Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 12
Nashville, TN
6:30 p.m
Middle Tennessee
14-19
4
at
7
No. 4 Vanderbilt
26-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
4
9
2
Vanderbilt
1
0
1
4
0
0
1
0
X
7
13
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnson (4-0)
L: Wright, Andy (0-1)
S: Kilichowski (1)
Batting:
2B: Aucker, Aaron 1 ; Spencer, AJ 1
RBI: Aucker, Aaron 2 ; Benefield, Blake 1 ; Huff, Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Delgado, Riley 1 ; Dennis, Austin 1 ; Aucker, Aaron 2
SB: Delgado, Riley 1
HBP: Dennis, Austin 1
Batting:
2B: Reynolds 1
3B: Paul 1
RBI: Kendall 1 ; Reynolds 2 ; Paul 2 ; Toffey 1 ; Grisanti 1
SF: Kendall 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coleman 1 ; Kendall 2 ; Reynolds 2 ; Kaiser 2
SB: Kendall 1 ; Paul 1
HBP: Toffey 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ BaseballIF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
P/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Blue Raiders drop 7-4 decision at No. 4 Vanderbilt
4/12/2016 10:40:00 PM | Baseball
Aucker collects three hits
NASHVILLE – Middle Tennessee put up a strong showing and pounded out nine hits but it came up on the short end of a 7-4 setback against No. 4 Vanderbilt in front of 2,960 fans at Hawkins Field Tuesday.
The Blue Raiders (14-19) split the season series as three players turned in multi-hit performances, led by Aaron Aucker's 3-for-4 effort that included his eighth double, two RBI and two runs scored. Riley Delgado was 2-for-4 with one run scored and Blake Benefield was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Despite the setback against the Commodores (26-7), who won the 2014 College World Series and finished runners-up in 2015, Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim McGuire was pleased with the manner in which the Blue Raiders competed.
"We were right there," McGuire said. "I was pleased with how the guys battled and how we gave ourselves a chance. It was really just one bad inning where we gave up four innings. That pretty much was the difference in the game."
It was a "staff" game for the Blue Raiders, meaning McGuire had announced he would be utilizing several different hurlers against the Commodores.
The plan was more to keep arms fresh for the upcoming weekend series against Charlotte and to get some seldom-used pitchers some much-needed work. The plan proved effective as several pitchers were effective and kept the Blue Raiders in the game.
Middle Tennessee utilized the services of six pitchers. Reid Clements, Carson Lester and Tanner McDivitt were chiefly effective. McDivitt saw the most extensive work and provided three quality innings, allowing two hits, one run and walked two.
Clements started and went two innings, allowing three hits and one run, and Lester provided strong relief work. He pitched two-thirds of an inning of no-hit, shutout baseball and worked his way out of a tough jam in the fourth, and Will Small pitched a scoreless eighth to give the Blue Raiders a chance to rally.
"Our backs were against the wall with our pitchers because we had used just about everyone this weekend," McGuire said. "Some guys who have not pitched in awhile were going to get some opportunities tonight, and I'm glad they did. We are always having to set the 27-man roster for the weekend and who will travel and some people did well tonight."
Middle Tennessee took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with some outstanding clutch two-out hitting. Delgado led the game off with a single and stole second with one out.
Delgado was still at second with two outs, but sophomore Aucker continued to swing a hot bat and drove in the game's first run with a two-out base knock to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead. They added a second run when freshman Benefield collected a second straight two-out hit, scoring Aucker, to give Middle Tennessee an early 2-0 lead.
Vanderbilt scored one run in the bottom of the first and added its second run in the bottom of the third to tie the game, 2-2.
The Commodores erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go on top, 6-2, but the Blue Raiders mounted a rally.
Middle Tennessee cut into the lead in the top of the sixth. Dennis was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After one out, Aucker remained hot and belted a double into the gap in right center to plate Dennis and cut the lead to 6-3. Benefield added his second hit of the game to put runners at first and third before Drew Huff's single added to the run total and pulled the Blue Raiders to within 6-4.
Vanderbilt would add an insurance run late and Middle Tennessee was unable to finish the rally in the final innings.
The Blue Raiders will return to action when they play host to Charlotte in a key C-USA weekend series at Reese Smith Field, beginning Friday. First pitch is 6 p.m.
The Blue Raiders (14-19) split the season series as three players turned in multi-hit performances, led by Aaron Aucker's 3-for-4 effort that included his eighth double, two RBI and two runs scored. Riley Delgado was 2-for-4 with one run scored and Blake Benefield was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Despite the setback against the Commodores (26-7), who won the 2014 College World Series and finished runners-up in 2015, Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim McGuire was pleased with the manner in which the Blue Raiders competed.
"We were right there," McGuire said. "I was pleased with how the guys battled and how we gave ourselves a chance. It was really just one bad inning where we gave up four innings. That pretty much was the difference in the game."
It was a "staff" game for the Blue Raiders, meaning McGuire had announced he would be utilizing several different hurlers against the Commodores.
The plan was more to keep arms fresh for the upcoming weekend series against Charlotte and to get some seldom-used pitchers some much-needed work. The plan proved effective as several pitchers were effective and kept the Blue Raiders in the game.
Middle Tennessee utilized the services of six pitchers. Reid Clements, Carson Lester and Tanner McDivitt were chiefly effective. McDivitt saw the most extensive work and provided three quality innings, allowing two hits, one run and walked two.
Clements started and went two innings, allowing three hits and one run, and Lester provided strong relief work. He pitched two-thirds of an inning of no-hit, shutout baseball and worked his way out of a tough jam in the fourth, and Will Small pitched a scoreless eighth to give the Blue Raiders a chance to rally.
"Our backs were against the wall with our pitchers because we had used just about everyone this weekend," McGuire said. "Some guys who have not pitched in awhile were going to get some opportunities tonight, and I'm glad they did. We are always having to set the 27-man roster for the weekend and who will travel and some people did well tonight."
Middle Tennessee took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with some outstanding clutch two-out hitting. Delgado led the game off with a single and stole second with one out.
Delgado was still at second with two outs, but sophomore Aucker continued to swing a hot bat and drove in the game's first run with a two-out base knock to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead. They added a second run when freshman Benefield collected a second straight two-out hit, scoring Aucker, to give Middle Tennessee an early 2-0 lead.
Vanderbilt scored one run in the bottom of the first and added its second run in the bottom of the third to tie the game, 2-2.
The Commodores erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go on top, 6-2, but the Blue Raiders mounted a rally.
Middle Tennessee cut into the lead in the top of the sixth. Dennis was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After one out, Aucker remained hot and belted a double into the gap in right center to plate Dennis and cut the lead to 6-3. Benefield added his second hit of the game to put runners at first and third before Drew Huff's single added to the run total and pulled the Blue Raiders to within 6-4.
Vanderbilt would add an insurance run late and Middle Tennessee was unable to finish the rally in the final innings.
The Blue Raiders will return to action when they play host to Charlotte in a key C-USA weekend series at Reese Smith Field, beginning Friday. First pitch is 6 p.m.
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