W. Brandon Kolditz, Assistant Director
TROY, Ala. — The University of Memphis softball team earned a 3-2 victory over Middle Tennessee in the Tiger’s season opener on Friday afternoon in the Troy Subway Invitational.
After taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, Middle Tennessee countered with a two run homer in the sixth. Redshirt sophomore Wheeler Hill scored the winning run for the Tigers in the top of the seventh on a two out bunt single by senior Ijiah Hargrove.
Freshmen Christian Novak (1-0) earned the victory in the circle in her collegiate debut for Memphis. The right hander allowed two runs on six hits with five strike outs in six innings of work. Junior Jordan Richwood pitched a scoreless seventh inning to pick up the save.
Memphis (1-0) started four freshmen in the opener with two of them scoring runs in the opening inning. Freshmen Lindsay Crowdus led the Tigers in batting finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Brittney Vaughn doubled in the run in her first collegiate at bat. Senior Kelly Braman also drove in a run in the first inning with a double.
Memphis held a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when with two outs Austyn Whaley hit a two run home run just out of reach of Crowdus in center to tie the game.
The Tigers countered with a run in the top of the seventh. Hill led off the inning with a single through the left side and advanced to third on a sac bunt and a ground out. Hargrove then drove in the run with her only hit in the game.
The Blue Raiders (0-2) left a total of seven runners on base in the game to the Tigers four. Caitlin McClure suffered the loss for Middle Tennessee allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of work. Marinna Shadley led the Blue Raiders hitting 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
Memphis takes on Kennesaw State at the Troy Subway Invitational on Saturday at 9:30 am. The Tigers also play Troy later that day at 5:00 pm.
