Blue Raiders Pick Up Postseason Victory

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Lindsey Vander Lugt proved the difference in her first career postseason start as the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (29-28) opened the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Softball Tournament with a 1-0 victory in the first round against the South Alabama Jaguars (36-22) at MT Softball Complex on Wednesday.

The Blue Raiders came into the first round after earning the No 4 seed in the tournament by finishing in 4th place in the conference standings with a 14-9 record.

They were coming off a conference regular season series victory over weekend versus the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in Bowling Green. Ky. They dropped the first game before picking up two straight wins to close the regular season on a high note.

Despite holding the better overall record, the Jaguars earned the No. 5 seed in the tournament and finished one place behind Middle Tennessee in the conference standings.

Middle Tennessee starter Lindsey Vander Lugt (20-19) got the complete game win, throwing a shutout and giving up just four hits, while striking out six and walking none, in 7.0 innings.

Linden Jones (20-11) picked up the loss for South Alabama, giving up no earned runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking none, in the complete game effort.

The Blue Raiders scored what proved to be the only and game-winning run in the bottom of the 4th inning when Martha Davis nailed an RBI double to the gap in left-center field, driving in Caitlin McLure. Earlier in the inning, McLure showed off her blazing speed by advancing from first to third base on the sacrifice bunt by Whitney Darlington.

Davis was honored on Tuesday night at the pre-tournament banquet after being named to the All-Sun Belt Conference second team. She was 3rd on the team during the regular season with a .313 batting average during the regular season.

Middle Tennessee advances to the second round in the winner portion of the bracket to face the Florida International Golden Panthers on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Panthers upset No. 1 seed and regular season conference champions Florida Atlantic in a 15-inning thriller earlier on Wednesday.

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