Blue Raider Softball Cruises to Second Round

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Abigail Cruz pitched a complete-game shutout to lift the Lindsey Wilson softball team over seventh-seeded Bethel University 4-0 in the Opening Round of the Mid-South Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

With the victory, the Blue Raiders advance to the double-elimination bracket of the conference tournament.

Cruz was dominant on the mound, allowing five hits, one walk, and recorded three strikeouts in seven innings. 

Alexis Garayzar went a perfect 3-for-3 in the contest while Elizabeth Funk and Desiree Chang each went 2-for-4. 

The Blue Raiders took an early lead as Tanlee Hudgins hit an RBI-double to score Chang in the first inning. Chang reached on an error to start the game and Garayzar singled through the right-side to advance her to second.

The Blue Raiders plated a pair in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 3-0. Garayzar started the inning with a double and Funk followed that up with an RBI-double to bring in pinch runner Natalie Shaw. Madyson Jones hit a sac-fly later in the inning to score Funk.

Bethel looked to respond by putting a pair of base runners on in the bottom half of the fifth inning, but a fly-out to Brylee Pickerell kept the Wildcats scoreless.

Lindsey Wilson added one more run in the sixth inning. Chang singled and stole second to start the inning and Za'Kiya Sizemore hit a single to put her at third. Garayzar hit a sac-fly to score Chang and extend the lead to 4-0.

The Blue Raiders will face off against second-seeded Campbellsville University on Thursday at 11 a.m. CT back at South Warren High School.