LEXIE CONFESSES TO SUE THAT SHE HAS A CRUSH ON AXL, AND MIKE HIRES HIGH SCHOOL COACH BABBITT AS A RINGER TO HELP PULL THE QUARRY SOFTBALL TEAM OUT OF THEIR SLUMP, ON ABC'S 'THE MIDDLE'

"Swing and a Miss" - Lexie spends Spring Break with the Hecks and confesses to Sue that she has a crush on Axl; with the quarry softball team on a losing streak, Mike hires high school coach Babbitt as a ringer to pull the team out of their slump; and Frankie desperately tries to uncover what has happened within the Heck family to make Nancy Donahue exclaim that she must be very proud of one of her family member's achievements, on "The Middle," TUESDAY, MARCH 7 (8:00-8:30 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network.

"The Middle" stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick.

Guest starring are Brooke Dillman as Tink Babbitt, Daniela Bobadilla as Lexie, Jen Ray as Nancy Donahue, Gia Mantegna as Devin Levin, Malcom Foster Smith as Dave, Troy Metcalf as Jim, Greg Cipes as Chuck, Ezra Buzzington as Wayne, Helen Slayton-Hughes as Eleanor, Pedro Correa as Todd, Chiquita Fuller as Ms. Prescott and Michael S. Chambers as Olson.

"Swing and a Miss" was written by Roy Brown and directed by Danny Salles.

"The Middle" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format with a 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to the airdate.