Middle Tennessee walk’s off on Western Illinois for third win in a row

Saturday, March 11

Murfreesboro, TN

3:00 PM CT

Middle Tennessee

17-6

Western Illinois

6-14

Western Illinois

Middle Tennessee

3/11/2023 7:05:00 PM | Softball

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By: Anthony Fiorella, MTSU Athletics Writer

MURFREESBORO, TENN.—Laura Mealer did just what she's done over the past year and a half as a Blue Raider against Western Illinois (6-14) on Saturday afternoon. With Amaya Harris on second with one out in the eighth inning, Mealer smoked a double into the opposite field gap to send the fans home happy and cap off a 3-for-5, two-run, two-RBI performance to give Middle Tennessee (17-6) a 7-6 win.

Middle Tennessee once again struck in the first inning for the third game in a row when designated player Anyce Harvey doubled off the wall in left to drive in Laura Mealer. For Harvey, the double tied her with Julia Garcia and Shelby Echols for second most on the team with five.

After Western Illinois leadoff hitter Gabriella Drager's three-RBI double gave the Leathernecks a 3-1 lead, the Blue Raiders responded in the bottom of the second inning by stringing together some offense at the bottom of the lineup, which has produced all weekend for Middle Tennessee. Shelby Sargent, Ansley Blevins and Amaya Harris all singled and both Sargent and Blevins scored to knot things back up at 3-3.

Following a scoreless third inning, Shelby Echols gave Middle Tennessee the lead with an RBI double that brought Amaya Harris all the way around from first to score and make it 4-3.

Middle Tennessee would have to once again regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth after Western Illinois tied it in the fifth inning. Shelby Echols led the inning off with a single and was brought in by Laura Mealer with a go-ahead double to make it 5-4. Ava Tepe picked up her second RBI of the game on a sac fly to straight-away centerfield to give MTSU a 6-4 lead before the game eventually went in to extra innings.

Gretchen Mead came on late after Western Illinois tied the game with two solo home runs and tossed the final 1.2 innings and left Western Illinois's Riley Eagen stranded on second base in the top of the eighth to help give her team the momentum to walk it off.

By the Numbers

Three: the number of games in the MTSU invitational that the Blue Raiders have had at least 10 hits.
Five: the number of lead changes in today's game.
18: the number of stolen bases by leadoff hitter Shelby Echols after her stolen base in the sixth inning that led to a late MTSU lead, a team-high.

Quote from Head Coach Jeff Breeden

"I was glad that we kept answering the bell. The two home runs back to back in the seventh didn't seem to shake us. We weathered that storm and Mealer stepped up and does what she does hitting the walk off. She's super special. When she was growing up, softball was important. It's just as important to her now and when she steps in the box, she gets the job done for us. I'm pleased with our fight."

Quote from sophomore shortstop Laura Mealer

"This weekend hasn't been the best for me, personally, but I was excited to step in the box (in extra innings) and have my chance to deliver with a good at-bat. I just try to not (let the moment) get too big. A lot of the time, I want to hit it into the parking lot and in situations like that I try to just go up and get a hit."

Up Next

Middle Tennessee wraps up the Blue Raider Invitational tomorrow at 12:30 C.D.T. against Western Illinois. It will mark the first time this season MTSU has played the same opponent in back-to-back games.

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