Southern Miss
Middle Tennessee
Softball Splits Doubleheader with Middle Tennessee
4/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball split a doubleheader at home on Sunday afternoon at the Southern Miss Softball Complex against Conference USA opponent Middle Tennessee. The Golden Eagles used a two-run home run from Katie Cleary in game one to notch a 3-1 victory. In the second game of the twin bill, the Blue Raiders took advantage of some Golden Eagle miscues to earn a 5-2 victory.
Offensively, the team hit .347 collectively, going 17-for-49 with four doubles and a home run. Cleary belted her first collegiate home run - a two-run shot to the bleachers behind the right field fence. Morgan McKeever led the team with four hits, while Rachel Johnson added three hits. Kaelyn Christofferson, Selena Estrada, Sara Evans and Cleary each finished the day with two hits apiece. Mallory Hayden, Christofferson, Estrada and Evans all recorded doubles on the day.
In the circle, the Golden Eagles used a pair of pitchers. The pitching staff tallied a 2.00 earned run average and did not allow an extra-base hit on the day.
In game one, Shelbee Rodgers tossed a complete game, 7.0 innings, allowing seven hits with no extra-base hits. She allowed just one run while striking out five and walking just one. Rodgers notched three 1-2-3 innings on the day and ended a pair of innings with strikeouts.
Danielle Block took the hard-luck loss in game two. The sophomore worked 7.0 innings, being charged with five runs (3 earned runs) on 10 hits. Like Rodgers, Block did not allow an extra-base hit. She struck out two while walking two.
Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee conclude the three-game series on Monday with a single game slated for 11:00 a.m. Live stats, live video and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the game.
Game 1 Recap
In the first game, the two teams battled even for the first four and a half innings with neither team being able to scratch the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, McKeever delivered a two-out single up the middle to place a runner on base. Cleary lifted a 2-1 pitch over the right field fence into the bleachers behind the right field fence to put the Golden Eagles up 2-0. For Cleary, it was the first home run of the junior's career.
The Blue Raiders chipped into the lead with a run in the sixth inning. With two outs, Middle Tennessee used back-to-back singles to place runners on the corners. A wild pitch moved the trail runner into scoring position. The next batter singled to right field. On the play the lead runner scored, but Evans threw out the trail runner trying to tie the game from second base.
Southern Miss got the run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Estrada led off the inning with a double to right center field. She advanced to third on a groundout. Christofferson followed with a two-out RBI double to left center field, giving the Golden Eagles a 3-1 advantage.
Rodgers notched a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to close out the game and preserve the victory.
Game 2 Recap
In the second game, Middle Tennessee scored an early run and hung on for a 5-2 win.
In the second inning, the Blue Raiders took the lead with a run. The leadoff batter singled to center field and Middle Tennessee used a walk to place two runners on base. The next batter dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. The Blue Raiders used a RBI single to score the lead runner.
The Golden Eagles threatened in the bottom of the inning. Cleary singled to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hayden. Cleary moved to third on a groundout and Evans followed with a walk. The Blue Raiders were able to escape the threat with an inning-ending groundout.
Middle Tennessee added a run in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, the Blue Raiders used a bunt single to place a runner on first. After a second out, an infield single left MT with a pair of base runners. The next batter singled to left field, scoring the lead runner.
Southern Miss responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Evans doubled over the head of the left fielder. Peyton Garner entered the game to pinch run at second base. Block helped her own cause with a RBI single up the middle, scoring Garner.
In the sixth inning, the Blue Raiders increased their lead with a pair of unearned runs. The leadoff batter reached base on a dropped fly ball in the outfield. The runner was bunted into scoring position. A bunt singled left Middle Tennessee with runners on the corners. The trail runner stole second to move into scoring position. The Blue Raiders used a bloop single just inside fair territory down the right field line, scoring two runners.
The Golden Eagles threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning, while chipping into the deficit. R. Johnson singled to short to start the inning. McKeever followed with an infield single to the shortstop. On the play, R. Johnson advanced to third on an error on the play. Hayden scored R. Johnson from third with a sacrifice fly to right field. Estrada continued the inning with a single to left center field. Evans singled up the middle to load the bases. The Blue Raiders induced a pop up to shortstop to end the inning, leaving the Golden Eagles with three runners left on base.
Middle Tennessee added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. With one out, the Blue Raiders used a single to place a runner on base. The runner advanced to second on a foul out to right field. MT used a RBI single up the middle to score and push the lead to 5-2.
Southern Miss was unable to score in the final inning, earning the split of the doubleheader.
