Volunteer State News

Middle Tennessee was on the road for the first time in over a month, but they felt right at home Tuesday night as they scored early and cruised to a 13-5 win at Tennessee Tech. 

 

Cranking 18 hits at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, the Blue Raiders set a season-high in that clip, as the team improved to 11-9 on the year. 

 

SS Brett Coker got the scoring started with a one-out single to left. DJ Wright made it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly to right later in the inning.

 

The Raiders added a quartet of runs an inning later, on RBI from JT Mabry, Gino Avros and Coker. Luke Vinson also scored on a wild pitch in the inning and MTSU exited the inning up 6-1.

 

Tennessee Tech mounted a response with a run in the fifth inning and another two in the sixth off a two-run home. But each time the Eagles clawed closer, the Blue Raiders successfully counterpunched. 

 

Vinson would cross the plate on a fielding error in the top of the sixth, but the Raiders did their most serious damage in the seventh, scoring six runs on a two-run single from Avros, a Boyd single and a three-run home run from DJ Wright. All six runs in the frame came with two outs. 

 

MTSU clinches the season series sweep over Tennessee Tech after having two victories in as many games against the Ohio Valley Conference foe, having previously dispatched the Eagles at home on March 15. 

The Skipper Speaks

"It was a good team effort tonight and we were able to take care of business on the road. We had some quality at-bats throughout and ran the bases well. We also got some quality innings from multiple pitchers working in less than ideal conditions with the rain. We just have to keep working to get better and continue to compete at a high level every day," said head coach Jerry Meyers.

By the Numbers

 

.500: The Blue Raiders hit .500 with runners on base and with runners in scoring position. 

 

3-4: Coker was 3-4 with two RBI

 

4: Wright had a team-high four RBI 

 

2.0: RHP Daniel Dewey made his first career start and struck out four batters Tuesday night, allowing one run. 

 

3.0: Righty Justin Lee made a three-inning appearance out of the bullpen, working one 1-2-3 inning and allowing a run. 

 

8: Eight Blue Raiders reached base in the win. 

 

Blue Raider Notes

 

Mabry and Coker extend their hitting streaks to 16 and 12 games respectively. 

 

MTSU improves to 3-0 in night games. 

 

The Raiders are 7-1 when they score first, 10-3 when they scored six or more runs and 9-2 when leading in hits. 

Original source can be found here