Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, April 2
Charlotte, NC
1:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
14-14, 0-2
1
at
3
Charlotte
16-7, 2-0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
7
0
Charlotte 49ers
1
0
0
0
0
2
X
3
9
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: WRIGHT, Madelyn (6-2)
L: Mead, Gretchen (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Hill, Kelci 1 ; Cushing, Lexi 1
RBI: Cushing, Lexi 1
SH: Rodriguez, Lani 1 ; Tath-Slezak, Nahri 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hill, Kelci 1
HBP: Harris, Amaya 1
Batting:
2B: VANNOY, Bailey 2
HR: BOWMAN, Nicole 1
RBI: GREMILLION, Kourtney 1 ; BOWMAN, Nicole 2
Base Running:
RUNS: VANNOY, Bailey 1 ; WALLJASPER, Lindsey 1 ; BOWMAN, Nicole 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
SS
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
SS/2B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
Raiders split Friday twin bill
4/2/2021 7:06:00 PM | Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Defense kept Middle Tennessee in both games on Friday, but it was an explosive eighth inning in the second game of the day that allowed the Blue Raiders (15-14, 1-2) to have the chance to split the Conference USA opening series at Charlotte (16-8, 2-1) on Saturday.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, CHARLOTTE 3
» Charlotte took game one of the series on an eighth inning walk-off grand slam.
» Kelci Hill got the first hit of the game with a one-out infield single in the top of the first, but the 49ers got in the run column first by scoring in the bottom of the first after leading off their half of the frame with a double.
» Ryan King led off the third inning with a single, but pinch runner Savannah Freeman was unable to advance past first.
» Both teams threatened in the fifth but were kept off the scoreboard. Amaya Harris and King were in scoring position as MT's half of the inning ended, and the 49ers left the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame.
» MT finally struck in the sixth inning, as Lexi Cushing hit a clutch double with two outs to score Hill, who led off the inning with a double to secure her team-leading eighth multi-hit game of the season.
» In the bottom of the sixth, though, Charlotte got back in front with a two-run homer.
» The Blue Raiders put together one final push to extend the game in the top of the seventh, but it was to no avail, as MT scored zero runs despite three hits in the final inning.
» Pinch hitters Mia Marinakis and Makenzie Hutchinson were two of the three Blue Raiders to get a hit in the seventh.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 8, CHARLOTTE 3 (8 Inn.)
» Game two began just like game one did for the Blue Raiders, with a one-out single by Hill, but she was unable to advance past second.
» MT broke through and scored with two outs in the second for the game's first run. Lani Rodriguez singled and came around to score on a double by Summer Burgess, who pushed her hitting streak to seven games for the second time this season.
» The 49ers answered in the third with a double that scored a run and knotted the game at one run apiece. Nahri Tath-Slezak sacrificed her body with a diving catch at the wall to end the third inning and the Charlotte threat to score again.
» It didn't take long for the Blue Raiders to regain the lead, as Hill's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning gave Rodriguez two runs scored, a new season high.
» Charlotte led off the seventh inning with a home run to send the game into extras for the second time in the series.
» King opened the eighth with a single and was replaced on the basepaths by Freeman, who came around to score the go-ahead run on Hill's second hit of the game. Hill's eighth inning RBI single gave her a multi-hit game in four of the last five games.
» MT was far from done at the plate after Hill's RBI single to give her team the lead for a third time. Jocelynn De La Cruz, Cushing and Claire Smith all picked up RBIs to give MT a six-run inning. The six runs in the eighth is the most runs in an inning since the Blue Raiders plated six in the second inning against Dayton on March 12.
» Danielle Taitt entered in relief in the seventh and stayed for the eighth inning to earn her first collegiate win.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on his team's defense that kept them in both games: "Our defense has been really solid all season. Nahri [Tath-Slezak] made an awesome play today, face-planting on the wall and hanging on to the ball. We really take pride in playing defense at a high energy level."
» Breeden on what the team needs to do tomorrow to get the series split: "Tomorrow we've just got to stay the course. We need to keep playing good defense, get some timely hitting and our pitchers keep us in the game. Even though we've lost two games here in Charlotte, we've played well. We just have to bring our energy and compete."
» Outfielder Kelci Hill on what's working at the plate during this hitting streak: "I've just been trying to keep things simple in the box. The only thing in my head while I'm in the box is 'see the ball, hit the ball,' which my dad used to tell me all the time. I love hitting behind Summer [Burgess] and next to Kaylee [Richetto] or Mia [Marinakis] because we all know that if one us can't get it done, the one behind us will. Our team atmosphere has been at an all-time high, and we're ready to keep it rolling through the rest of conference play."
