MEN’S TENNIS

The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders men’s tennis team won its third SunBelt Championship on Saturday,its first since 2009,by beating the University of South Alabama 4-3. USA jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Blue Raiders were able to battle back and to tie it before finally taking the win. With the win, the Blue Raiders (13-12) won an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. This will be the tenth time the Blue Raiders will be in the NCAA tournament and the team will travel to Atlanta to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on May 13. For more info on the Blue Raiders men’s tennis team check out goblueraiders.com/section.cfm/sport/menstennis.

BASEBALL

The MTSU baseball team has not had the season they had wanted, but lately the Blue Raiders have been getting better starting pitching and some clutch hitting. They were able to take series wins over #18 Troy, South Alabama and UL-Monroe. That last one against ULM is very important because both the Raiders and the Warhawks were tied coming into the weekend series for the last spot in the Sunbelt tournament to be held in Monroe later this month.

“It’s the biggest series win we’ve had…” stated Coach Steve Peterson. “I really feel like we’re going to be chasing Monroe or Monroe’s going to be chasing us.  This gives us the tiebreaker over Monroe if we come down to the end of the season and are tied [with Monroe].”

MTSU Football

The Blue Raiders held their spring game a few weeks ago, and from the look of the game, Blue Raiders fans may be in for a long season. The defense was awful; they looked as if they had never even played together, but in the second half, they seemed to get it (sorta) together. One bright spot for the Blue Raiders football team was #81 Anthony Amos, a walk-on from Fayetteville, NC. It did not matter were the ball was throw or if it was under- or overthrown; if it was intended to go to Amos, he caught it.

A player that the Blue Raiders must get going is #2 Benny Cunningham from Goodpasture High School out of Nashville. He can be a very dynamic player, if he can learn to run up the field. He spent most of the day running from sideline to sideline.  Even with his speed, it will do him no good during a game to run side to side.  Getting Cunningham to preform up to his potential will be one of the keys for this team come fall.  It is also a good idea to remember that it is spring football, and a lot can happen between now and the start of September. Stockstill is a good coach, and I am very interested in seeing what he can do to make this team better.