Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, April 14
Murfreesboro, TN
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Charlotte
Middle Tennessee Softball hosts Charlotte for key C-USA East battle this weekend
4/13/2022 3:40:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Blue Raiders (17-23, 4-8 C-USA) return to the 'Boro this weekend as they host the Charlotte 49ers (24-16, 5-10 C-USA) for a three-game series on Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m., Friday, April 15 at 4 p.m., and Saturday, April 16 at noon.
This weekend's contests will be broadcast on CUSA.TV and fans can also follow along on live stats on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Quick Hits
The Blue Raiders enter this weekend's series with a 17-23 overall record and a 4-8 mark in C-USA play. Middle Tennessee is looking to bounce back after a tough series loss against the FIU Panthers last weekend. The Blue Raiders opened the weekend with an impressive 8-2 win over the Panthers, before falling in a pair of 6-2 contests on Saturday and Sunday to fall in the series against FIU.
The Blue Raiders have been led by freshmen Laura Mealer and Anyce Havey, as well as sophomore Amaya Harris so far during the 2022 season. Mealer is batting a team-leading .342, while slugging a team-high .625, and has connected on a team-best 41 hits, including a team-leading eight home runs and two triples, as well as six doubles this season. Mealer has also scored a team-high 27 runs and ranks second on the team with 25 RBIs. Harvey has batted a team second-best .337, while ranking third on the team with 32 hits, but leading the Blue Raiders with 27 RBIs and 10 doubles. She also ranks tied for second on the Blue Raiders with two home runs this season. Harris has batted a .314 this season and has connected on a team second-best 38 hits, tying for second with two home runs and adding three doubles. She also is second on the Blue Raiders with 20 runs scored and has plated a team third-best 11 RBIs.
Seniors Corrina Dodd and Gretchen Mead have led the Blue Raiders in the circle this season. Dodd has produced a team-low 2.76 ERA and has produced a team-best 6-4 record in 14 appearances this season. Dodd has pitched five complete games, including a complete-game shutout against Murray State, over 71 innings of work this season. She has allowed just 29 runs, 28 of which were earned, on 52 hits this season. Mead ranks third on the team with a 3.36 ERA and holds a 4-6 record over 20 appearances in 2022. Mead ranks second on the Blue Raiders with 66.2 innings pitched and has posted three complete games, including a complete-game shutout against Southern Miss. Dodd and Mead have both fanned a team-best 51 batters so far during the 2022 campaign.
Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte is in its third season under head coach Ashley Chastain, who has led the 49ers to a 69-48 record in her three years in Charlotte. The 49ers, who were the preseason favorite to win the conference, have produced a 24-16 overall record, and a 5-10 mark in C-USA play so far this season. Charlotte is coming off a series win against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The 49ers opened the series with a 5-4 win, before dropping a 9-1 contest against the Golden Eagles to even the series. The 49ers however were able to capture another one-run 5-4 victory on Sunday to take the series.
The 49ers have been led by Bailey Vannoy, Ella Chancey, Cori Henderson, and Stacy Payton during the 2022 campaign. Vannoy leads the 49ers, batting a .381 and hitting a team-best 51 hits this season, including a C-USA-leading 16 home runs, and a team-best three triples and a team third-best eight doubles. Vannoy also leads the conference and the 49ers in runs scored with 42 and is third in C-USA with 35 RBIs. Chancey and Henderson are batting .358 and .357 each, respectively. Chancey ranks second on the 49ers in hits with 44, including a team second-best 10 home runs, RBIs with 32, and runs with 25. Henderson ranks third on the 49ers with 41 hits, including a team second-best 10 doubles and five home runs, and ranks fourth on the team with 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored, while Stacy Paton ranks third fourth in hits with 40, connecting on a team-leading 11 doubles and six home runs, while also plating a team third-best 25 RBIs and 23 runs.
In the circle, Charlotte is led by Lindsey Walljasper, who boasts a team-low 3.39 ERA and a team-leading 11-7 record. Walljasper has pitched 105.1 innings and seven complete games in 24 appearances this season. She has allowed 57 runs, 51 of which were earned, on 115 hits, and has struck out a team-leading 88 batters during the 2022 campaign.
Series History
Charlotte leads the all-time series 17-6 between the Blue Raiders and the 49ers. At Blue Raider Softball Field, the Charlotte holds a 4-2 lead over Middle Tennessee. Last year, the Blue Raiders fell in the series against the Charlotte 49ers, 3-1, on the road. The Blue Raiders earned their win in an 8-3 eight-inning victory on April 2. However, in the last meeting between the two programs, the Blue Raiders fell 6-4 in Charlotte on April 3, 2021.
Up Next
Middle Tennessee Softball remains at home next week as they host the Belmont Bruins for a Wednesday midweek matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Blue Raider Softball Field.
FOLLOW THE BLUE RAIDERS
Follow Middle Tennessee Softball on social media on Facebook (/BlueRaiderSoftball), Twitter (MT_Softball) and Instagram (MT_Softball).
This weekend's contests will be broadcast on CUSA.TV and fans can also follow along on live stats on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Quick Hits
- Freshman Laura Mealer, who is batting a team-best .342, is the first Middle Tennessee freshman to lead the Blue Raiders in batting average since Corrie Abel did during the 2007 season, where she finished the season with a team-best .357 batting average.
