NASHVILLE--The Tennessee State Tigers struggled at the plate and in the field on Wednesday, falling to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 11-2 in non-conference action from Tiger Field.  Freshman Holly Ayala (4-9) got the ball to start for Tennessee State (15-21-1) and took the loss. Junior Laila Armstrong led the way offensively for the Tigers, going 1-for-1 in the ballgame with two walks. The Tigers could only muster five hits but did coax four walks. TSU committed four errors resulting in two unearned runs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Trailing 6-0, the Tigers scratched two runs in the fifth inning. Junior Peyton Fointno, sophomore Mikayla Duke, and Armstrong loaded the bases with three straight hits leading off the inning. Anayah Baker-Rowell's deep fly to left-center easily scored Fointno, and Duke scored on a fielder's choice RBI by freshman Jasmine Blackburn. After Ryla Traylor worked the MTSU pitcher into a walk to reload the bases, the Tigers had the tying at the plate with their best hitter, freshman Onnika Spencer up. Spencer hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The Tigers could not get any closer, as Middle Tennessee added five runs to their tally on the way to an 11-2 final.

GAME NOTES

» TSU's highest-scoring inning was the fifth when they scored two runs. 
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 37 Middle Tennessee hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out one.
» The Tigers drew four walks from Middle Tennessee pitching.
» Armstrong led the Tigers at the plate, going 1-for-1.
» Middle Tennessee was led offensively by sophomore Laura Mealer, who went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI.
 

The Tigers will finish their four-game home stand with a three-game series against Southern Indiana this Saturday and Sunday.