Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 2
Murfreesboro, TN.
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
10-18
8
vs
5
Murray State
11-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
R
H
E
Murray State
4
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
10
2
Middle Tennessee
1
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
8
16
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Huff, Drew (1-0)
L: DORSEY, Gray (0-2)
Batting:
2B: DUKE, Tyler 1 ; PERKINS, Ryan 1 ; DARMAFALL, Sean 1
RBI: ROBINSON, Jaron 1 ; DARMAFALL, Sean 3 ; COZART, Jordan 1
SH: ROBINSON, Jaron 1
SF: DARMAFALL, Sean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DUKE, Tyler 1 ; SLUNDER, Jake 1 ; ANDERSON, Brock 1 ; ROBINSON, Jaron 1 ; DARMAFALL, Sean 1
HBP: SLUNDER, Jake 1
PO: PERKINS, Ryan 1
Batting:
2B: Benefield, Blake 2 ; Thomas, Brycen 1 ; Freeman Jr., Darrell 1
HR: Antonini, Aaron 1 ; Wigginton, Peyton 1 ; Carnevale, Nick 1
RBI: Antonini, Aaron 2 ; Thomas, Brycen 1 ; Wigginton, Peyton 3 ; Carnevale, Nick 2
SH: Antonini, Aaron 1 ; Parker, Tanner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Antonini, Aaron 1 ; Benefield, Blake 2 ; Christian, Myles 1 ; Thomas, Brycen 1 ; Wigginton, Peyton 1 ; Carnevale, Nick 1 ; Freeman Jr., Darrell 1
SB: Christian, Myles 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
6
R
2
H
4
RBI
0
dh/1b
AB
7
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
7
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP/IF
/ BaseballLHP
/ Baseball
Raiders win on Wigginton’s extra-innings walk-off
4/2/2019 10:38:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee's offense needed a jolt to complete a stellar comeback Tuesday against Murray State, and a pitcher provided it in extra innings.
Tied at 5 in the bottom of the 13th, the Blue Raiders had men on second and third with two outs when left-handed designated hitter Peyton Wigginton strolled to the plate.
Normally a pitcher, Wigginton, a sophomore, found his name in the batting order for the fourth straight game and showed why he's there. He connected on a first-pitch fastball, sending a rocket shot way over the right-field fence to end the game. It was his first-career home run and third hit of the game.
"I've been asking coach to hit since Day 1," Wigginton said. "It feels good getting an at-bat in and seeing what can happen. I was just out there hunting a fastball … and I got what I was wanting."
The Blue Raiders (10-18) put themselves in a hole early, falling down 4-0 in the top of the first inning to the visiting Racers (11-14) before they were even able to come to the plate.
Middle Tennessee had to play catchup from there, but was able to chip away thanks in part to home runs from catcher Aaron Antonini and second baseman Nick Carnevale.
Antonini, a junior who's having a breakout year at the dish, belted his team-leading fifth moon shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning. Then, Carnevale matched with a two-run blast to left in a three-run sixth. It was the sophomore's first-career homer.
The longball hasn't quite been MT's forte this season. The Blue Raiders went into the night 11th in Conference USA with just 15 home runs.
"I'm proud of the guys for fighting back," MT head coach Jim Toman said. "We snuck out of a couple of jams … and it's always nice when you win that type of game.
"We were due to pick up a close one. The guys haven't quit … they still have a lot of fight left in them."
As Middle Tennessee scratched and clawed to get back into the game, its bullpen did its job to keep things close.
Starter Andy Rivera, making his first start since Feb. 24, 2018, lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up four runs on two hits, a walk and hit batter. Toman was forced to call on left-handed junior David Zoz to calm things down, and he did just that.
Zoz quieted the Racers over the next 4 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out five.
He was relieved by Tyler Holcombe in the sixth, who gave up an unearned run over the next three innings before handing it over to Scheldon Paulk for four frames. Drew Huff got the win after closing out the 13th.
"They were all good," Toman said. "We made some good pitches when we needed to."
At the plate, Antonini and Carnevale drove in two apiece, and Antonini extended his hitting streak to 12 games after a 2-for-6 outing. Blake Benefield added a 4-for-6 night with two doubles and two runs scored, and Myles Christian and Brycen Thomas also had multi-hit games.
The 16 hits for Middle Tennessee were its most in a game this season. Toman hopes to see the hot bats continue as rival WKU prepares to travel to Murfreesboro for a three-game weekend series starting Friday.
"Now that it's starting to warm up, the ball is starting to fly a little more," Wigginton said. "We have some confidence right now … and have to keep it going."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
Tied at 5 in the bottom of the 13th, the Blue Raiders had men on second and third with two outs when left-handed designated hitter Peyton Wigginton strolled to the plate.
Normally a pitcher, Wigginton, a sophomore, found his name in the batting order for the fourth straight game and showed why he's there. He connected on a first-pitch fastball, sending a rocket shot way over the right-field fence to end the game. It was his first-career home run and third hit of the game.
"I've been asking coach to hit since Day 1," Wigginton said. "It feels good getting an at-bat in and seeing what can happen. I was just out there hunting a fastball … and I got what I was wanting."
The Blue Raiders (10-18) put themselves in a hole early, falling down 4-0 in the top of the first inning to the visiting Racers (11-14) before they were even able to come to the plate.
Middle Tennessee had to play catchup from there, but was able to chip away thanks in part to home runs from catcher Aaron Antonini and second baseman Nick Carnevale.
Antonini, a junior who's having a breakout year at the dish, belted his team-leading fifth moon shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning. Then, Carnevale matched with a two-run blast to left in a three-run sixth. It was the sophomore's first-career homer.
The longball hasn't quite been MT's forte this season. The Blue Raiders went into the night 11th in Conference USA with just 15 home runs.
"I'm proud of the guys for fighting back," MT head coach Jim Toman said. "We snuck out of a couple of jams … and it's always nice when you win that type of game.
"We were due to pick up a close one. The guys haven't quit … they still have a lot of fight left in them."
As Middle Tennessee scratched and clawed to get back into the game, its bullpen did its job to keep things close.
Starter Andy Rivera, making his first start since Feb. 24, 2018, lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up four runs on two hits, a walk and hit batter. Toman was forced to call on left-handed junior David Zoz to calm things down, and he did just that.
Zoz quieted the Racers over the next 4 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out five.
He was relieved by Tyler Holcombe in the sixth, who gave up an unearned run over the next three innings before handing it over to Scheldon Paulk for four frames. Drew Huff got the win after closing out the 13th.
"They were all good," Toman said. "We made some good pitches when we needed to."
At the plate, Antonini and Carnevale drove in two apiece, and Antonini extended his hitting streak to 12 games after a 2-for-6 outing. Blake Benefield added a 4-for-6 night with two doubles and two runs scored, and Myles Christian and Brycen Thomas also had multi-hit games.
The 16 hits for Middle Tennessee were its most in a game this season. Toman hopes to see the hot bats continue as rival WKU prepares to travel to Murfreesboro for a three-game weekend series starting Friday.
"Now that it's starting to warm up, the ball is starting to fly a little more," Wigginton said. "We have some confidence right now … and have to keep it going."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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