Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, May 11
Murfreesboro, TN
6 PM
Middle Tennessee
25-23-1, 0
6
vs
2
Florida Atlantic
31-15-1, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Middle Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 6 | 10 | 1 |
5/11/2018 9:29:00 PM | Baseball
MT takes game one vs. FAU
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee continued to play its best baseball in the month of May with a thrilling 6-2 win against Florida Atlantic in the opening game of a crucial three-game series at Reese Smith Jr. Field Friday night.
The Blue Raiders (25-23-1, 10-14-1) have won three of four to start the month of May to keep alive their hopes of a berth in the C-USA Championship later this month.
Appropriately, it was senior leaders who helped ignite Friday's huge win as the Blue Raiders will celebrate "Senior Day" Sunday. Lefty Jake Wyrick (4-3) was outstanding for the second straight Friday night, working 7-2/3 innings, scattering four hits and striking out six to earn the win and set the tone for the weekend.
Another senior, first baseman Aaron Aucker supplied the power, going 2-for-4 and belting his team-leading 12th home run of the season. Aucker finished with four RBI to push his C-USA lead to 60.
Senior Ryan Kemp also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, as did junior Drew Huff, who supplied his third home run of the season.
Florida Atlantic (31-15-1, 15-9-1) struck first when Tyler Frank connected for a solo home run in the first. After that, Wyrick settled in and pitched a masterpiece. After allowing three hits in the first three innings, the southpaw didn't allow another until the eighth.
While Wyrick was dealing on the mound, the Blue Raider bats finally gave him support in the bottom of the fourth. Kemp singled to start the inning and Aucker followed with a mammoth blast into the façade of the football stadium in left field to give Middle Tennessee a 2-1 lead it wouldn't relinquish.
Middle Tennessee was not finished in the frame. Kevin Sullivan provided a double to left center and Huff drove him plateward with a single, and later scored on an Aaron Antonini sac fly. By the time the dust had settled, Middle Tennessee owned a 4-1 advantage.
The Blue Raiders added two big runs in the fifth as Aucker's single scored two more runs to give Middle Tennessee a 5-2 advantage.
Florida Atlantic pulled to within 5-2 in the top of the eighth, chasing Wyrick. Huff came on with the tying run at the plate but got a fly out to center field to end the threat.
Huff belted a blast to left center in the bottom of the eighth then got three quick outs in the ninth to earn his sixth save.
Middle Tennessee will look to win the series when it faces the Owls Saturday at 4 p.m.
Â
The Blue Raiders (25-23-1, 10-14-1) have won three of four to start the month of May to keep alive their hopes of a berth in the C-USA Championship later this month.
Appropriately, it was senior leaders who helped ignite Friday's huge win as the Blue Raiders will celebrate "Senior Day" Sunday. Lefty Jake Wyrick (4-3) was outstanding for the second straight Friday night, working 7-2/3 innings, scattering four hits and striking out six to earn the win and set the tone for the weekend.
Another senior, first baseman Aaron Aucker supplied the power, going 2-for-4 and belting his team-leading 12th home run of the season. Aucker finished with four RBI to push his C-USA lead to 60.
Senior Ryan Kemp also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, as did junior Drew Huff, who supplied his third home run of the season.
Florida Atlantic (31-15-1, 15-9-1) struck first when Tyler Frank connected for a solo home run in the first. After that, Wyrick settled in and pitched a masterpiece. After allowing three hits in the first three innings, the southpaw didn't allow another until the eighth.
While Wyrick was dealing on the mound, the Blue Raider bats finally gave him support in the bottom of the fourth. Kemp singled to start the inning and Aucker followed with a mammoth blast into the façade of the football stadium in left field to give Middle Tennessee a 2-1 lead it wouldn't relinquish.
Middle Tennessee was not finished in the frame. Kevin Sullivan provided a double to left center and Huff drove him plateward with a single, and later scored on an Aaron Antonini sac fly. By the time the dust had settled, Middle Tennessee owned a 4-1 advantage.
The Blue Raiders added two big runs in the fifth as Aucker's single scored two more runs to give Middle Tennessee a 5-2 advantage.
Florida Atlantic pulled to within 5-2 in the top of the eighth, chasing Wyrick. Huff came on with the tying run at the plate but got a fly out to center field to end the threat.
Huff belted a blast to left center in the bottom of the eighth then got three quick outs in the ninth to earn his sixth save.
Middle Tennessee will look to win the series when it faces the Owls Saturday at 4 p.m.
Â
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballTeam Stats
Pitching:
W: Wyrick, Jake (4-3)
L: Vince Coletti (2-4)
S: Huff, Drew (6)
Batting:
2B: Cody Wilson 1
HR: Tyler Frank 1
RBI: Tyler Frank 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tyler Frank 1 ; Kevin Abraham 1
HBP: David Miranda 1
Batting:
2B: Sullivan, Kevin 1 ; Christian, Myles 1
HR: Aucker, Aaron 1 ; Huff, Drew 1
RBI: Aucker, Aaron 4 ; Huff, Drew 1 ; Antonini, Aaron 1
SF: Antonini, Aaron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodard, LA 1 ; Dennis, Austin 1 ; Kemp, Ryan 1 ; Aucker, Aaron 1 ; Sullivan, Kevin 1 ; Huff, Drew 1
HBP: Kemp, Ryan 1
Game Leaders
Thursday, February 12
Monday, February 02
Tuesday, January 27
Friday, January 31
