Scott Goes Eight Innings in 9-2 Victory

Saturday, March 5

Reese Smith Field

2:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Southeastern Louisiana

3/5/2005 4:55:00 PM | Baseball

By: MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Matt Scott tossed eight strong innings and Middle Tennessee recorded double-digit hits for the fourth straight game en route to a 9-2 victory over Southeastern Louisiana Saturday afternoon at Reese Smith Field. Scott allowed just two runs on four hits and struck out five, throwing first-pitch strikes to 19 of the 30 batters he faced in the contest. The righthander walked two and used his club's run-support to pick up his second victory of the season and give Middle Tennessee its fourth consecutive win. The Blue Raiders (5-2) scored three runs in the second and fifth innings and also twice in the seventh to win their fifth straight in the series over Southeastern Louisiana after sweeping the Lions last season in Hammond, La. The Blue Raiders scored once in the first thanks to some wildness from SLU (5-8) starter Rodney Story. Eric McNamee led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Nate Jaggers singled home the run, extending his hitting streak to 11 games dating to last season. Middle Tennessee added three more runs in the second thanks to two SLU errors. Michael McKenry singled to leadoff and Marcus Taylor followed with a tailor-made doubleplay ball, but shortstop Steve Clevenger booted it. Josh Archer drove in both runs with a double to leftcenter, and scored on McNamee's single up the middle for a 4-0 lead. The Blue Raiders added three more runs in the fifth, chasing Story from the game. Adam Warren led off with a single and went to third on an error. After two balls, Story was lifted for Jonathan Taylor, who walked Jeff Beachum before Jaggers drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Todd Martin then hammered a pitch through a driving wind over the rightfield wall, his third homer of the season and second in two days, for a 7-0 lead. The Lions got on the board in the sixth when Kyle Ginn lifted a ball just inside the rightfield line, falling off the glove of Taylor after a long run. Clevenger then blasted a ball off Jaggers at third base, with Ginn scoring from second on the play. A Jaggers leadoff single in the seventh started another multi-run scoring inning, with McKenry driving in a run with a single to left. A slow-runner through the leftside of the infield by Taylor plated McKenry for a 9-1 advantage. SLU tallied its final run in the eighth on a walk, a double and a sacrifice fly. Allan Woodward got the final three outs, giving up one hit and getting a terrific defensive play from Josh Horn at third base to end the game. McNamee, Jaggers, Martin and McKenry all had two hits for the Blue Raiders, while McKenry scored twice and Martin drove in two runs. SLU's Story allowed six runs, five earned, in four-plus innings, walking three. The final game of the series begins at 1 p.m. Sunday before the Blue Raiders head to Memphis for a two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday.