Carroll, Akers, Jaggers Lead 12-9 Win

Saturday, March 2

Clarksville, TN

11:00 AM

Middle Tennessee

Eastern Michigan

3/2/2002 1:58:00 PM | Baseball

By: MT Media Relations

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Brett Carroll had four hits and Chuck Akers and Nate Jaggers added three each, as Middle Tennessee pounded out 14 hits in defeating Eastern Michigan, 12-9, Saturday in the Austin Peay Governors Classic at Raymond C. Hand Park. The win was the third over EMU in the last three days for the Blue Raiders after sweeping a twinbill from the Eagles on Thursday in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee won both of its games in the tournament and has four straight overall. Marshall Nesbitt got the scoring started early for the Blue Raiders, blasting a two-run shot over the centerfield wall in the top of the first after Akers led off with a single. With the bases loaded later in the frame, Jaggers was hit by the pitch, forcing in a run for a 3-0 Middle Tennessee advantage. Josh Archer led off the third with a walk for the Blue Raiders, and Carroll followed two batters later with a squibber in front of the plate. EMU starter Anthony Tomey threw high to first, allowing Archer to score. Jaggers then doubled down the leftfield line, plating Carroll for a 5-0 Blue Raider lead. The Eagles scored three runs in the fourth on just two hits. Brian Bixler highlighted the inning with a two-run double just inside the rightfield line, cutting the deficit to 5-3. But the Blue Raiders exploded for six runs in the fifth, chasing Tomey from the contest. Carroll and Kunicki had back-to-back doubles, and Akers plated a pair of runs with a double off the centerfield wall. Nisbett also tripled in the inning to score a run, giving the Blue Raiders an 11-3 advantage. Carroll homered to leadoff the sixth for his fourth hit of the day, extending the lead to 12-3. The Eagles cut into the lead with three runs in the seventh on a three-run shot to leftcenter by Greg Anglin. Ryan Goleski also hit a three-run blast in the eighth, cutting the deficit to 12-9. Blue Raider starter John Williams (2-0) got the win, allowing six runs, three earned, on eight hits in seven innings. Williams walked three and struck out six. Freshman Danny Borne came in to get the final four outs for his first save. Tomey (1-1) took the loss, giving up 10 runs on 11 hits in 4.1 innings. Akers went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Nisbett had two hits and two runs with three RBIs, while Jaggers went 3-for-3 with a run and drove in another. The Blue Raiders take on Lipscomb at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Nashville before hosting the Bison on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Reese Smith Field.