Blue Raider Softball Falls to Evansville 9-1

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Middle Tennessee softball (0-1) opened the 2006 season with a 9-1 loss to Evansville (4-1) on Tuesday at Cooper Stadium.

The Aces scored first in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Alicia Laraway led off the inning with a triple to right field and scored on a wild pitch.

Laraway and the Aces struck again in bottom of the third. Weslie Gladfelter's infield single set up the scene for a two run homerun from Laraway to left field. Laura Rather blasted her own home run to center field for back to back homers to make the score 4-0.

The Aces added four more in the fourth off of a Liz Mooney single, three errors and three walks.

Middle Tennessee scored one in the fifth off a Melissa Weiland home run. The Blue Raiders had a total of four hits in the game with Jennifer Dorais, Michelle Wilkes and Kristine Reed also picking up hits.

Freshman pitcher Laura Moore picked up her first start of the season and took the loss. She tossed four innings, allowing five runs on six hits and struck out five. Sophomore Ashley Katinas came in for 1.1 innings of work allowing just one hit and one earned run.

Middle Tennessee returns to action on Friday at the University of Auburn Tournament.

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