Scott Wins Again in 12-2 Victory

Friday, May 6

Reese Smith Field

7:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Florida International

Photo by: MT

5/6/2005 10:20:00 PM | Baseball

By: MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Matt Scott allowed an earned run and struck out seven, tossing a complete game, while Eric McNamee tied a career-high with four hits in Middle Tennessee's 12-2 victory over Florida International Friday night. Scott (7-1) struck out the side in the ninth, giving up just four runs and two runs, one earned, in his second complete game of the season. The righthander threw just 101 pitches in the contest. McNamee collected four of the team's 14 hits, while Nathan Hines and Adam Darby each drove in three runs. Jeff Beachum added three hits, and McNamee, Michael McKenry and Marcus Taylor all scored twice. The Blue Raiders jumped out quickly with two runs in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth for a 7-0 edge. FIU scored twice in the fifth to cut the deficit, but Middle Tennessee added four in the seventh, three on Darby's RBI triple, and McKenry added a solo homer in the eighth for the final margin. Scott made quick work of the Panthers, never throwing more than 15 pitches in an inning. He retired the last 15 batters of the game and allowed just three runners to reach second base. "I felt pretty food, located the fastball well, and when I had to throw off-speed stuff, I was able to fool them with it," Scott said. FIU starter Danny Hernandez (3-5) allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings to take the loss, walking four. Reliever Ammer Cabrera was very effective until the seventh, giving up four runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. The Blue Raiders got on the board first with three hits in the second inning, but the rally started with a one-out walk by Hines. Beachum followed with a single, and Taylor's single to right plated Hines, but Beachum was thrown out at third on the play. Taylor went to second on a balk and scored on Adam Warren's single to right for a 2-0 Blue Raiders advantage. In the third McNamee reached on an infield single and Todd Martin drew a walk. After a fielder's choice McKenry walked to load the bases for Hines, who doubled into rightcenter, clearing the bases for a 5-0 Middle Tennessee lead. McNamee started another rally in the fourth with a two-out single to center, and Martin followed with a walk. Nate Jaggers then laced a double down the rightfield line, plating both runners for a 7-0 Blue Raiders edge and chasing Hernandez. FIU scored twice in the fifth after leadoff singles from Nick Cadena and James McOwen. Both runners moved up on a groundout by Corey Lozano. McKenry then tried to pick off Cadena at third, but the ball was low and bounced into short leftfield, allowing both runners to score. Middle Tennessee added four runs in the seventh against Cabrera, all with two outs. Beachum reached on an infield single, Taylor walked and Warren beat out a chopper over the mound to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Darby then belted a triple off the top of the wall in centerfield, clearing the bases. McNamee followed with his fourth single of the game, plating Darby for an 11-2 lead. McKenry's solo homer to dead centerfield to leadoff the eighth gave the Blue Raiders a 12-2 advantage. The two teams play again Saturday at 2 p.m. and conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday is Senior Day for the Blue Raiders, with 10 players, managers and trainers being honored in a pregame ceremony that starts at 1:40 p.m. Optimist Little League Day is Sunday, with the parade of players set to begin at 12:40 p.m. GAME NOTES
Jeff Beachum extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the second, tying the longest stretch of his career (2003) ... Adam Warren extended his career-long hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the first ... Marcus Taylor extended his hitting streak to four games with a single in the second ... Nate Jaggers extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double in the fourth ... Todd Martin drew three walks in the game, the third time this season the junior had three free passes in a contest ... Adam Darby's triple in the seventh was just the second of the season for the Raiders as a team. The bases-clearing three-bagger gave the freshman a career-high three RBIs ... Eric McNamee tied his career-high with four hits.