MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Early home scoring proved troublesome for the UTSA softball team (8-38, 3-17 C-USA) in Sunday's series-finale loss at Middle Tennessee (33-15, 12-8 C-USA). The Blue Raiders picked up a first-inning run and created just enough offense to keep the Roadrunners at an arm's length and send UTSA back to Texas with a 3-1 loss at Blue Raider Softball Stadium.
Putting MTSU up early, star shortstop Laura Mealer scored in the first inning for the third time in the series, as the Roadrunners' aggressiveness to get her out came back to bite them in the gusty winds exceeding 16 mph. After Mealer reached as a hit batter, she swiped a pair of bags and was able to come home via an overthrow to third.
Though freshman Reagan Smith made quick work of MTSU in the second inning, the Blue Raiders grew their lead slightly in the third, capitalizing on an Amaya Harris leadoff base hit as Riley Gilmore drove an RBI single into right field for the 2-0 MTSU lead.
Placing a tick on the scoreboard for UTSA via a bases loaded opportunity, Camryn Robillard accounted for Caton Letbetter's first career RBI, racing home on a sacrifice fly to left field and trimming the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning.
However, the Blue Raiders made the most of a fifth-inning infield error, with Ava Tepe scoring on Gilmore's left field RBI single, pushing the lead back out to two runs.
Twice, defensive efforts from Rylie Giddens helped keep the Blue Raiders from expanding their lead, pursuing a line drive for a second-inning diving grab in shallow center, then tracking a sure double all the way to the wall in the sixth.
The MTSU advantage would stand at 3-1 after Gretchen Mead (13-4) kept UTSA from reaching the board again, despite UTSA baserunners in each of the final two innings – striking out three of the final six Roadrunners to seal the win on her 7.0-inning three-hitter. Taking the loss, Smith (4-15) went 6.0 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits.
At the plate, Robillard (1-for-3, 1 run), Sophie Campbell (1-for-2, 1 BB) and Giddens (1-for-2, 1 BB) all put base knocks on the board.
The Roadrunners have wrapped the road portion of the 2023 season with the completion of this seriees. With no midweek on the slate, the final home series is scheduled for next weekend, with Florida Atlantic (30-18, 12-9 C-USA) coming to Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners will celebrate the careers of Marena Estell and Ciarra Mata in next Sunday's Senior Day.
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