Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Tuesday, May 17
Nashville, TN
5:00 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
20-33
4
at
3
Belmont
29-24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
5
0
Belmont
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
7
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Small, Will (1-0)
L: QUEENER (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Benefield, Blake 1
RBI: Benefield, Blake 1 ; Spencer, AJ 1 ; King, Kaleb 1
SH: Huff, Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Delgado, Riley 1 ; Jarreau, Brad 1 ; Dennis, Austin 2
SB: Dennis, Austin 1
CS: Shapen, Vaughn 1
Batting:
2B: AMMONS 1 ; PAYNE 1
RBI: HOLLAND 1 ; PAYNE 1 ; WARD 1
SH: HOLLAND 1
SF: PAYNE 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HADDEN 1 ; FULLERTON 1 ; HOLLAND 1
SB: CONGER 1
CS: HOLLAND 1
HBP: HOLLAND 1
PO: HOLLAND 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
IF/C
/ Baseball
IF/C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballP/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
Blue Raiders notch third win in five games at Belmont
5/17/2016 9:01:00 PM | Baseball
Spencer provides game-winning RBI
NASHVILLE – AJ Spencer delivered the game-winning RBI with one out in the ninth inning, scoring Austin Dennis with the go-ahead run, as Middle Tennessee turned back Belmont, 4-3, for its third win in five games.
Middle Tennessee junior pitcher Will Small (1-0), the Blue Raiders' fifth hurler of the game, earned his first win of the season with 2-2/3 innings of one-hit baseball. He was just one pitcher who enjoyed success against the Bruins (29-24).
Reid Clements, Tyler Troutt, Will Jackson and Austin Norrell also saw action on the bump for the Blue Raiders (20-33).
No Middle Tennessee hitter had a multi-hit game but there were clutch performances that keyed victory, such as Blake Benefield's RBI. He was 1-for-4 with a double. Kaleb King had a two-out RBI single in the early going. Dennis continued to wreak havoc, going 1-for-3 and scoring two of the four runs, including the game winner. Vaughn Shapen added a hit and Spencer had the big blow with his game-winning effort.
"This was a good road win for our team, and a definite team win," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim McGuire said. "We had several players contribute and we threw five different pitchers with the short week. The pitching staff was solid and those guys had to be because it was a tight game throughout. I know we don't have a lot of wins to show for it but the team has shown improvement and the guys are playing better down the stretch. It's not the wins as much as they are just doing all of the little things better, hitting the ball the other way, advancing runners, coming through in the clutch, and executing pitches."
Small was exceptional in his most extensive work of the season. He came in to pitch with runners at first and second and one out and the Blue Raiders clinging to a 3-2 lead. Small induced an inning-ending double play on a ground ball to third. Drew Huff made a great pick-up at third to start the play and Dennis was great in the pivot as Middle Tennessee escaped danger and protected the lead.
"Huff was great on that play and it was a big momentum builder," Small said. "I felt good out there. I knew I had a solid defense behind me so I was just trying to hit my spots and let my defense work."
Small never gave in even after Belmont rallied for a single run to tie the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the eighth.
"Will battled, competed and had good stuff," McGuire said. "He made some big pitches and did a good job in some trouble spots to help us get the road win."
Tied 3-3 going into the top of the ninth, Middle Tennessee had three straight freshmen due up. They all delivered.
Dennis opened the inning with a leadoff single to left field on a 1-2 pitch. Huff followed and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Dennis to second. Spencer strolled to the plate and fell behind 1-2. He fouled off a pitch to stay alive and then smashed a single to center on a 1-2 pitch to score Dennis from second with the winning run.
Middle Tennessee never trailed in the game.
King staked Middle Tennessee with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as he continued his solid play of late. King ripped a base knock to left field to score Dennis, who reached on a leadoff walk and stole second.
Belmont tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second, but the Blue Raiders came right back in the top of the third. Riley Delgado and Brad Jarreau started the frame with back-to-back walks to put runners at first and second and they moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. A second straight wild pitch allowed Delgado to score and push the lead to 2-1.
