Blue Raiders even series in Game 2 against Owls

Saturday, April 1

Murfreesboro, TN

4:00 PM CT

Middle Tennessee

24-9, 0

Florida Atlantic

22-13, 0

Florida Atlantic

Middle Tennessee

4/1/2023 6:27:00 PM | Softball

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Harvey drives in all four runs to get MTSU past FAU

By: Sam Doughton, MTSU Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee softball dominated the early innings and survived a late rally, easing past Florida Atlantic 4-3 at Blue Raider Softball Field to tie the Conference USA series on Saturday.

The Blue Raiders (24-9, 5-3 C-USA) allowed one unearned run in the top of the first and went unblemished for the next five frames, holding the Owls (22-13, 4-4 C-USA) to just three hits in the middle five innings on the afternoon. Kamryn Carcich continued her sterling season, throwing a complete game with two strikeouts and just one walk, with only one of FAU's three runs against her being earned.

MTSU immediately responded after the early deficit, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a trio of bunts to start the inning, a pair of singles from Shelby Echols and Laura Mealer and a sacrifice bunt from Ava Tepe. Anyce Harvey took advantage, ripping a double into the right-center gap to plate both runners.

The bottom of the third featured a similar rally with the top of the order leading off once again, with Echols getting an infield single and Mealer drawing a walk to give MTSU two early base runners and Tepe bunting the pair into scoring position. Harvey came through again in the clutch, punching a single through the right side of the infield to score both runners. FAU threated in the third to tie it up.

Shelby Echols was in form at the top of the lineup, going 4-for-4 on the day with two runs scored. Laura Mealer scored the other two runs for MTSU, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Anyce Harvey was the only other Blue Raider to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 in the No. 4 spot in the lineup.

By the Numbers

4: RBIs for Anyce Harvey, who drove in all four runs for MTSU on the afternoon. The sophomore DP looked outside on each pitch to find her spot and drive in the runs.

2: Sacrifice Bunts from Ava Tepe, who set up both scoring plays for MTSU by moving Echols and Mealer to second and third.

1.000: Daily batting average for Shelby Echols, who reached base with a hit all four times at the plate on Saturday.

Reaction from Head Coach Jeff Breeden

"We challenged them to execute our offense today at the top. Echols came alive, 4-for-4 today. Right there off the bat, I knew that we're going to try to play short because of wind, see if we could get something going and we did. We got three bunts in a row and then Anyce comes up big. They responded."

Player's Perspective – Anyce Harvey

"I knew she was going to throw me high and out because she'd been throwing everybody that first pitch the whole game. So if it's there, because high is my favorite pitch, I'm hitting it. I knew I had to hit it to the right-side because there were two runners on. Second at-bat, I did the same thing, trying to hit behind the runner. That's really it, there really wasn't much extra to it."

Up Next

The series against Florida Atlantic concludes on Sunday at Blue Raider Softball Field, with first pitch in Game 3 set for 12 p.m. The game will be broadcast on CUSA.tv for those following along at home.

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