Blue Raiders win finale to split doubleheader on day two of the Mercer Invitational

Saturday, February 26

Macon, GA

10:00 AM

Middle Tennessee

4-10

Murray State

8-5

Middle Tennessee

Murray State

2/26/2022 8:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Jonathan Caudle, MT Athletic Communications

MACON, Ga. – Middle Tennessee Softball (5-10) split its doubleheader on Saturday to close out the Mercer Invitational, falling to the Murray State Racers (8-5), 6-3, but bouncing back to hand host Mercer (3-12) a 5-1 defeat in the Blue Raiders' invitational finale.

"I thought we played well this weekend, except the one inning collapse against Murray State," expressed head coach Jeff Breeden. "We got Anyce involved in our offense this week. Amaya continued to stay hot in the leadoff spot, and Mealer is really getting in a groove offensively right now. We just have to continue to become more consistent offensively and close games out defensively. Our pitchers had another good weekend as well!"

Middle Tennessee 3 vs. Murray State 6

The Blue Raiders got things going early in the first game of the day against the Racers. Sophomore Amaya Harris led off the game, connecting on a single into right center. Junior Kelci Hill followed Harris, hitting a single of her own into center field to put two on and put the Blue Raiders' first run in scoring position with no one out. However, the Blue Raiders couldn't capitalize as Harris and Hill were left stranded, but Middle Tennessee took a two-hit advantage through the bottom of the second.

Middle Tennessee heated up in the top of the third, breaking the stalemate against the Racers. Hill knocked a one-out double into left field to get aboard for the Blue Raiders. Mealer reached on an error by the Racers' shortstop and moving Hill to third. Freshman Anyce Harvey followed Mealer with a huge one-out single into center field, bringing across Hill. Harvey stole second and Mealer beat out the throw at home on an error by the Racers' second baseman to give the Blue Raiders the 2-0 lead.

Through the five innings, freshman Claire Woods held the Racers without a hit and faced the minimum entering the sixth inning. However, the Racers began to respond on the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff single and a walk, the Blue Raiders went to the bullpen to bring in sophomore Danielle Taitt in relief of Woods. Following the mound change, the Racers reached on a Blue Raider error to load the bases. The Racers then pushed across their first run of the game on another Blue Raider error and Taitt's first walk of the game brought across the tying run, 2-2. The Racers then connected on a one-out double to right center to plate three Racers and give Murray State a 5-2 advantage. Senior Gretchen Mead entered the circle for the Blue Raiders with only one down and one on. The Racers tallied one more hit in the inning, placing a two-out single into right field to being the Racers sixth run of the inning home and put Murray State up 6-2.

Harris led off the top of the seventh with her first home run of the season on a solo shot over the right-center wall to bring the Blue Raiders deficit back down to three, but the Blue Raiders couldn't stack the bats as three outs closed out the inning and 6-3 defeat.

Hill led the Blue Raiders in the contest, batting 3-for-4 in the contest, including a double, and recording a run. Harris also had a fantastic day against the Racers, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Junior Kaylee Richetto had solid at-bats against the Racers, connecting on 2-for-3 and posting a double in the contest. Harvey tallied the Blue Raiders other RBI, while going 1-for-4, and Rodriguez also tallied a hit for the Blue Raiders, finishing the game 1-for-2.

Woods got the start in the circle for the Blue Raiders, pitching five innings and only allowing two runs on one hit, while also fanning five batters in the contest. Taitt pitched 0.1 innings, giving up four runs on one hit. Mead closed out the game, throwing 0.2 innings, striking out a Racer and allowing just one hit.

Middle Tennessee 5 at Mercer 1

The Blue Raiders bounced back in their Mercer Invitational finale against the Mercer Bears.

The Mercer Bears held a 2-1 hit advantage through the third inning, however the Blue Raiders were able to strike first and break the scoreless stalemate.

Mealer drew the leadoff walk to get the open the fourth. Harvey followed Mealer launching a double into left field and putting two into scoring position. Richetto hit a sacrifice fly into left field to bring across Mealer and put the Blue Raiders on top, 1-0. Senior Lani Rodriguez kept the inning going, connecting on a two-out single to plate Harvey and give the Blue Raiders the 2-0 lead.

Middle Tennessee extended its lead in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Shelby Sargent led things off with a leadoff walk. Hill reached on a fielder's choice as Sargent was thrown out at second. Mealer knocked a two-out single into left field moving Hill into scoring position, before Harvey connected on her second double of the weekend, plating Hill and Mealer and pushing the Blue Raiders lead to four, 4-0.

The Bears got one back in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff single and putout at first moved Mercer's leadoff runner to third. The Bears then connected on a single into center field to bring one across, but the Blue Raiders closed out the inning to prevent any more runs from scoring and leaving one on base.

Harris led off the top of the seventh with her first extra-base hit of the weekend, knocking a double into right field. Mealer then brought Harris home off a one-out single to push the Blue Raiders lead back to four, 5-1.

The Bears couldn't respond in the bottom of the frame as the Blue Raiders would eventually take the 5-1 victory.

Harvey had a stellar game, going 2-for-4 and bringing across two RBIs and tallying a run herself. Mealer also had a great game, going 2-for-3, while plating an RBI and touching home twice. Rodriguez produced the Blue Raiders other multi-hit performance, batting a perfect 2-for-2 against the Racers and plating an RBI. Harris went 1-for-4 and tallied a run, while Richetto recorded the fifth RBI for the Blue Raiders on a sacrifice fly against the Bears.

Senior Corrina Dodd pitched a complete game, going a full seven innings and allowing just one run on six hits and setting down four Mercer batters.

Up Next
The Blue Raiders head to the Sunshine State on March 4-6 as they play in the 2022 Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida.

"We will go down to Madeira Beach and play some good competition," said Breeden. "We just need to get better and grow up each day. We are extremely young in some places, but we will get there!"

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