April 13, 2011

Box Score

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis softball team's bats remained hot with its fifth-straight 10-plus hit game in a 7-2 victory over Tennessee State in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.

The U of M had managed just two games with 10 or more hits in its first 31 games of the season before breaking out in a five-game winning streak. Memphis improves to 26-10 on the season, while TSU falls to 10-35.

Senior shortstop Heather Mott led the Memphis Tigers with a 3-for-4 performance and three RBI. It is her third three-hit game in the past four contests and helped her improve her team season best hitting streak to seven games. Mott now has nine RBI in the past four games and 21 for the season.

As a team, Memphis collected 12 hits with eight different players registering a hit. Jessica Phillips went 2-for-3 with an RBI and has five-straight multi-hit games. Freshman Ijiah Hargrove also had her first career multi-hit game with a 2-for-3 performance with a run scored.

Senior Lauren Carley (4-3) earned the victory in relief, pitching the final three and a third innings. Carley allowed no runs and scattered two hits with three strikeouts for the win.

Senior LHP Janelle Valle pitched three and two-thirds innings in a no decision. Valle allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six. The six K's is her second highest total of the season.

TSU's Olivia Gamache (0-8) suffered the loss in the circle. Gamache gave up seven runs on 11 hits in four innings of work with two strikeouts.

Memphis began its scoring with an unearned run in the first inning. Phillips drove in her 32nd run of the season with a double to right field that scored Lelani Bernardino from second.

The U of M Tigers then scored two more runs in the second inning on a two-run single by Mott that scored Kailey Kassner and Ashleigh King.

Tennessee State scored two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the Memphis lead to one. Brittany Webb scored the first run on a wild pitch and Ashley Haynes drove in a run with a single through the right side.

Memphis broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the 7-2 lead. The Tigers scored the runs on five hits, including RBI doubles by Mott and Bernardino.

The two teams continue the doubleheader at the Tiger Softball Complex.