied the tag for the final out of game one.
» Dodd earned the win, her sixth of the season, and lowered her season ERA to 2.54 after collecting her fourth career shutout.
» Ahlstrom notched save No. 2 on the year and moved up in the Blue Raider career record book for saves. Friday's game-ender was her fifth career save, tying her with Stayc Preator (2000-03) for second all-time.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on getting the win despite having one hit: "We know [WKU pitcher Kelsey] Aikey is going to be really good, [Shelby] Nunn's good, their whole pitching staff is good. The key tonight was that [Corrina] Dodd matched her pitch-for-pitch. She did a great job, then [Kailey] Ahlstrom comes in and gets a great double play. Our kids just stayed the course. They believe they can play, and they showed it tonight. Not only can they win when we hit, but they can win playing defense and pitching. That's what champions do: they pitch and play defense."
» Breeden on Corrina Dodd's bounce back performance: "She's got some character about her. I'm sure she didn't like the way last week went for her anymore than I did. I thought she worked hard all week long and came back strong. If we can get all our pitchers on, if Amber [Baldwin's] on tomorrow, and Ahlstrom's on tomorrow, we'll be hard to handle."
» Pitcher Corrina Dodd on rebounding from last week's performance: "Through this week at practice, I focused on pitching strikes, going at the batters, and not getting in my head. I was in those tough positions in practice so that if it came, which it did in this game, like that inning that we had runners at second and third, it just played itself out here."
» Dodd on the team's atmosphere: "Everybody's in great spirits. After this past weekend, it really fueled us to come out here and beat WKU."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky — April 17, 2 & 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+
» Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky — April 18, 12 p.m. CT on CUSA.tv
» 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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