MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—Middle Tennessee State (20-31, 6-17) played the first two games of their final series of the season, welcoming New Mexico State (28-22, 13-10) to town Saturday following a rainout on Friday. New Mexico state bested the Blue Raiders in a low-scoring affair in game one while Middle Tennessee persevered through a weather delay to defeat the Aggies in game two.

Game one: New Mexico State starter Emily Dix bested MTSU starter Kamryn Carcich in a pitcher's duel to help the Aggies take game one 2-0.

New Mexico State cleanup hitter Devin Elam knocked in leadoff hitter Jillian Taylor to plate the game's first run in the first inning. Both teams failed to score again until the top of the sixth when Aggie designated player Dezianna Patmon hit a solo home run to make it a 2-0 game.

Emily Dix moved to 9-10 on the year by allowing just three hits while striking out seven in her fifth complete game of the year. Carcich battled, giving up just two runs and striking out five in her 12^th complete game of the year.

Offensively, Devin Elam had an RBI and a pair of hits for the Aggies while MTSU first baseman Ava Tepe got her sixth double of the season in the second inning. Julia Garcia, Ava Brooks and Shelby Echols all reached twice for the Blue Raiders. Garcia and Brooks both had a walk and a hit apiece while Echols drew a pair of walks from the leadoff spot.

Game two: With a storm looming overhead, MTSU got to work quickly in the second game, leaning heavily on their sophomore catcher, Ansley Blevins. As she has all year, the Jasper, Tennessee, native picked up an important pair of RBIs in a 4-3 MTSU win to set up the rubber match on Sunday.

Blevins made sure that her team would get off to a much better start, offensively, in the second game when she hit her 14^th home run of the season in the first inning to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead.

"I was just trying to stick to the gameplan," Blevins said of her home run. "I've been struggling a bit the past two weeks, so I didn't want to change anything up. I just wanted to stick to what was working for me early this season and power through it."

New Mexico State took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. Kristen Boyd's sacrifice fly to right field tied it prior to a 45-minute weather delay when nine-hole hitter Jessica Carreon singled to give the Aggies the lead. The Blue Raiders responded with two outs in the bottom of the second, tying the game on an Ansley Blevins double to right center that scored Amaya Harris to make it 2-2.

"It felt good to be able to hit and come up in the moment for my team," Blevins said. "My teammates support and believe in me, so I have to continue believing in myself."

The Blue Raiders took advantage of three straight throwing errors to start the fourth inning, scoring two runs to take a 4-2 lead. Ava Tepe scored on a ball thrown into the right field corner on a ball put into play by third baseman Claire Czajkowski, who scored on the next at-bat on an identical play on a ball hit by designated player Julia Garcia.

New Mexico State got one back in the top of the sixth of MTSU reliever Kamryn Carcich to make it 4-3. Blue Raider starter Mary Martinez picked up her fourth win of the year by going five innings and stranding four Aggies on base. Carcich was able to keep the Aggies off the board in the seventh to earn her second save of the season.

"(The team) showed they had some character about them," MTSU Head Coach Jeff Breeden said. "Getting that win today gives us a chance to win the series tomorrow. (Kamryn) Carcich did a great job and Mary (Martinez) did a good job today, too. I'm pleased with what we did today."

By the Numbers:

14- Home Runs by Ansley Blevins after her solo shot in game two is the most for a Blue Raider since Lexi Cushing's single-season record 15 bombs in the 2019 season.

27- The team-high in RBIs by Ansley Blevins following her two RBIs in game two.

Next Up 
Middle Tennessee concludes the 2024 season tomorrow here at the MTSU Softball Field against the Aggies at 12:00 CDT.  
  
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