Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Wednesday, October 5
Murfreesboro, TN
4:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Bevill State Community College
Photo by: MT Athletic Communications
Blue Raiders to Host Bevill State on Wednesday
10/4/2022 6:00:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders look to continue their fast start to the 2022-23 fall campaign when they host the Bevill State Community College Bears at Blue Raider Softball Field. First pitch for the 10-inning contest is slated for 4 p.m.
MTSU is 3-0 through the fall season so far, with wins over Volenteer State last Wednesday, Trevecca on Saturday and Jackson State Community College on Sunday.
The Raiders have proven to be efficient in both the batter's box and the circle across its trio of games. Middle Tennessee only pulled away after eight innings against Trevecca, they cruised to an eye-popping 37-1 win against Jackson State one day later.
MTSU returns 10 players from last year's team, including pitcher Mead. The graduate student from Kingwood, Tex. Is the longest-tenured member of the Blue Raider roster, and the sole player older than a junior. Mead led the '22 pitching staff in appearances with 28, and will co-headline this year's corps of pitcher alongside fellow returners Keri Munn and Claire Woods.
Middle infielder Laura Mealer is back after posting a team-high .350 batting average, 1.034 OPS and 10 home runs in 2022. The Chapel Hill, Ten. native started in all 53 games a season ago as a freshman. With a year of experience under her belt now, Mealer takes the reins of a batting order that also returns each of its next two top hitters from last season. Fellow sophomore Anyce Harvey hit .326 in 2021, while junior Amaya Harris brings her .314 AVG and 50 hits into the fall season from a year ago.
The Blue Raiders also bring in nine newcomers this season. Transfers C/3B Julia Garcia (Maryland-Eastern Shore), P Carcich (Murray State), 2B Shelby Echols (Houston Baptist) and OF Savannah Behabetz (Incarnate Word) are all expected to immediately contribute and compete for spots in the lineup.
In addition, Middle Tennessee welcomes a five-member freshman class. P Paige Conners comes to Murfreesboro from Lake Travis, Tex., and will be the sole lefty in the Blue Raider pitching staff. C Ansley Blevins is set to be a second-generation MTSU student-athlete; her mother played volleyball for the Raiders from 1992-95.
OF Lexi Medlock joins the Middle Tennessee roster from Murfreesboro's Siegel High School, 1B Riley Gilmore will look to lend her power to the batting order, while SS Julia Sitterding will seek to provide depth to the middle infield.
Head coach Jeff Breeden returns for his 11th season at MTSU in 2023, and assistant coach Tony Foti is back for his 10th campaign. Together, Breeden and Foti led the Blue Raiders to a 26-22 record in 2021, including an 11-8 mark in Conference USA action.
Middle Tennessee also welcomes the newest member of its coaching staff, Helen Peña. The graduate of California Polytechnic State University comes to Rutherford County from the University of Memphis, where she spent the previous five years on the Tigers' staff.
After Wednesday, the Blue Raiders will host a pair of matchups this weekend. They welcome Columbia State Community College on Saturday at 2 p.m. before facing Snead State Community College one day later at the same time.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Softball on social media on Facebook (/BlueRaiderSoftball), Twitter (MT_Softball) and Instagram (MT_Softball).
MTSU is 3-0 through the fall season so far, with wins over Volenteer State last Wednesday, Trevecca on Saturday and Jackson State Community College on Sunday.
The Raiders have proven to be efficient in both the batter's box and the circle across its trio of games. Middle Tennessee only pulled away after eight innings against Trevecca, they cruised to an eye-popping 37-1 win against Jackson State one day later.
MTSU returns 10 players from last year's team, including pitcher Mead. The graduate student from Kingwood, Tex. Is the longest-tenured member of the Blue Raider roster, and the sole player older than a junior. Mead led the '22 pitching staff in appearances with 28, and will co-headline this year's corps of pitcher alongside fellow returners Keri Munn and Claire Woods.
Middle infielder Laura Mealer is back after posting a team-high .350 batting average, 1.034 OPS and 10 home runs in 2022. The Chapel Hill, Ten. native started in all 53 games a season ago as a freshman. With a year of experience under her belt now, Mealer takes the reins of a batting order that also returns each of its next two top hitters from last season. Fellow sophomore Anyce Harvey hit .326 in 2021, while junior Amaya Harris brings her .314 AVG and 50 hits into the fall season from a year ago.
The Blue Raiders also bring in nine newcomers this season. Transfers C/3B Julia Garcia (Maryland-Eastern Shore), P Carcich (Murray State), 2B Shelby Echols (Houston Baptist) and OF Savannah Behabetz (Incarnate Word) are all expected to immediately contribute and compete for spots in the lineup.
In addition, Middle Tennessee welcomes a five-member freshman class. P Paige Conners comes to Murfreesboro from Lake Travis, Tex., and will be the sole lefty in the Blue Raider pitching staff. C Ansley Blevins is set to be a second-generation MTSU student-athlete; her mother played volleyball for the Raiders from 1992-95.
OF Lexi Medlock joins the Middle Tennessee roster from Murfreesboro's Siegel High School, 1B Riley Gilmore will look to lend her power to the batting order, while SS Julia Sitterding will seek to provide depth to the middle infield.
Head coach Jeff Breeden returns for his 11th season at MTSU in 2023, and assistant coach Tony Foti is back for his 10th campaign. Together, Breeden and Foti led the Blue Raiders to a 26-22 record in 2021, including an 11-8 mark in Conference USA action.
Middle Tennessee also welcomes the newest member of its coaching staff, Helen Peña. The graduate of California Polytechnic State University comes to Rutherford County from the University of Memphis, where she spent the previous five years on the Tigers' staff.
After Wednesday, the Blue Raiders will host a pair of matchups this weekend. They welcome Columbia State Community College on Saturday at 2 p.m. before facing Snead State Community College one day later at the same time.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Softball on social media on Facebook (/BlueRaiderSoftball), Twitter (MT_Softball) and Instagram (MT_Softball).
Players Mentioned
OF/INF
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OF/UT
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SS/2B
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P/3B
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