Baseball Drops 6-1 Decision in Home Opener

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Brett Sinkbeil allowed just two hits and an unearned run in eight innings and Matt Weglarz hit a pair of two-run home runs in a 6-1 Missouri State victory over Middle Tennessee Friday afternoon at Reese Smith Field.

The visiting Bears (3-2) won the fourth straight game in the series between the two teams and the sixth in nine tries in Murfreesboro in Middle Tennessee's home opener.

Sinkbeil (1-1) threw just 88 pitches in seven innings before struggling through the eighth and giving way to Matt Frevert, who tossed a scoreless ninth for Missouri State. Weglarz had a two-run homer in the first and another in the sixth, almost single-handedly ending the day for Middle Tennessee starter Matt Scott.

Scott (1-1) allowed five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of work to take the loss, walking two and striking out one. The bright spot for the Blue Raiders (3-2) came from junior Shay Horseman, who tossed 3.2 innings in his first appearance since June 2004 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of that year. Horseman gave up one run on two hits and struck out four.

The Blue Raiders managed only two hits in the game, the team's fewest since collecting two against Memphis on April 3, 2002. Chase Eakes broke up the no-hitter with a single in the fifth and Alex Watson drove home the only run of the game for Middle Tennessee with a chopper through the middle in the eighth.

The Bears got on the board in the first inning when Scott struggled with his control. Adam Pummill drew a four-pitch walk to start the game and Weglarz drilled a two-run homer with two outs for an early 2-0 MSU lead.

In the fourth Tony Lewis singled to leadoff and Tim Rafferty singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Chris Taylor's line drive to leftfield turned into a sacrifice fly, plating the run for a 3-0 Bears advantage.

The Blue Raiders finally reached safely in the fifth inning when Eakes singled to leftcenter, but Sinkbeil struck out Josh Horn to end the inning.

MSU chased Scott from the game in the sixth when Lewis singled and Weglarz belted his second two-run homer of the game for a 5-0 Bears lead.

The visitors added another run in the seventh after a leadoff single from Jacob Hilgendorf and a walk to Tanner Mattson. Pummill singled up the middle, scoring Hilgendorf for a 6-0 MSU lead.

Pinch-hitter Matt Campbell led off the Middle Tennessee eighth with a walk and Eakes' hit a chopper back to the mound that Sinkbeil threw away, putting runners on second and third. Watson's chopper scored one run, but Jeff Beachum hit into an inning-ending doubleplay to end the inning without further damage for Sinkbeil.

The two teams play again Saturday at 2 p.m. and the series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES
Redshirt freshman Taylor Dennis made his first career start at second base ... Matt Scott allowed a two-run homer in the first inning. Scott did not allow a round-tripper at home last season in 53.2 innings of work and had not given up a homer at home since April 30, 2004, versus Western Kentucky ... Shay Horseman made his first appearance since June 4, 2004, at Georgia in the NCAA Regional. Horseman underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2004 ... The Blue Raiders managed just two hits in the game. The last time Middle Tennessee had only two hits in a game was in a 2-0 defeat to Memphis on April 3, 2002 ... Senior Jeff Beachum's career-high 15-game hitting streak dating to last season came to an end after an 0-for-4 effort ... Junior Matt Scott picked up the loss, ending his seven-game winning streak dating to last season.