Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
20-17-1
Lipscomb University
15-20
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Paulk, Scheldon (1-0)
L: STEWART, Adam (0-2)
Batting:
2B: SOLOMON, Lee 1 ; SORRELLS, Cade 1
HR: MARTINEZ, Josh 1
RBI: SORRELLS, Cade 1 ; DODSON, Zeke 1 ; MARTINEZ, Josh 1 ; HOOKER, Allan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SOLOMON, Lee 2 ; MARTINEZ, Josh 2 ; PERRY, Jake 1 ; THOMAS, Blake 1
SB: SOLOMON, Lee 1
CS: DODSON, Zeke 1
Batting:
2B: Dennis, Austin 1
HR: Kemp, Ryan 1 ; Christian, Myles 1 ; Stratinsky, Brett 1
RBI: Benefield, Blake 1 ; Kemp, Ryan 6 ; Christian, Myles 3 ; Stratinsky, Brett 1
SH: Kemp, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sullivan, Kevin 2 ; Dennis, Austin 2 ; Aucker, Aaron 1 ; Benefield, Blake 2 ; Kemp, Ryan 2 ; Christian, Myles 1 ; Stratinsky, Brett 1 ; Hagenow, Jake 1
SB: Sullivan, Kevin 1 ; Dennis, Austin 1 ; Benefield, Blake 1 ; Woodard, LA 1
PO: Woodard, LA 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Blue Raiders collect season sweep over Lipscomb
4/17/2018 9:46:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee came from behind early to beat Lipscomb 12-6 in a midweek tilt in Reese Smith Jr. Field on Tuesday.
The win marks the second midweek sweep of an in-state opponent, with the other coming against fellow Nashville school Belmont.
"The two three-run homers are the difference in the game for sure," said head coach Jim McGuire. "It was huge, and we needed to hit well and we did.
"Now, after tonight I think everything will catch back up for us."
Middle Tennessee struck first in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on a groundout from Ryan Kemp that scored Kevin Sullivan. However, Lipscomb roared back in the second and third inning to take a 3-1 lead.
The Blue Raiders showed resiliency though, scoring three runs in both the third and fourth inning to take a 7-3 advantage.
Myles Christian served as the catalyst for the Blue Raiders, crushing a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, allowing MT to re-take the lead. Christian finished the day 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.
While every starter in Middle Tennessee's batting order recorded a hit on the day, Austin Dennis paced all hitters, going 3-for-4 and extending his streak of consecutive games reaching base safely to a career-long 27 games.
Brett Stratinsky got the start at designated hitter, and took advantage of the additional plate appearances, tallying a solo home run in the fourth.
Ryan Kemp hit the final home run of the day for MT, blasting a three-run shot in the eighth to push the lead to 12-5. Kemp finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and six RBIs.
Right handed pitcher Scheldon Paulk got his first career start for the Blue Raiders on the mound, getting the win for his five innings pitched. The junior-college transfer only allowed two earned runs and struck out two batters.
Drew Huff returned to action for MT and pitched well in relief for Paulk. The Murfreesboro native entered the game in the seventh with two runners on and nobody out, and finished things off striking out the side and preserving the lead.
Huff finished the day hurling two hitless innings, allowing zero runs and striking out four.
"It's a big lift for everybody to have (Huff and Kemp) back," McGuire added. "We've got to get Drew's bat back in the lineup."
MT hits the road Thursday for a Conference USA series against No. 14 Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Miss. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and the game will be called on 101.9/100.5 WGNS. .
