Weiland's RBI Double Earns Split With Samford

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Sophomore Melissa Weiland hit a two out RBI double to boost Middle Tennessee softball (8-29) to a 5-4 win in extra innings over Samford (22-20) Wednesday at Blue Raider Field. The Blue Raiders dropped the first game to the Bulldogs 1-0.

Weiland was working with a 2-2 count when she hit a rope to centerfield sending Leah Grothause home from first base. Grothause set up the game winner when she beat out an infield single which plated freshman catcher Brandi Boehner to tie the game. Boehner hit an RBI double to pull the Blue Raiders within one run 4-3, all with two outs.

Middle Tennessee forced extra innings when the team tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Trish White hit a single and advanced to third on a hit by Liz Davis, and White motored home off a throwing error by Samford.

Tied 2-2, the international tiebreaker rule was enforced after seven innings, placing a runner on second base. Samford took the lead in the top of the eighth inning off a two run homerun by the Bulldogs Liz Pearse.

Samford scored runs in the second and third innings before the Blue Raiders answered. In the bottom of the third inning, Middle Tennessee pulled within one run when Candis Littrell hit the first triple of her career and scored off an RBI single by White.

Junior pitcher Jennifer Dorais notched her second consecutive win on the mound and improves to 2-8 on the season. Dorias tossed eight innings allowing six hits, two earned runs and striking out three.

White tossed the first game and continues to be the recipient of bad luck. Samford scored just one run on the Blue Raiders, and it was all thanks to one Bulldog. Trish Holman opened the first game with a triple and she scored on a Blue Raider error, all in one swing of the bat. Samford threatened three more times in the game, but Middle Tennessee turned them away each time.

The Blue Raiders thrice had runners in scoring position and failed to score. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Middle Tennessee had the bases loaded and couldn't knock a run in.

White took the loss and falls to 0-6 on the season, though she pitched well enough to win. She allowed just seven hits, struck out two and didn't allow an earned run.

Middle Tennessee returns to action on Saturday when the Blue Raiders travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico to take on New Mexico State. The first pitch is set for noon.

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