Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Photo by: Stephanie Van Horn / MT Athletics Communications
Blue Raider Middle Infielders Lead Middle Tennessee to 7-0 Win to Sweep of Bowling Green
2/28/2021 3:27:00 PM | Baseball
Murfreesboro, Tenn.—Oftentimes in the game of baseball, some of the most important players on the team are your middle infielders. Usually some of the smaller, quicker guys on the team, one thing they're almost never short on is passion. The duo up the Middle for Middle Tennessee is no exception to this stereotype, as shortstop Fausto Lopez and second baseman JT Mabry had yet another big day to help guide the Blue Raiders to a 7-0 shutout to complete the sweep of the Bowling Green State Falcons.
"The pitching was great and the hitting was timely," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim Toman. "Today was probably our best all-around game and we've made a lot of progress over the past seven games in seven days."
Blue Raider shortstop Fausto Lopez opened the scoring in the third inning with a double off the 395 sign in center field to score Brycen Thomas, who advanced to third on two balks from Bowling Green starter Gage Schenck. Mabry followed up Lopez in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own, driving an outside pitch the other way to right field to bring in Lopez and make it a 2-0 game.
Just as it did yesterday, Middle Tennessee used a huge fourth inning to give itself some cushion. Brycen Thomas smashed a one-out home run to center field, his second of the year. After back-to-back singles from Jake Hagenow and Fausto Lopez, JT Mabry picked up his second RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to right field to push the Middle Tennessee lead to 4-0. DJ Wright followed in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own to make it 5-0 as the rain began to fall.
In the sixth inning, Lopez went with an outside pitch and drove it into right field and used his speed to produce the Blue Raiders sixth run of the afternoon by advancing to third on a hit-and-run single by Mabry. Lopez came in to score on the next pitch on a passed ball while Mabry advanced to second.
Lopez went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored from the leadoff spot in the lineup while Mabry went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. The duo combined to hit a spectacular .391 with seven RBIs and five runs scored while also pairing up to help complete four different double plays defensively.
"Fausto had the walk-off (home run) the other day and has been swinging it well and Mabry's always been a good hitter and I think the opportunity to play every day has helped him," Toman said. "We started the year with them at the bottom of the order, but we didn't feel like we were getting on base enough so we switched it up. They're feisty up there and they've given us some very mature at-bats."
Brett Coker hit his first home run in a Blue Raider uniform in the bottom of the seventh, driving a fastball over the wall in left-center field to make it 7-0 Middle Tennessee. The second MT home run of the afternoon by Coker was the teams sixth throughout the entire series.
On the mound, Peyton Wigginton had a strong start, picking up his second win going six innings with six strikeouts on four hits allowed. The left-hander didn't allow a run and danced out of danger in the sixth inning after allowing the first two runners to reach base by getting a swinging strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play. Junior Zach Keenan came on in relief to get some work in during the sixth inning, preserving the shutout with a three-inning save that included five punch outs.
"Wigginton and Keenan did what they were supposed to do today, and that's not walk guys," Toman said. "Any coach will tell you when you don't walk a lot of guys and pick up 11 strikeouts in a shutout that's a great pitching performance."
Middle Tennessee will hit the road for the first time next weekend when they head to Mobile, Alabama, to take on the South Alabama Jaguars. The first pitch next Friday March 5 is set for 6:30 p.m.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball). Anthony Fiorella is a writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @a_fiorella74 and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
"The pitching was great and the hitting was timely," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim Toman. "Today was probably our best all-around game and we've made a lot of progress over the past seven games in seven days."
Blue Raider shortstop Fausto Lopez opened the scoring in the third inning with a double off the 395 sign in center field to score Brycen Thomas, who advanced to third on two balks from Bowling Green starter Gage Schenck. Mabry followed up Lopez in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own, driving an outside pitch the other way to right field to bring in Lopez and make it a 2-0 game.
Just as it did yesterday, Middle Tennessee used a huge fourth inning to give itself some cushion. Brycen Thomas smashed a one-out home run to center field, his second of the year. After back-to-back singles from Jake Hagenow and Fausto Lopez, JT Mabry picked up his second RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to right field to push the Middle Tennessee lead to 4-0. DJ Wright followed in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own to make it 5-0 as the rain began to fall.
In the sixth inning, Lopez went with an outside pitch and drove it into right field and used his speed to produce the Blue Raiders sixth run of the afternoon by advancing to third on a hit-and-run single by Mabry. Lopez came in to score on the next pitch on a passed ball while Mabry advanced to second.
Lopez went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored from the leadoff spot in the lineup while Mabry went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. The duo combined to hit a spectacular .391 with seven RBIs and five runs scored while also pairing up to help complete four different double plays defensively.
"Fausto had the walk-off (home run) the other day and has been swinging it well and Mabry's always been a good hitter and I think the opportunity to play every day has helped him," Toman said. "We started the year with them at the bottom of the order, but we didn't feel like we were getting on base enough so we switched it up. They're feisty up there and they've given us some very mature at-bats."
Brett Coker hit his first home run in a Blue Raider uniform in the bottom of the seventh, driving a fastball over the wall in left-center field to make it 7-0 Middle Tennessee. The second MT home run of the afternoon by Coker was the teams sixth throughout the entire series.
On the mound, Peyton Wigginton had a strong start, picking up his second win going six innings with six strikeouts on four hits allowed. The left-hander didn't allow a run and danced out of danger in the sixth inning after allowing the first two runners to reach base by getting a swinging strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play. Junior Zach Keenan came on in relief to get some work in during the sixth inning, preserving the shutout with a three-inning save that included five punch outs.
"Wigginton and Keenan did what they were supposed to do today, and that's not walk guys," Toman said. "Any coach will tell you when you don't walk a lot of guys and pick up 11 strikeouts in a shutout that's a great pitching performance."
Middle Tennessee will hit the road for the first time next weekend when they head to Mobile, Alabama, to take on the South Alabama Jaguars. The first pitch next Friday March 5 is set for 6:30 p.m.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball). Anthony Fiorella is a writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @a_fiorella74 and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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