Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, April 9
Murfreesboro, TN
3:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
15-17, 1-4
4
vs
10
Marshall
12-4, 1-0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Marshall
5
0
0
0
1
0
4
10
9
1
Middle Tennessee
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
4
8
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: STAUFFER, Megan (2-0)
L: Dodd, Corrina (5-3)
Batting:
2B: ADAMS, Katie 1
HR: SACKETT, Kat 2
RBI: ADAMS, Katie 3 ; STEVENSON, Mya 1 ; SACKETT, Kat 6
SH: HUERTA, Sierra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CHELEMEN, Grace 2 ; LEE, Chloe 1 ; HUERTA, Sierra 1 ; ADAMS, Katie 1 ; KENNEY, Kay Kay 1 ; STEVENSON, Mya 2 ; SACKETT, Kat 2
SB: STEVENSON, Mya 1
CS: BURCH, Blakely 1
HBP: CHELEMEN, Grace 1 ; HUERTA, Sierra 2
Batting:
HR: Hill, Kelci 1
RBI: Hill, Kelci 3
SH: King, Ryan 1 ; Tath-Slezak, Nahri 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hill, Kelci 1 ; King, Ryan 1 ; Herring, Jaya 1 ; Tath-Slezak, Nahri 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball1B
/ Softball3B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
Hill homers, Cushing hits walk-off in doubleheader split
4/9/2021 10:14:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — After dropping game one of the four-game set against Marshall, Middle Tennessee rebounded and won in 10 innings to secure the Blue Raiders' (16-17, 2-4) first win at home and first win as a Conference USA member over the Thundering Herd (12-5, 1-1).
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 4, MARSHALL 10
» Friday's doubleheader marked the first two C-USA games of the season for Marshall and the first two league home games for the Blue Raiders in the 2021 campaign.
» The Thundering Herd scored early and often to start the four-game set, plating five in the top of the first.
» Kelci Hill answered in the bottom of the first with a solo blast to left center for her first career home run.
» Hill collected another RBI in the next inning after the Blue Raiders loaded up the bases with two outs. Ryan King started the rally with a single to centerfield, followed by a pair of walks by Nahri Tath-Slezak and Summer Burgess. Hill's single through the left side scored two to cut the Herd lead to two runs.
» Hill notched a career-high three RBIs — which she later tied in game two — when she brought home a pinch-running Jaya Herring in the fourth inning after King led off the frame with a single.
» Marshall took its lead from one run to two in the top of the fifth as a leadoff single came around to score with two outs.
» Lani Rodriguez led off the sixth with a single and advanced to third base, but she was stranded on base as the Blue Raiders couldn't score in the frame.
» The Thundering Herd then added four runs worth of insurance in the top of the seventh, including a three-run homer.
» Kaylee Richetto walked and Lexi Cushing drove a ball to the warning track, but the Blue Raiders were unable to extend game one.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, MARSHALL 8 (10 Inn.)
» Much like game one, the Thundering Herd kicked off the game with a crooked number on the scoreboard, plating six in the game's first frame.
» The Blue Raiders didn't wait long to fight back and match the Thundering Herd on the scoreboard. After three straight walks, Rodriguez placed a base hit just over the first baseman's glove that plated Jocelynn De La Cruz. Later in the inning, Tath-Slezak walked with the bases loaded to score Cushing. Two batters later, Hill's first triple of the season cleared the bases and put MT within one run.
» Mackenzie Hutchinson got the start as MT's designated player in game two and put a ball in play that scored Rodriguez to tie the game at six runs apiece after two innings that took one hour and four minutes.
» A couple innings later, Cushing got her first RBI of the game, reaching on a fielder's choice that scored Hill to give the Blue Raiders their first lead of the series.
» The Herd thundered back for two runs in the top of the sixth, but MT scored again in its half of the frame to tie the teams at eight. De La Cruz doubled for the second time this season to score Hill for the Blue Raiders' eighth run.
» After the teams went scoreless in the seventh, eighth and ninth, Cushing picked up her second RBI of the game, and Hill scored her career-high fourth run of the game as the Blue Raiders earned a victory in game two of the series.
» Amber Baldwin came on in relief to pitch 10 full innings, tying her career high set on March 30 at Murray State. Baldwin's line included three strikeouts and just two earned runs in her 122 pitches thrown.
» MT is now 5-2 in extras this season, and Friday's nightcap marked the fourth 10-inning affair the Blue Raiders have had so far in 2021. Friday's second game last three hours and three minutes, the longest continuous game the Blue Raiders have played this season.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the resilience of his team on both games on Friday: "We don't have any quit in us. We just hang on. We dig ourselves a hole, but we came back from it four, five times today. I tell them, if you hang around long enough, something good is going to happen. ... I'm proud of our kids and how they came back. Now, we've got ourselves in a position to win the series."
