Blue Raiders Host Rice in Pivotal Weekend Series

Friday, April 1

Murfreesboro, TN

6:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Rice

3/31/2016 2:41:00 PM | Baseball

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee welcomes Conference USA foe Rice (15-9, 5-1 C-USA) to Reese Smith Jr. Field as they the Blue Raiders look to get back on track and back in the mix in the C-USA standings.

Right-hander Nate Hoffmann (0-3, 6.21) will toe the rubber for the Blue Raiders making his seventh Friday night start of the season. The lefty duo of Tyler Troutt (1-4, 4.26) and Jake Wyrick (2-2, 3.68) are expected to fill out the weekend rotation against the Owls.

Middle Tennessee and Rice are tied at four games apiece all-time in a series that is in just its third year of existence. The last meeting came at last season's Conference USA Championship with the Blue Raiders knocking the Owls out of the tournament in a 6-5 contest.

The Blue Raiders are looking to break out of a slump that has seen them drop four-straight decisions. MT did collect 10 hits at Tennessee on Tuesday night, but will need to find a way to push more runs across to get back in the win column.

Meanwhile, Rice has won four straight and seven of their last eight since opening up Conference USA play. The Owls have lost just one weekend series this season when they hosted Arizona on opening weekend.

Riley Delgado leads the Blue Raiders at the plate, sporting a .380 batting average and .487 on-base percentage. The MT leadoff man leads the club in hits (35), doubles (6) and runs (14).

Friday night's 6:00 p.m. contest will serve as '90s Night at the Reese while the Blue Raiders will honor the 1996 OVC Championship team during Saturday's 4:00 p.m. contest.