MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's softball team and new head coach Sue Nevar hosts Motlow State in a doubleheader Monday at 5 p.m. in the Blue Raiders first fall action. Both games will be five innings at Blue Raider Field.
Nevar takes over a program that finished 30-30 in 2007 and returns 10 letterwinners, including four seniors - Ashley Cline, Whitney Darlington, Katie Mielke and Amy Candioto. A host of newcomers, including freshmen Brittany Banania and Katelyn Oro, as well as junior college transfer Whittney Padgett, will look to fill holes offensively and defensively in 2008. Freshman hurler Kellie Head will also be in the mix on the mound with Candioto and sophomore Lindsey Vander Lugt.
"The goal for us as a new staff is to see what talent we have, so we'll be using lots of substitutions, putting people in positions they possibly haven't played since last season, especially the veterans," Nevar said. "We have seven new players who are going to get a lot of playing time. I want to see what they do under pressure in game situations.
"This will be a very telling time for the freshmen. They are going to see a lot of playing time, trying to fill in the holes we have from graduation, at shortstop and a few in the outfield. Communication and leadership are things we also have to work on with our team."
Nevar and the Blue Raiders will play nine games this fall, two on Monday, then four the next weekend at the Club K September Slam in Hendersonville, Tenn., before concluding the fall schedule with three games on September 29 in a tournament at Lipscomb.
"This fall, the whole objective is to put people out there, see what they can do in certain situations and give the pitchers a chance to build some confidence for the spring."
Fans may follow live stats for Monday's doubleheader at http://www.goblueraiders.com/livestats/softball/xlive.htm.
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