Ledbetter Hits Game-Winning Double in Sweep

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Muriel Ledbetter hit a two out RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to help Middle Tennessee (28-14, 8-2 Sun Belt) to a 4-1, 3-2 sweep of New Mexico State (9-39, 0-9 Sun Belt) Saturday at Lady Raider field.

With the scored tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, pinch hitter Candis Littrell hit a one out double to place the winning run on second base. Pinch hitter Crystal Bobo went down on strikes and with two outs and a one and two count, Ledbetter hit a frozen rope to the right field fence to give the Lady Raiders the win.

Middle Tennessee was cruising in the second game with a 2-0 lead when the wheels came off. New Mexico State's Stacy Knight reached first on a Lady Raider error to begin the seventh, and after hurler Ashley Frizzell struck out Lindsay Hainzinger, the Aggies got runners on first and third on a botched fielders choice. New Mexico State tied the game on a two RBI single by Rose Tirre.

Jen Dorais who came in with one out and a runner on second base replaced Frizzell, and the Lady Raiders got the second out when catcher Angie Huebner caught Tirre trying to steal. Middle Tennessee closed out the Aggies threat when Dorais forced Sarah Stansberry to pop up to the first baseman, but the damage was already done. Dorais picked up the win and improved to 3-2 on the season.

Senior Cortney Mitchell scored the first run of the game. She drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the fourth and scored her 43rd run of the year, which breaks the single-season record, off an RBI single by Huebner.

In the bottom of the sixth, Mitchell scored the second run of the game. After hitting a lead off single and moving to third when Brittany Herald hit a one out double, Mitchell scored from a sacrifice fly by Huebner.

Mitchell broke up a scoreless first game in the bottom of the sixth inning as she hit her 20th double of the season to score to score pinch runner Michelle Wilkes, and advanced to third on a New Mexico State error. Middle Tennessee placed runners on the corners when Huebner drew a one out walk, and she was replaced by pinch runner Brandy Davis who stole second. Third baseman Melissa Weiland hit a two RBI double to plate Mitchell and Davis and scored a run herself off an RBI single by Kristina Hieb.

New Mexico State broke up hurler Crystal Bobo's shutout attempt when Aggie Breana Bohls hit a one out triple and scored on a Lady Raider error. After issuing a walk to Knight, pinch runner Lindsay Ashley stole two consecutive bases to land on third. Bobo ended the Aggie threat when she struck out Hainzinger to end the game.

Bobo tossed her 10th complete game of they year, allowing two hits, no earned runs and striking out six. She improved to 13-10 on the season.

Middle Tennessee will complete its four-game series with New Mexico State on Sunday at Lady Raider Field. First pitch action is set for 12:30 p.m.

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