» Breeden on Hill's day at the plate in the doubleheader: "She's clutch. Last year, she was an RBI machine, and she is this year, too. I feel comfortable every time we've got her at the plate, especially with runners in scoring position. She's got ice water in her veins, and she puts a good swing on it. She's a great kid and had one whale of a day today."
» Outfielder Kelci Hill on the team's win in extra innings: "Amber [Baldwin] pitched her heart out today, and we wanted to get that win in extras for our pitcher. She did great, and we wanted to have her back."
» Hill on the six-run second inning: "We had really good at bats that inning. Everyone was being super selective that inning, and we got a lot of walks and made it count."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall — April 10, 2 p.m. CT
» 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 4, MARSHALL 10
» Friday's doubleheader marked the first two C-USA games of the season for Marshall and the first two league home games for the Blue Raiders in the 2021 campaign.
» The Thundering Herd scored early and often to start the four-game set, plating five in the top of the first.
» Kelci Hill answered in the bottom of the first with a solo blast to left center for her first career home run.
» Hill collected another RBI in the next inning after the Blue Raiders loaded up the bases with two outs. Ryan King started the rally with a single to centerfield, followed by a pair of walks by Nahri Tath-Slezak and Summer Burgess. Hill's single through the left side scored two to cut the Herd lead to two runs.
» Hill notched a career-high three RBIs — which she later tied in game two — when she brought home a pinch-running Jaya Herring in the fourth inning after King led off the frame with a single.
» Marshall took its lead from one run to two in the top of the fifth as a leadoff single came around to score with two outs.
» Lani Rodriguez led off the sixth with a single and advanced to third base, but she was stranded on base as the Blue Raiders couldn't score in the frame.
» The Thundering Herd then added four runs worth of insurance in the top of the seventh, including a three-run homer.
» Kaylee Richetto walked and Lexi Cushing drove a ball to the warning track, but the Blue Raiders were unable to extend game one.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 9, MARSHALL 8 (10 Inn.)
» Much like game one, the Thundering Herd kicked off the game with a crooked number on the scoreboard, plating six in the game's first frame.
» The Blue Raiders didn't wait long to fight back and match the Thundering Herd on the scoreboard. After three straight walks, Rodriguez placed a base hit just over the first baseman's glove that plated Jocelynn De La Cruz. Later in the inning, Tath-Slezak walked with the bases loaded to score Cushing. Two batters later, Hill's first triple of the season cleared the bases and put MT within one run.
» Mackenzie Hutchinson got the start as MT's designated player in game two and put a ball in play that scored Rodriguez to tie the game at six runs apiece after two innings that took one hour and four minutes.
» A couple innings later, Cushing got her first RBI of the game, reaching on a fielder's choice that scored Hill to give the Blue Raiders their first lead of the series.
» The Herd thundered back for two runs in the top of the sixth, but MT scored again in its half of the frame to tie the teams at eight. De La Cruz doubled for the second time this season to score Hill for the Blue Raiders' eighth run.
» After the teams went scoreless in the seventh, eighth and ninth, Cushing picked up her second RBI of the game, and Hill scored her career-high fourth run of the game as the Blue Raiders earned a victory in game two of the series.
» Amber Baldwin came on in relief to pitch 10 full innings, tying her career high set on March 30 at Murray State. Baldwin's line included three strikeouts and just two earned runs in her 122 pitches thrown.
» MT is now 5-2 in extras this season, and Friday's nightcap marked the fourth 10-inning affair the Blue Raiders have had so far in 2021. Friday's second game last three hours and three minutes, the longest continuous game the Blue Raiders have played this season.
QUOTES FROM THE BLUE RAIDERS
» Head Coach Jeff Breeden on the resilience of his team on both games on Friday: "We don't have any quit in us. We just hang on. We dig ourselves a hole, but we came back from it four, five times today. I tell them, if you hang around long enough, something good is going to happen. ... I'm proud of our kids and how they came back. Now, we've got ourselves in a position to win the series."
» Breeden on Hill's day at the plate in the doubleheader: "She's clutch. Last year, she was an RBI machine, and she is this year, too. I feel comfortable every time we've got her at the plate, especially with runners in scoring position. She's got ice water in her veins, and she puts a good swing on it. She's a great kid and had one whale of a day today."
» Outfielder Kelci Hill on the team's win in extra innings: "Amber [Baldwin] pitched her heart out today, and we wanted to get that win in extras for our pitcher. She did great, and we wanted to have her back."
» Hill on the six-run second inning: "We had really good at bats that inning. Everyone was being super selective that inning, and we got a lot of walks and made it count."
NEXT UP
» Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall — April 10, 2 p.m. CT
» 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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