» Hill on the team's defensive plays today: "I knew when Nahri ran into the wall to make that catch, there was no way we were going to lose. That catch definitely saved the game and fired us all up to go score some more runs and finish the game. All of our pitchers have been doing a great job of keeping us in the game and everyone else has been doing their job."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee at Charlotte — April 3, 11 a.m. CT
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1, CHARLOTTE 3
» Charlotte took game one of the series on an eighth inning walk-off grand slam.
» Kelci Hill got the first hit of the game with a one-out infield single in the top of the first, but the 49ers got in the run column first by scoring in the bottom of the first after leading off their half of the frame with a double.
» Ryan King led off the third inning with a single, but pinch runner Savannah Freeman was unable to advance past first.
» Both teams threatened in the fifth but were kept off the scoreboard. Amaya Harris and King were in scoring position as MT's half of the inning ended, and the 49ers left the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame.
» MT finally struck in the sixth inning, as Lexi Cushing hit a clutch double with two outs to score Hill, who led off the inning with a double to secure her team-leading eighth multi-hit game of the season.
» In the bottom of the sixth, though, Charlotte got back in front with a two-run homer.
» The Blue Raiders put together one final push to extend the game in the top of the seventh, but it was to no avail, as MT scored zero runs despite three hits in the final inning.
» Pinch hitters Mia Marinakis and Makenzie Hutchinson were two of the three Blue Raiders to get a hit in the seventh.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 8, CHARLOTTE 3 (8 Inn.)
» Game two began just like game one did for the Blue Raiders, with a one-out single by Hill, but she was unable to advance past second.
» MT broke through and scored with two outs in the second for the game's first run. Lani Rodriguez singled and came around to score on a double by Summer Burgess, who pushed her hitting streak to seven games for the second time this season.
» The 49ers answered in the third with a double that scored a run and knotted the game at one run apiece. Nahri Tath-Slezak sacrificed her body with a diving catch at the wall to end the third inning and the Charlotte threat to score again.
» It didn't take long for the Blue Raiders to regain the lead, as Hill's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning gave Rodriguez two runs scored, a new season high.
» Charlotte led off the seventh inning with a home run to send the game into extras for the second time in the series.
» King opened the eighth with a single and was replaced on the basepaths by Freeman, who came around to score the go-ahead run on Hill's second hit of the game. Hill's eighth inning RBI single gave her a multi-hit game in four of the last five games.
» MT was far from done at the plate after Hill's RBI single to give her team the lead for a third time. Jocelynn De La Cruz, Cushing and Claire Smith all picked up RBIs to give MT a six-run inning. The six runs in the eighth is the most runs in an inning since the Blue Raiders plated six in the second inning against Dayton on March 12.
» Danielle Taitt entered in relief in the seventh and stayed for the eighth inning to earn her first collegiate win.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on his team's defense that kept them in both games: "Our defense has been really solid all season. Nahri [Tath-Slezak] made an awesome play today, face-planting on the wall and hanging on to the ball. We really take pride in playing defense at a high energy level."
» Breeden on what the team needs to do tomorrow to get the series split: "Tomorrow we've just got to stay the course. We need to keep playing good defense, get some timely hitting and our pitchers keep us in the game. Even though we've lost two games here in Charlotte, we've played well. We just have to bring our energy and compete."
» Outfielder Kelci Hill on what's working at the plate during this hitting streak: "I've just been trying to keep things simple in the box. The only thing in my head while I'm in the box is 'see the ball, hit the ball,' which my dad used to tell me all the time. I love hitting behind Summer [Burgess] and next to Kaylee [Richetto] or Mia [Marinakis] because we all know that if one us can't get it done, the one behind us will. Our team atmosphere has been at an all-time high, and we're ready to keep it rolling through the rest of conference play."
» Hill on the team's defensive plays today: "I knew when Nahri ran into the wall to make that catch, there was no way we were going to lose. That catch definitely saved the game and fired us all up to go score some more runs and finish the game. All of our pitchers have been doing a great job of keeping us in the game and everyone else has been doing their job."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee at Charlotte — April 3, 11 a.m. CT
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Softball), Facebook (Blue Raider Softball) and Instagram (@mt_softball).
Don't try this at home!
— MT Softball (@MT_Softball) April 3, 2021
Disclaimer: No Blue Raiders were harmed in the making of this web gem. 😅@nahrrii | @NCAAsoftball | #SCTop10 | #BlueRaiders ⚡️⬆️ pic.twitter.com/g66MmsceaQ
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Spring Sports Show hosted by The Boulevard – April 21, 2025: Softball and Baseball
Monday, April 21
MTSU Softball vs WKU Recap 4/11-13/25
Monday, April 14
MTSU Softball vs WKU Recap 4/11-13/25 2025
Monday, April 14
