MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Ashley Cline went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two stolen bases but Middle Tennessee gave up six runs in the 6th inning as the Blue Raiders (7-11, 2-1) fell 8-3 to the Evansville Purple Aces (11-6, 0-0) in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader at Blue Raider Field on Thursday.
Kellie Head (3-5) made her eighth start of the season for the Blue Raiders. The Freshman gave up six earned runs on 11 hits, while walking one in the complete game defeat.
Ashley Hobbs (3-1) got the start and the victory for the Purple Aces, giving up one run on three hits in 3.0 innings.
Reliever Jennifer McKee picked up the save for Evansville. She gave up two runs on four hits, while striking out two and walking two in 4.0 innings.
Middle Tennessee went ahead in the 2nd inning. Third baseman Whittney Padgett worked the count to 3-and-2 before nailing a triple to deep left center field. Three batters later, Ashley Cline looped a RBI single into shallow left field, driving in Padgett and putting the Blue Raiders ahead 1-0.
Padgett went 1-for-2 with a run scored for Middle Tennessee.
In the next inning, Padgett had a chance to add to her offensive prowess, but her two-out fly ball with runners at the corners was easily caught by the Evansville centerfielder.
The Blue Raiders stranded eight runners on the base path for the contest.
Evansville took the lead in the top of the 4th inning when former Blue Raider Brittney Herald hit a two-run homerun to right field.
The Purple Acres increased their advantage to 7-1 in the 5th inning. They began their scoring with a two-run homerun to left field by Krista Price and drove three more across the plate before the inning came to a close with the Blue Raiders trailing by six runs.
Middle Tennessee pulled one back in the bottom of the inning when Martha Davis lasered an RBI single to left field after Brittney Banania hit a double to right field.
Davis was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Middle Tennessee cut the lead to 8-3 in the 7th inning. Katie Mielke lined a lead off double to center field before she was driven home courtesy of a Banania RBI ground out to second base.
The Blue Raiders conclude their doubleheader with the Purple Aces at 4:15 PM. Follow the action live at GoBlueRaiders.com with Russell Luna providing commentary.
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