Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Monday, February 22
Murfreesboro, TN
3:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
1-0
7
vs
4
Oakland
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Oakland
0
0
0
1
0
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0
1
0
4
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3
Middle Tennessee
3
1
0
2
0
1
0
0
X
7
8
2
MT Cruises to Season-Opening Win
2/22/2021 6:51:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It came a few days later than expected, but Middle Tennessee started off its 2021 season with a bang Monday.
The Blue Raiders (1-0) were supposed to start Friday at home against Oakland (0-1), but Winter Storm Uri caused them to delay a few days. The blue and white didn't seem to mind the wait, coming out hot against the Golden Grizzlies and cruising to a 7-4 win.
"It's been 300 some days since we've had a chance to play, and I'm just happy for them that they can play the game that they love," Middle Tennessee head coach Jim Toman said. "We didn't play extremely well … but it was great to come out with a win."
MT got to work right away, scoring three runs in the first and one more in the second to take an early 4-0 advantage while starting pitcher Aaron Brown kept Oakland contained.
Leadoff hitter Cole Escher got all the way to third on an infield hit for Middle Tennessee in the bottom of the first, thanks to an error. He scored the team's first run of the season when the next batter, second baseman JT Mabry, hit a sacrifice grounder.
Left fielder Mark Engel secured the other two runs in the first inning with a double down the right field line before DJ Wright added an RBI single in the second inning.
The Blue Raider lineup was all over the Oakland starting pitcher, forcing him out after just 1.2 innings. They finished with eight hits, four walks and two hit batters.
Wright led the way with a 3-for-3 day, driving in a pair and scoring a run. Escher was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base.
"DJ was 3-for-3, but hopefully when the weather gets a little warmer tomorrow we can break the bats out and really get going," Toman said. "It would've been nice to add to the lead a little more."
Brown had an excellent start to his season, lasting five innings while giving up one run on two hits, including a solo home run. He struck out 11 and didn't walk a batter.
He was relieved in the sixth inning by Adam Link, who went two innings before handing the ball over to Austin Cheeley for an inning. Southpaw David Zoz got the save, finishing the ninth inning with a strikeout and stranding one baserunner.
The depth of the pitching staff will be pushed in the first week of the season with seven games in seven days, including four in the first three days.
"We used our older guys today to win the game, but it would've been nice … to not have to use four pitchers," Toman said. "It's good early in the season to see what they can do, and it'll help our young guys.
"Aaron has pitched extremely well all fall and early spring against our hitters. He's pretty much dominated, and that's what he did today."
The Blue Raiders and Golden Grizzlies will play a doubleheader on Tuesday. The first game will start at 1 p.m., with the second, a planned seven-inning affair, to start 30 minutes after the first game's conclusion.
Middle Tennessee will also be at home Wednesday against Murray State.
For more updates on the Blue Raiders be sure to follow us on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
The Blue Raiders (1-0) were supposed to start Friday at home against Oakland (0-1), but Winter Storm Uri caused them to delay a few days. The blue and white didn't seem to mind the wait, coming out hot against the Golden Grizzlies and cruising to a 7-4 win.
"It's been 300 some days since we've had a chance to play, and I'm just happy for them that they can play the game that they love," Middle Tennessee head coach Jim Toman said. "We didn't play extremely well … but it was great to come out with a win."
MT got to work right away, scoring three runs in the first and one more in the second to take an early 4-0 advantage while starting pitcher Aaron Brown kept Oakland contained.
Leadoff hitter Cole Escher got all the way to third on an infield hit for Middle Tennessee in the bottom of the first, thanks to an error. He scored the team's first run of the season when the next batter, second baseman JT Mabry, hit a sacrifice grounder.
Left fielder Mark Engel secured the other two runs in the first inning with a double down the right field line before DJ Wright added an RBI single in the second inning.
The Blue Raider lineup was all over the Oakland starting pitcher, forcing him out after just 1.2 innings. They finished with eight hits, four walks and two hit batters.
Wright led the way with a 3-for-3 day, driving in a pair and scoring a run. Escher was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base.
"DJ was 3-for-3, but hopefully when the weather gets a little warmer tomorrow we can break the bats out and really get going," Toman said. "It would've been nice to add to the lead a little more."
Brown had an excellent start to his season, lasting five innings while giving up one run on two hits, including a solo home run. He struck out 11 and didn't walk a batter.
He was relieved in the sixth inning by Adam Link, who went two innings before handing the ball over to Austin Cheeley for an inning. Southpaw David Zoz got the save, finishing the ninth inning with a strikeout and stranding one baserunner.
The depth of the pitching staff will be pushed in the first week of the season with seven games in seven days, including four in the first three days.
"We used our older guys today to win the game, but it would've been nice … to not have to use four pitchers," Toman said. "It's good early in the season to see what they can do, and it'll help our young guys.
"Aaron has pitched extremely well all fall and early spring against our hitters. He's pretty much dominated, and that's what he did today."
The Blue Raiders and Golden Grizzlies will play a doubleheader on Tuesday. The first game will start at 1 p.m., with the second, a planned seven-inning affair, to start 30 minutes after the first game's conclusion.
Middle Tennessee will also be at home Wednesday against Murray State.
For more updates on the Blue Raiders be sure to follow us on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brown, Aaron (1-0)
L: Travis Densmore (0-1)
S: Zoz, David (1)
Batting:
2B: Cam Post 1
HR: Lorenzo Elion 1
RBI: Lorenzo Elion 1 ; Reagan Paulina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jared Miller 2 ; Lorenzo Elion 2
SB: Jared Miller 1
HBP: Jared Miller 1 ; Tyler Trovinger 1
Batting:
2B: Escher, Cole 1 ; Engel, Mark 1
RBI: Mabry, JT 1 ; Wright, DJ 2 ; Engel, Mark 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Escher, Cole 2 ; Vinson, Luke 1 ; Mabry, JT 1 ; Sanders, Nathan 1 ; Wright, DJ 1 ; Speirs, Mason 1
SB: Vinson, Luke 1 ; Engel, Mark 1
HBP: Escher, Cole 1 ; Sanders, Nathan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
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