- Mealer connected on her eighth career home run and second three-run shot of the season during the Blue Raiders 8-2 series-opening win over the FIU Panthers.
- Senior Gretchen Mead produced her third complete-game performance of the season this past Friday, throwing a season second-best
- Freshman Ava Tepe connected on her first career double to score the Blue Raiders first run of the contest, 3-1, after plating Freeman in the fifth this past weekend during the Blue Raiders series finale at FIU.
- Head coach Jeff Breeden holds an all-time record of 207-292 and won his 200th career game as a head coach this season against UT Martin during the Blue Raiders' MTSU Invitational on March 10. Coach Breeden is in his 10th season as the head coach of the Blue Raiders.
- Senior Corrina Dodd and junior Kelci Hill were named to the preseason C-USA All-Conference Team prior to the season beginning on Tuesday, February 8.
The Blue Raiders enter this weekend's series with a 17-23 overall record and a 4-8 mark in C-USA play. Middle Tennessee is looking to bounce back after a tough series loss against the FIU Panthers last weekend. The Blue Raiders opened the weekend with an impressive 8-2 win over the Panthers, before falling in a pair of 6-2 contests on Saturday and Sunday to fall in the series against FIU.
The Blue Raiders have been led by freshmen Laura Mealer and Anyce Havey, as well as sophomore Amaya Harris so far during the 2022 season. Mealer is batting a team-leading .342, while slugging a team-high .625, and has connected on a team-best 41 hits, including a team-leading eight home runs and two triples, as well as six doubles this season. Mealer has also scored a team-high 27 runs and ranks second on the team with 25 RBIs. Harvey has batted a team second-best .337, while ranking third on the team with 32 hits, but leading the Blue Raiders with 27 RBIs and 10 doubles. She also ranks tied for second on the Blue Raiders with two home runs this season. Harris has batted a .314 this season and has connected on a team second-best 38 hits, tying for second with two home runs and adding three doubles. She also is second on the Blue Raiders with 20 runs scored and has plated a team third-best 11 RBIs.
Seniors Corrina Dodd and Gretchen Mead have led the Blue Raiders in the circle this season. Dodd has produced a team-low 2.76 ERA and has produced a team-best 6-4 record in 14 appearances this season. Dodd has pitched five complete games, including a complete-game shutout against Murray State, over 71 innings of work this season. She has allowed just 29 runs, 28 of which were earned, on 52 hits this season. Mead ranks third on the team with a 3.36 ERA and holds a 4-6 record over 20 appearances in 2022. Mead ranks second on the Blue Raiders with 66.2 innings pitched and has posted three complete games, including a complete-game shutout against Southern Miss. Dodd and Mead have both fanned a team-best 51 batters so far during the 2022 campaign.
Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte is in its third season under head coach Ashley Chastain, who has led the 49ers to a 69-48 record in her three years in Charlotte. The 49ers, who were the preseason favorite to win the conference, have produced a 24-16 overall record, and a 5-10 mark in C-USA play so far this season. Charlotte is coming off a series win against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The 49ers opened the series with a 5-4 win, before dropping a 9-1 contest against the Golden Eagles to even the series. The 49ers however were able to capture another one-run 5-4 victory on Sunday to take the series.
The 49ers have been led by Bailey Vannoy, Ella Chancey, Cori Henderson, and Stacy Payton during the 2022 campaign. Vannoy leads the 49ers, batting a .381 and hitting a team-best 51 hits this season, including a C-USA-leading 16 home runs, and a team-best three triples and a team third-best eight doubles. Vannoy also leads the conference and the 49ers in runs scored with 42 and is third in C-USA with 35 RBIs. Chancey and Henderson are batting .358 and .357 each, respectively. Chancey ranks second on the 49ers in hits with 44, including a team second-best 10 home runs, RBIs with 32, and runs with 25. Henderson ranks third on the 49ers with 41 hits, including a team second-best 10 doubles and five home runs, and ranks fourth on the team with 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored, while Stacy Paton ranks third fourth in hits with 40, connecting on a team-leading 11 doubles and six home runs, while also plating a team third-best 25 RBIs and 23 runs.
In the circle, Charlotte is led by Lindsey Walljasper, who boasts a team-low 3.39 ERA and a team-leading 11-7 record. Walljasper has pitched 105.1 innings and seven complete games in 24 appearances this season. She has allowed 57 runs, 51 of which were earned, on 115 hits, and has struck out a team-leading 88 batters during the 2022 campaign.
Series History
Charlotte leads the all-time series 17-6 between the Blue Raiders and the 49ers. At Blue Raider Softball Field, the Charlotte holds a 4-2 lead over Middle Tennessee. Last year, the Blue Raiders fell in the series against the Charlotte 49ers, 3-1, on the road. The Blue Raiders earned their win in an 8-3 eight-inning victory on April 2. However, in the last meeting between the two programs, the Blue Raiders fell 6-4 in Charlotte on April 3, 2021.
Up Next
Middle Tennessee Softball remains at home next week as they host the Belmont Bruins for a Wednesday midweek matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Blue Raider Softball Field.
FOLLOW THE BLUE RAIDERS
Follow Middle Tennessee Softball on social media on Facebook (/BlueRaiderSoftball), Twitter (MT_Softball) and Instagram (MT_Softball).
Players Mentioned
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