Featured photo by Preston Todd
Story by Jacob Burgess
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn – Middle Tennessee softball is in the final stretch of the regular season and is facing the best competition that Conference USA has to offer. The final three series have the Blue Raiders facing the top three teams in CUSA in order.
After the first series against the Liberty Flames where MTSU struggled for most of the weekend, concerns were raised for the remainder of the season and conference tournament.
The Blue Raiders saw everything over the weekend. Game one was one bad defensive inning, game two was an inability to score runs and game three went to extra innings and did not end in MTSU’s favor.
In game one and two, MTSU was held to one run, with just three and two hits respectively. Being held to one run is rarely enough to win a game and could be seen affecting MTSU throughout both games.
“I think as a team we get a little tighter when we are down by a good amount of runs, but I think it is only making us better for the tournament,” third baseman Julia Garcia said.
Garcia’s statement rang true as MTSU batters were trying to force hits that led to swings on pitches outside the zone.
The Blue Raiders can find positives from the weekend. Game three showed what is needed to have a chance at winning. Mary Martinez came out of the bullpen to a bases-loaded one-out situation, getting two flyouts and giving up one run. Martinez pitched eight innings, giving up three runs total.
The competition does not get any easier for MTSU as a road serious against second-ranked Western Kentucky is ahead and a serious against third-ranked New Mexico State to cap off the regular season.
The MTSU and WKU rivalry does not just apply to football, as an MTSU fan said a butterknife could not cut the tension between either team.
WKU will not be any easier to beat as it has five starters batting above .300 with the best batting .398. The Hilltoppers can put up runs as they lead CUSA and have quality pitching in the circle.
“Just knowing we have each other’s back is how you can get through tough competition and just playing one pitch, focusing on that,” Garcia said.
Jacob Burgess is a sportswriter for MTSU Sidelines. If you have information for a story, you can contact him at jkb7z@mtmail.mtsu.edu. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, and follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on X and Instagram at @mtsusidelines. Also, sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