Benefield followed with a ground ball and third baseman Ben Kocher opted to try to gun down Jarreau attempting to score. His errant throw enabled Jarreau to score as Middle Tennessee pushed its lead to 3-1.
Belmont eventually got the game tied but couldn't take the lead because Blue Raider pitchers never caved in the close contest.
Clements started and allowed two hits and one run in two innings. Troutt was in position to earn the win after providing three innings of two-hit ball, allowing one run, in his first relief outing of the season. Jackson allowed just one hit in his inning of work before giving way to Norrell, who allowed one hit and no runs before Small came in to finish.
Middle Tennessee will conclude the season with a three-game series against UTSA this weekend. Game one is Thursday at 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr., Field.
Middle Tennessee junior pitcher Will Small (1-0), the Blue Raiders' fifth hurler of the game, earned his first win of the season with 2-2/3 innings of one-hit baseball. He was just one pitcher who enjoyed success against the Bruins (29-24).
Reid Clements, Tyler Troutt, Will Jackson and Austin Norrell also saw action on the bump for the Blue Raiders (20-33).
No Middle Tennessee hitter had a multi-hit game but there were clutch performances that keyed victory, such as Blake Benefield's RBI. He was 1-for-4 with a double. Kaleb King had a two-out RBI single in the early going. Dennis continued to wreak havoc, going 1-for-3 and scoring two of the four runs, including the game winner. Vaughn Shapen added a hit and Spencer had the big blow with his game-winning effort.
"This was a good road win for our team, and a definite team win," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim McGuire said. "We had several players contribute and we threw five different pitchers with the short week. The pitching staff was solid and those guys had to be because it was a tight game throughout. I know we don't have a lot of wins to show for it but the team has shown improvement and the guys are playing better down the stretch. It's not the wins as much as they are just doing all of the little things better, hitting the ball the other way, advancing runners, coming through in the clutch, and executing pitches."
Small was exceptional in his most extensive work of the season. He came in to pitch with runners at first and second and one out and the Blue Raiders clinging to a 3-2 lead. Small induced an inning-ending double play on a ground ball to third. Drew Huff made a great pick-up at third to start the play and Dennis was great in the pivot as Middle Tennessee escaped danger and protected the lead.
"Huff was great on that play and it was a big momentum builder," Small said. "I felt good out there. I knew I had a solid defense behind me so I was just trying to hit my spots and let my defense work."
Small never gave in even after Belmont rallied for a single run to tie the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the eighth.
"Will battled, competed and had good stuff," McGuire said. "He made some big pitches and did a good job in some trouble spots to help us get the road win."
Tied 3-3 going into the top of the ninth, Middle Tennessee had three straight freshmen due up. They all delivered.
Dennis opened the inning with a leadoff single to left field on a 1-2 pitch. Huff followed and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Dennis to second. Spencer strolled to the plate and fell behind 1-2. He fouled off a pitch to stay alive and then smashed a single to center on a 1-2 pitch to score Dennis from second with the winning run.
Middle Tennessee never trailed in the game.
King staked Middle Tennessee with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as he continued his solid play of late. King ripped a base knock to left field to score Dennis, who reached on a leadoff walk and stole second.
Belmont tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second, but the Blue Raiders came right back in the top of the third. Riley Delgado and Brad Jarreau started the frame with back-to-back walks to put runners at first and second and they moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. A second straight wild pitch allowed Delgado to score and push the lead to 2-1.
Benefield followed with a ground ball and third baseman Ben Kocher opted to try to gun down Jarreau attempting to score. His errant throw enabled Jarreau to score as Middle Tennessee pushed its lead to 3-1.
Belmont eventually got the game tied but couldn't take the lead because Blue Raider pitchers never caved in the close contest.
Clements started and allowed two hits and one run in two innings. Troutt was in position to earn the win after providing three innings of two-hit ball, allowing one run, in his first relief outing of the season. Jackson allowed just one hit in his inning of work before giving way to Norrell, who allowed one hit and no runs before Small came in to finish.
Middle Tennessee will conclude the season with a three-game series against UTSA this weekend. Game one is Thursday at 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr., Field.
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