Blue Raider lose 5-3 to WKU in second game

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee scored three runs in the opening inning but the Blue Raiders (21-29, 10-12) gave up four runs in the final two innings as they fell 5-3 to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (26-27, 8-14) in the second game of a conference doubleheader Friday at Blue Raider Field.

Lindsey Vander Lugt (15-20) got the loss for the Blue Raiders. The Olympia, Wash. native gave up three earned runs on 13 hits, while striking out one and walking one, in her second straight complete game of the series.

Jennifer Kempf (8-11) got the win for the Hilltoppers. The righty gave up three runs on 10 hits, while striking out three and walking one, in 7.0 innings.

Middle Tennessee took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning. Ashley Cline led of with a single up the middle before Katie Mielke drove her home with a stand-up triple to the gap in right field. Corrie Abel nailed a sacrifice fly into deep left field for a RBI and Justine Cerda crushed a homerun off the top of the fence in right-center field to finish things off for the Blue Raiders.

Cerda was 2-for-3 with a homerun, RBI and a run scored to lead Middle Tennessee.

Western Kentucky pulled a run back in the top of the 4th inning off a Rebecca Horesky RBI infield single to second base, scoring Terri Ellingsworth and making it 3-1.

Middle Tennessee held their advantage until the top of the 6th inning. Rachelle Boucher reached on an error by Blue Raider second baseman Cline before Elizabeth Ferrell singled through the left side. Lindsay Antone hit a RBI double off the wall in left field and Ferrell scored later in the inning to tie the game at three runs apiece.

The Hilltoppers added two more runs to take a 5-3 lead in the 7th inning. Rachelle Boucher hit a RBI single to centerfield, scoring Kelsey McCauley and Boucher scored three batters later to put the game out of reach.

The Blue Raiders did not threaten in their half of the final inning as they fell for just the second time in their last two home conference series.

Middle Tennessee concludes their three-game series with WKU on Saturday at 1 PM. Senior day festivities will precede the game at 12:30 PM.

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