Blue Raiders give fans a treat with a 4-0 weekend in first home games of season

Saturday, March 1

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

11 AM

Middle Tennessee

7-11

Illinois State

5-11

Illinois State

MTSU

3/1/2025 6:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

First 4-0 start at home in the Jeff Breeden Era

By: Jake Freelund, MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee softball was firing on all cylinders this weekend, taking down Illinois State 6-3 and Ball State 4-3 on Saturday. With a perfect 4-0 record in their first home games of the season, the Blue Raiders secured their best start at Blue Raider Softball Field under head coach Jeff Breeden.

In all four of MTSU's wins, the opposition struck first, highlighting the grit and resilience of the 2025 squad.

How It Happened vs. Illinois State
Illinois State (5-11) jumped out to an early lead with an RBI single in the first inning. The Blue Raiders (8-11) trailed for much of the game but capitalized on fielding errors by the Red Birds, with Ava Brooks crossing the plate to tie the game in the fifth inning.

A few batters later, freshman Jana Want stepped up with the bases loaded and two outs, crushing a double to left-center that cleared the bases. On the very next pitch, Lexi Medlock followed with her own double, scoring Want and giving MTSU a commanding 5-1 lead.

The Red Birds responded with two runs in the sixth inning, closing the gap to 5-3. However, Ansley Blevins provided an insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning. Jesyne Espinal entered in a save situation and delivered, securing her second save of the season. Starting pitcher Tori Coffman put in a solid performance, going 5.2 innings with four strikeouts.

How It Happened vs. Ball State
Ball State (7-5) struck first with an RBI single in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. Middle Tennessee quickly responded with an RBI single up the middle from Jana Want, scoring Addy Edgmon.

The game remained tied until the fifth inning when the Blue Raiders, much like in their first game, capitalized on defensive miscues. Medlock reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Edgmon to score her second run of the game. MTSU then pushed two more runs across on bases-loaded walks, with Brooks and Blevins picking up RBIs as Want and Medlock scored.

The Cardinals made it interesting with two runs in the sixth inning, cutting the lead to 4-3. Freshman Leila Ammon entered in the seventh inning and slammed the door, earning the first save of her career. Ammon had an outstanding week, throwing 12.2 total innings with nine strikeouts and just one earned run. Mary Martinez picked up the win after tossing six strong innings in her 20th career start.

Blevins and Want powered the offense on Saturday, combining for five hits and six RBIs. Want leads the team with a .345 batting average and 13 RBIs this season, while Blevins now leads the team with three home runs after hitting two over the weekend.

Coach Breeden's thoughts: "We had great pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense all weekend—three key factors in winning games. Overall, we had contributions from everyone—whether they were in the lineup or bringing great energy from the dugout. We're excited to welcome FAU on Monday (March 3), giving our fans a chance to see a ranked opponent at our home field."

By the Numbers

0.55: Over three appearances this week, Leila Ammon posted a miniscule 0.55 ERA over 12.2 innings.
.325: Five Blue Raiders have an on-base percentage above .325: Jana Want, Ansley Blevins, Macie Harter, Lexi Medlock, and Anyce Harvey.
13: Jana Want's 13 RBIs rank 11th in Conference USA.

Up next
The Blue Raiders will be welcoming FAU to Blue Raider Softball Field on Monday, March 3. The Owls are ranked 22^nd in the most recent poll from D1Softball. Live stats for the game can be found at Stat Broadcast.

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