Cougar News
Softball - Thu, Mar. 14, 2013
MAYFIELD, Ky. - The Mid-Continent University softball team has gotten off to a slow start in 2013, but on Thursday afternoon, they turned a corner in their first TranSouth Athletic Conference double header.
Mid-Continent (2-10, 1-1) coupled some timely hits with a tremendous outing from Lindsey Rucker to take a 5-1 win in game one against Blue Mountain College (9-10-1, 1-1), but the Toppers were able to take game two on a walk-off single in the seventh, 3-2.
Rachel Brueggeman and Colby Smith each picked up RBIs for Mid-Continent in the first inning, as the Cougars jumped on top 2-0. Blue Mountain answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the frame, but that was all they were able to scratch across against Rucker. Rucker scattered three hits and two walks while fanning four Toppers in the game, and in the third inning, Brueggeman provided insurance for Mid-Continent. With one out, Brueggeman launched the first pitch she saw for a two-run homer - her first of the season, stretching the Mid-Continent advantage to 4-1. Mid-Continent added an unearned run of their own in the fourth to cap off the scoring and provide the final margin of 5-1.
Rucker threw the complete game to earn her first win of the season, defeating Brooke Denton (3-4) who threw an eight-hit complete game of her own. Brueggeman posted a 2-for-4 game with three RBIs, while Jessica Temple also went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
The Toppers scored single runs in the first two innings of the second game off Rucker, but in the fourth, Mid-Continent drew even. Courtney Woods singled home two runs in the inning, knotting the score at 2-2, and Rucker dueled with Blue Mountain hurler Halley Beckham for the rest of the afternoon. Rucker hung zeros on the scoreboard in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings; with Beckham holding Mid-Continent scoreless in the fifth, sixth, and seventh to keep things even into the bottom of the seventh frame. Blue Mountain's Kimmy Nicholson drew a leadoff walk, and after a sacrifice bunt from Meggin Nelson, Whitney Hardwick delivered a game-winning single to give Blue Mountain the 3-2 win.
Beckham (5-6) earned the win, scattering six hits and three walks while striking out two Cougars. Rucker (1-6) threw well despite the loss, tossing six an one-third innings and yielding three runs - two earned - on nine hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. Woods had a pair of hits in the game for Mid-Continent, with Temple, Smith, Brueggeman, and Randi Eveans each notching a base knock as well. Eveans and Anna Maziarka scored a run each as well.
Mid-Continent will be back on the field on Monday afternoon, hitting the road to take on the Bearcats of Brescia University (1-6) at 4 p.m.
