MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Sophomore Martha Davis batted .428 with 3 RBI as the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (27-28, 13-9 SBC) split two games of a doubleheader against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (28-29, 11-12 SBC) at WKU Softball Complex in Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday.
The Blue Raiders came into the series needing two wins to secure fourth place in the Sun Belt Conference regular season standings. Depending on their own results and others across the conference, they were in danger of dropping as low as the seventh position at the end of the weekend.
In the first game, Middle Tennessee gave up a walk off single n the bottom of the 7th inning to drop their ninth conference game of the season.
Blue Raider starter Lindsey Vander Lugt (18-19) picked up the loss, giving up three runs on 11 hits, while striking out five and walking none, in the complete game effort.
Jennifer Kempf (19-16) got the complete game win for the Hilltoppers, giving up two runs on three hits, while striking out six and walking three, over seven innings.
WKU took an early lead in the 3rd inning when Sam Cronk belted a solo home run to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 advantage. Middle Tennessee responded in the next inning with two runs of their own courtesy of a Muriel Ledbetter RBI double.
Western Kentucky tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the 4th inning before winning the game with the RBI single by Rebecca Moresky. The 3-2 loss dropped MT to two games below the .500 mark overall on the season.
In the second game, Middle Tennessee used a big fourth inning to propel them within one game of clinching the fourth place position in the conference.
Samantha Floyd (7-7) picked up the complete game victory for the Blue Raiders, giving up three runs on seven hits, while striking out four and walking none, in 7.0 innings.
Hilltopper starter Ryan Rogge (9-12) got the loss, giving up four runs on six hits, while striking out two, in 3.0 innings.
Jennifer Kempf also pitched for WKU, giving up no earned runs and three hits, while striking out three and walking one, in 4.0 innings of action.
Western Kentucky opened the game with their second early 1-0 lead of the day off a Lindsay Antone RBI single to left field, driving in Shelby Smith.
Middle Tennessee hit back immedietely in the third inning when Kristine Reed singled to right field to tie the game 1-1 before the Blue Raiders took a three run advantage through a Martha Davis three run home run, her fifth of the season.
MT would add another run when Corrie Abel scored on an error by the pitcher in route to picking up their thirteenth victory on the season, 5-3.
The Blue Raiders wrap up their series against the Hilltoppers, and finish their Sun Belt Conference regular season schedule, on Sunday at Noon at the WKU Softball Complex.
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