Softball splits doubleheader with ULM

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Lindsey Vander Lugt pitched a 7.0 inning two-hit shutout as the Middle Tennessee softball team took a 1-0 decision over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in the first game of the doubleheader. ULM would take the second game 3-1.

On the day, the Blue Raiders moved to 12-14 on the season and 3-5 in Sun Belt Play.

"Lindsey pitched another great game for us," said head coach Sue Nevar. "We are still in need of those clutch hits to help open up our offense to score more runs."

In the first contest, Middle Tennessee scored one run off of five hits while allowing four errors leaving six runners on-base. ULM scored no runs off three hits and no errors with three runners left on base

Vander Lugt struck out six Warhawk batters allowing no walks. Her ERA drops to 2.36 with 96 strikeouts on the season.

Corrie Abel and Kaycee Popham each extended their hitting streaks to five games. Abel doubled off Warhawks pitcher Kandace Causey in the first inning to keep hers alive. Popham would leg out the Blue Raiders' first triple of the season in the second. Abel got another hit in the second game to move her streak to six games.

Middle Tennessee scored the lone run of the contest in the fifth as Kandra Singleton came all the way home from first on a Kristi Marquez double to right field. It was Marquez's third RBI of the year.

In the second game, Louisiana-Monroe battled back to take a 3-1 victory to even the series.

In the loss, Middle Tennessee scored three runs on eight hits, and committed two errors. They left 11 runners on base. ULM scored three runs off eights with one error. The Warhawks also left eight runners on base.

Janele Robinson pitched a strong 5.1 innings of work allowing two earned runs off five hits. She struck out four batters. Vander Lugt was saddled with the loss in 1.2 innings, allowing no earned runs and recording two strikeouts. She dropped her record to 11-9 on the year.

ULM scored the first run of the game with a sacrifice bunt scoring the charging runner from third on a squeeze play.

The Blue Raiders would answer in the second as Natalie Ysais scored from second on a broken play. Brittney Banania beat out a foul line chopper, allowing Ysais to hustle around to score on a close play, tying the game 1-1.

Two costly Middle Tennessee errors in the sixth would give Louisiana-Monroe a 3-1 lead which they would not relinquish.

Caitlin McLure passed Melanie Manley for second place all-time in program history with sacrifice hits with 32 for her career. She has five on the season. Jamie Polsteen holds the school record with 45.

"Tomorrow's game is very important. We are playing to win the series and move up a position in the conference standings. It is a game we cannot afford to lose".

Tomorrow's finale begins at noon. Live state and audio will be available at GoBlueRaiders.com.

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.