April 15, 2010

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -

Memphis/MTSU Box Score Game 1

Middle Tennessee pitcher Lindsey Vander Lugt allowed only four Tiger hits over seven innings on way to a 3-0 shutout for the Blue Raiders over the Memphis Tigers in game one of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Tiger Softball Complex in Memphis.

The Tigers fall to 21-17 on the season with the loss in game one. MTSU improves to 15-19 heading into game two of the doubleheader which is scheduled to begin at 4:10 p.m., on Thursday.

The Blue Raiders started the game with a run in the top of the first inning. Kaycee Popham used a bloop single over second baseman Alyssa Palmieri to drive in Corrie Abel from third base. Abel had singled up the middle to lead off the game for MTSU.

Middle Tennessee added a second run in the top of the fourth when Kristi Marquez placed a single under the glove of Tiger short stop Heather Mott, driving in Jessica Ives from second.

The Blue Raiders picked up their final run of the contest after Natalie Ysais' double over the head of Leigh Rowan in right field drove in Caitlin McLure from second. McLure had reached base on a leadoff bunt single.

The Tigers had four hits on the game. Lelani Bernardino led the U of M with two infield singles. Shanna Brown came into the game as a defensive substitution and picked up an infield single in the bottom of the seventh. Heather Mott had the only hit out of the infield on a single to left field.

Vanessa Walle got the start at pitcher for Memphis. The senior from Phoenix, Ariz, falls to 7-8 on the season after giving up six hits over five innings and allowing the three MTSU runs. Walle has a 1.48 ERA on the season. She had three strikeouts in the contest.

Lauren Carley came in to relieve Walle in the sixth inning. She pitched two innings, allowing three Blue Raider hits and no runs. Carley had four strikeouts on the game.

Middle Tennessee's Vander Lugt improves to 14-12 on the season. The senior from Olympia, Wash., pitched a shutout. She had eight strikeouts in the game. Vander Lugt ended the game with a 2.71 ERA on the 2010 season.

Brittney Banania led the Blue Raiders bats with two hits. Abel, Ysais, Popham and Marquez each had one RBI in the game.

Game One Notes: This is the eighth game between the two schools. Memphis is now 6-2 all-time against Middle Tennessee. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Tigers against the Blue Raiders ... Memphis is now 22-11 all-time against schools from the state of Tennessee ... Lelani Bernardion (2-for-3) had her ninth multi-hit game of the season with a pair of infield singles ... The game marked the fifth time Memphis has been shut out this season.