Softball to compete at TTU Combat Classic

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee softball team is set to travel to Cookeville, Tenn., this weekend, to take part in the 2011 Tennessee Tech Combat Classic.

The 2011 TTU Combat Classic will feature four non-conference opponents. MT has a combined 27-28 all-time record against its first three contests: Tennessee Tech, Louisville and Samford. This will be the first time in program history, the Blue Raiders have taken on North Carolina State. Middle Tennessee will open competition Friday at 10 a.m. with Louisville to be followed a clash with TTU at 3 p.m. Saturday, the Blue Raiders lead off with Samford at 5 p.m., then North Carolina State at 7 p.m.

The Blue Raiders enter with a 4-7 record on the season upon going 2-2 at last weekend's War Eagle Classic in Auburn, Ala. The team earned their first doubleheader sweep of the season, taking a pair of wins against Marshall and Murray State on Friday evening. Kelsey Dortch highlighted the evening with a three-run walk-off home run in the fifth inning. Middle Tennessee fell 6-5 to Georgia Southern on Saturday and 10-0 to Auburn on Sunday.

At the 2011 Combat Classic, Senior outfielder Corrie Abel is set to set the Middle Tennessee program record for most hits recorded in a Blue Raider career. Currently, the Shorewood, Ill., native has 195 career hits and needs just one to pass Allison Cheatham's 195 hits. Cheatham's standard has stood for 13 seasons. Abel is on schedule to be the first player in program history to total 200 hits in a career.

As Abel is set to break the school record for hits, it should be noted she should set such standard in far fewer at bats than any other MT softball players on the career hit list. Current record holder Allison Cheatham accomplished her 195 hits in 632 at bats. Abel's 195 hits have come off 539 at bats.

Entering the weekend, the Shorewood, Ill., native has a .362 career average, which ranks her fourth all-time among MT hitters. Of the athletes in the top 10 in career hits, Abel is the only one to sit in the career top 10 list for batting average. Among the players on the top 10 career average list, she is the only player to have an MT career spanning for three or more seasons. Finally, she is in the top 10 career hits to be listed in the top 10 in slugging percentage. She is on-pace to be the only player to hit over 200 hits in a game.

Streaming internet audio will be available on GoBlueRaiders.com for the games with Tennessee Tech, Louisville and Samford. Post-game coverage and wrap-up will be available on GoBlueRaiders.com and Twitter.com/MT_Softball.

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