NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee used a late-inning rally to take game one of the doubleheader against Lipscomb University 6-5 before falling to the Bisons in game two 5-0 Saturday afternoon.
Game one did not start in favor of Middle Tennessee, going down 2-0 in the first inning. Starting pitcher Caitlin McClure escaped giving up more, stranding three LU runners.
MT went the first five innings with nothing to show, not having a base runner until Taylor Lee received a walk in the sixth. Lee did not advance much farther as Nina Dever hit a popup that ended the sixth for MT.
After putting LU out in the sixth, MT started the seventh inning off with its first hit of the game by Samantha Nieves.
Nieves single was followed up by a Laura Dukes single and both runners advanced on a bobbled ball by the Lipscomb leftfielder. With one out, Cheyenne Willis tapped an infield single, scoring MT’s first run of the contest, also advancing both Blue Raider runners on a throwing error by the LU pitcher.
Katie Brown provided a squeeze bunt to score MT’s second run, knotting the score at two-all.
A failed pickoff attempt allowed Willis to score, giving MT its first lead of the contest 3-2. The Blue Raider rally ended shortly after with a strikeout and ground out.
LU took back the lead after getting runners on first and second then smacking a two-RBI triple down the first-base line.
Lipscomb added another run on a sacrifice fly to center, going ahead 5-3.
Middle Tennessee used a single by Lee to get one runner on the base paths, starting a second rally. Dever blasted a two-run home run to left center, tying the contest at five-all.
McKena Miller reached on an error by the pitcher, giving MT its go-ahead runner. Willis knocked a RBI single through the left side, making the score 6-5.
McClure totaled 6.1 innings, giving up seven hits, three walks, one strikeout while allowing five runs, two earned. Stinnett pitched the final 1.2 innings, giving up one hit.
Momentum on MT’s side, it seemed the Blue Raiders had a good chance to sweep the pair of games.
The Bisons came out in game two swinging, hitting a lead-off double with no outs in the second inning. After MT snagged two outs, Lipscomb hit another double scoring its first run of the game. A LU runner was hit with a ball while striding for third, getting the Blue Raiders out of the jam.
In the third inning, Jordyn Fisherback left the game after being hit by a line drive. Stinnett came in relief, pitching four-scoreless innings while striking out one.
Lipscomb still held a 1-0 lead heading into the seventh. Riddell came in to pitch the seventh, but allowed four runs.
Fisherback completed two innings, giving up three hits while allowing the one earned run. The Blue Raiders had two hits in game two, a double by Dukes and a single by Brown. Toney and Dever each drew two walks.
Middle Tennessee will be back in action Sunday Oct. 20, traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to compete against Alabama.
