Softball falls in series finale

BOCA RATON, Fla. -The Middle Tennessee softball team fell in the final game of a conference series with the FAU Owls on Sunday in Boca Raton, Fla. The Blue Raiders move to 19-28 on the season, 5-17 in conference. The Owls advance to 26-23, 11-9 in Sun Belt play.

In the lost, Middle Tennessee scored one run off five hits, while allowing two errors and leaving three runners on base. FAU's four runs were scored on eight hits. The team had no errors and left seven on base.

Lindsey Vander Lugt threw all six innings in the contest, giving up three earned runs and a walk with five strikeouts. She drops to 17-18 on the year with a 2.49 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 210.2 innings.

Costly errors continued to haunt the Blue Raiders, when FAU's Blair Bodenmiller came around to score on an errant throw to first from Kaycee Popham. Florida Atlantic lead 1-0 after one.

Brittney Banania made two crucial defensive plays at shortstop in third to keep the pressing Owls off the scoreboard. The San Pedro, Calif., native stopped two hard hit grounders with the bases loaded and one out.

The Blue Raiders found the scoreboard for the first time of the weekend in the fifth when Jessi Couch drove Jessica Ives in from third to tie the game 1-1. Ives reached after blasting fourth double of the season.

The Owls struck back in the bottom half of the inning, when Kerri Croney blasted the lone series home run. Two runs scored on the play giving FAU a 3-1 lead. Florida Atlantic tacked on one more run in the inning making the score 4-1 after five. The game ended 4-1.

Caitlin Mclure swiped her 23rd base of the season in the fourth. The senior now has 67 for her career, just two behind MT career record-holder Jamie Polsteen.

The Blue Raiders will return to action Thursday May 6 as they travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Lipscomb. Full coverage and live stats will be available on GoBlueRaiders.com.

Friend of the Blue Raiders? Like us on Facebook and become part of the True Blue army today.