MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Vanessa Bradford and Charlene Castro kept Middle Tennessee off balance on a warm Wednesday afternoon at the Blue Raider Softball Complex, splitting a doubleheader with the Blue Raiders in non-conference action.
 
In the nightcap, Alabama State (12-27) ended a five-game losing streak with six runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead over Middle Tennessee, and running away from the Blue Raiders 6-3.
 
Middle Tennessee jumped on top in the second game on another squeeze bunt, this time off the bat of Kirstyn Cuccia, scoring pinch runner Lauren Payne from third. Alabama State starter, Charlene Castro, worked out of the inning by fielding her position on back-to-back plays to end the inning with runners at second and third.
 
Alabama State got on the board in the fourth when Valerie Centeno led off the inning with her fifth double of the season in left center just under the scoreboard. She advanced to third on a one-out wild pitch, before she was driven home by Castro. The sophomore punched the ball down the right field line to drive in Centeno.
 
The Lady Hornets continued the threat in the fourth when Alexia Boggess doubled down the left field line. The ball bounced around in the corner, and away from leftfielder Deja Portillo that sent Castro to third. The sophomore scored when Brittney Wilson singled through the left side to give Alabama State a 2-1 lead, and chased Gretchen Greer from the mound after 3.2 innings for the Blue Raiders.
 
Middle Tennessee threatened in the bottom of fourth after two lead-off walks, and after a sacrifice bunt, had runners at second and third with one out. The Blue Raiders attempted their third squeeze play of the day when Samantha Vacko missed the outside pitch from Castro, and was thrown out at third by Ragan Lacy. On the next pitch, Vacko hit an apparent extra-base hit to right center, until Centeno came sliding in to make the catch and end the inning.
 
Middle Tennessee came back in the fifth inning off Castro as Slatter hit a ball to short right, but Brittney Wilson came diving in to make the catch for the second out. However, the Blue Raiders were able to score a run as Burgess came across to tie the score at 2-all. That was all they could get as Castro induced a line out to right for third out with a runner on third.
 
Castro started off the sixth inning for Alabama State with a single, followed by a Boggess single through the left side. Castro was lifted for Reese Byrne, who scored on a single by Wilson down the left field line to give Alabama State a 3-2 lead. Lacy followed with a safety squeeze and loaded the bases with no outs in the inning.
 
The inning was kept alive when Laura Aguilar chopped one through the left side to score Boggess from third and keep the bases loaded, getting into the Middle Tennessee bullpen again. The Lady Hornets added another pair of runs on Centeno's fifth triple of the year to push the lead to 6-2 in the sixth.
 
Middle Tennessee was able to add a run in the sixth as Castro (2-6) gave way to Bradford, who ended the inning with a pop-up on the infield and strikeout.
 
Castro finished the night with a season-high 5.1 innings pitched, allowing three runs off of seven hits with three walks and a strikeout. Bradford came in for the final 1.2 innings to hold Middle Tennessee scoreless off of two hits in the relief appearance – her second appearance on the day.
 
Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders scored a pair of runs in the first inning and held on for a 2-0 victory over Alabama State in the opener of the doubleheader.
 
Middle Tennessee got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, using three bunts that included a squeeze by cleanup hitter Austyn Whaley as she reached out of the zone to lay the bunt down. The play scored Summer Burgess from third and Precious Birdsong all the way from second for the 2-0 Blue Raiders lead.
 
Alabama State threatened in the fifth when Perry Hindi singled through the right side and beat the throw to first base, followed by a Castro single off Cushing's glove at first where she was able to beat Whaley to the bag. Boggess moved Hindi over to third when she grounded into a fielder's choice up the middle where the two defenders were able to converge to get the out.
 
Pinch hitter Diauna Nelson moved Boggess over to second as she grounded out to third for second out. Middle Tennessee starter, Cori Jennings (7-11) was able get out of the inning with a strikeout for the final out.
 
The Lady Hornets made a pair of plays defensively in the bottom of the fifth inning to keep Middle Tennessee off the scoreboard. Centeno, running full speed toward the infield, made a diving stop in center for the first out; before Laura Aguilar made another stop as she went up the middle and flipped the ball to Boggess with her glove for the second out to keep the score 2-0.
 
Bradford (7-10) was the hard-luck loser for Alabama State in the opener, tossing six innings and allowing just two runs (both earned) off of five hits. She also struck out one and walked two. After the first inning, Bradford allowed just four more hitters to reach base for the Blue Raiders.
 
Hindi picked up a pair of hits for the Lady Hornets off Jennings, who tossed a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts. Meanwhile, Burgess and Kaylyn Slatter picked up a pair of hits for Middle Tennessee in the opener.
 
Alabama State will be off this weekend, after playing seven of the eight weekends this season. The only weekend they have not played this season is the last weekend in March.
 
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