MOBILE, Ala. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team dropped its final game of the South Alabama Invitational on Sunday to Middle Tennessee, 2-1.
For the second straight game, the Islanders (2-10) erased an early deficit with an RBI from a freshman, only to surrender the game-winning run in the sixth.
The Blue and Green outhit the Blue Raiders 8-5 and left seven on base, while Middle Tennessee (8-5) stranded five. The game turned into a pitcher's duel between the Islanders'
Liz Carter (2-5) and Blue Raider hurler Cori Jennings (4-3).
Carter took the loss giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Jennings finished with a nearly identical stat line with eight hits, one earned run, one free pass and four punchouts.
Corpus Christi opened the game with three straight hits to load the bases, but a double play and an infield pop up kept the Blue and Green scoreless.
Middle Tennessee took the lead in the first with a bases loaded walk. The Blue Raiders put runners on with two singles and benefitted from an error. Carter settled in after the costly walk, retiring the next 13 batters in order.
Kandace Johnson singled to right and moved over to second on a Carter sacrifice bunt to lead off the top of the sixth. After an
Aspen Auger single to left center,
Lexi Shaw delivered her first career RBI in the form of a one-out double to left to level the scores.
Austyn Whaley provided the winning run for the Blue Raiders in the bottom half of the sixth, plating Precious Birdsong, who had advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Kirstyn Cuccia.
Lacey Boyd tallied a 3-for-4 day, while Johnson added a pair of hits.
KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the First
With runners on first and second, MTSU loaded the bases on an Islanders error trying to make the force out at second. Carter's lone walk of the game was to Keely McGee during the next at bat to put the Blue Raiders up 1-0.
Top of the Sixth
>> Johnson singled to lead off the top half of the inning.
>> Carter's sacrifice bunt moved the rookie to second.
>> Shaw drove a 0-2 down the line in left, plating Johnson.
Bottom of the Sixth
>> MTSU fired back on a single Whaley through the left side.
>> Birdsong led the bottom half off with a single, stole second and trotted home on the single.
BOYD BLOOMS
>> Freshman
Lacey Boyd entered the weekend hitting .250 with a pair of base knocks.
>> Over the five-game weekend, Boyd went 8-for-14 (.571) with an RBI, including back-to-back three-hit performances.
>> The Austin native took over the team lead with a .455 average.
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- Go Islanders -
