Softball Wins Seventh Straight

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Middle Tennessee softball (10-5) extended it's winning streak to seven with a 4-1 win over Siena (0-4) Sunday at the Southeast Missouri Classic.

The Lady Raiders were scheduled to play Southwest Missouri State to close out the tournament but the game was called due to inclement weather. Since Middle Tennessee and Southwest Missouri were the only undefeated teams in the tournament, a champion was not crowned.

Siena got on the board first in the second inning scoring one run with Lady Raider Tiffany Childress on the mound. Middle Tennessee answered in the bottom of the third with three runs.

Megan Stapleton began the third inning with a single to left and senior Kip Phillips reached base for the thirteenth time, this season, with a single past third base. The Lady Raiders plated their first runs on a two RBI single by first baseman Megan Cherinka and scored the third on an RBI single by Muriel Ledbetter. Cherinka picked up her third RBI of the game in the bottom of the fifth when she sent in short stop Cortney Mitchell.

Senior hurler Stayc Preator (5-2) came into the game in the third inning allowing one hit and striking out six to pick up the win. She ended the weekend allowing just two hits and no runs in 12 innings pitched. She also logged two wins and one save. Freshman Muriel Ledbetter closed out the game in the top of the seventh to earn the save, which is the first of her career.

Middle Tennessee returns home on Wednesday March 12 to host UAB. First pitch action in the double header begins at 3 p.m. at Lady Raider Field.

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