Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, March 12
Murfreesboro, TN
2:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Valparaiso
Blue Raiders Look To Stay Hot Against Valparaiso
3/11/2021 11:30:00 AM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — After taking 2-of-3 on the road at South Alabama, the Middle Tennessee baseball team returns to Reese Smith Jr. Field for a four-game weekend stent with first time foe, Valparaiso.
Games 11-14 (Murfreesboro, Tenn.): Middle Tennessee (7-3, 0-0 C-USA) vs. Valparaiso (1-5, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
» Friday, March 12 | 3 PM CT | vs. Valparaiso
» Saturday, March 13 | 1 PM CT & TBA | vs. Valparaiso (Doubleheader)
» Sunday, March 14 | 1 PM CT | vs. Valparaiso
Fan Attendance
» 10 percent fan capacity. Fans will be required to social distance and wear masks inside Reese Smith Jr. Field.
About the Blue Raiders
» MT is off to a hot start winning seven of their first 10 games this season. The 7-3 record marks the best 10-game start for the Blue Raiders since 2015. The 2015 Raiders finished 32-27 and made it to the C-USA Tournament in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
» As a team The Blue Raiders are the best nationally with a 108:19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 90 innings pitched. Behind the Raiders are teams like Kentucky, Akron, Indiana, and Southern Miss.
» Sophomore infielder JT Mabry recorded a career-high four hits in the middle game against South Alabama on Saturday. Mabry finished the game 4-for-5 and his four singles were the most in a game for the Blue Raiders this season.
» Right-hander Zach Keenan has yet to allow a walk through 15.2 inning pitched. Keenan is one of 43 players in the country to have not allowed a walk in at least one inning pitched.
» Blue Raiders rank No. 3 in the nation with 29 stolen bases. Junior Fausto Lopez is one of 10 players tied for fifth in the country with seven swipes.
All-time vs. Valparaiso
» Friday's game will mark the first meeting between the Blue Raiders and Valparaiso.
Scouting The Crusaders
» Valparaiso halted the 2020 season with a record of 2-14. The Crusaders faced a pair of C-USA teams in Southern Miss and WKU in the COVID-19 shortened season.
» Red-shirt senior Steven Fitzsimmons has played all six games for Valparaiso this season and leads the team in batting average (.364), runs (5), hits (8), and on base percentage (.440).
» Through six games the Valparaiso pitching staff has a 5.80 ERA and has collected 49 punch outs.
Next Time Out
» After the series against Valparaiso, the Blue Raiders will head out on a nine-game road swing starting with a midweek game against Austin Peay in Clarksville on Tuesday, March 16 at 6 PM. MT will return home on April 1 to play Conference-USA foe Rice under the lights of Reese Smith Jr. Field at 6 PM.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Games 11-14 (Murfreesboro, Tenn.): Middle Tennessee (7-3, 0-0 C-USA) vs. Valparaiso (1-5, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
» Friday, March 12 | 3 PM CT | vs. Valparaiso
» Saturday, March 13 | 1 PM CT & TBA | vs. Valparaiso (Doubleheader)
» Sunday, March 14 | 1 PM CT | vs. Valparaiso
Fan Attendance
» 10 percent fan capacity. Fans will be required to social distance and wear masks inside Reese Smith Jr. Field.
About the Blue Raiders
» MT is off to a hot start winning seven of their first 10 games this season. The 7-3 record marks the best 10-game start for the Blue Raiders since 2015. The 2015 Raiders finished 32-27 and made it to the C-USA Tournament in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
» As a team The Blue Raiders are the best nationally with a 108:19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 90 innings pitched. Behind the Raiders are teams like Kentucky, Akron, Indiana, and Southern Miss.
» Sophomore infielder JT Mabry recorded a career-high four hits in the middle game against South Alabama on Saturday. Mabry finished the game 4-for-5 and his four singles were the most in a game for the Blue Raiders this season.
» Right-hander Zach Keenan has yet to allow a walk through 15.2 inning pitched. Keenan is one of 43 players in the country to have not allowed a walk in at least one inning pitched.
» Blue Raiders rank No. 3 in the nation with 29 stolen bases. Junior Fausto Lopez is one of 10 players tied for fifth in the country with seven swipes.
All-time vs. Valparaiso
» Friday's game will mark the first meeting between the Blue Raiders and Valparaiso.
Scouting The Crusaders
» Valparaiso halted the 2020 season with a record of 2-14. The Crusaders faced a pair of C-USA teams in Southern Miss and WKU in the COVID-19 shortened season.
» Red-shirt senior Steven Fitzsimmons has played all six games for Valparaiso this season and leads the team in batting average (.364), runs (5), hits (8), and on base percentage (.440).
» Through six games the Valparaiso pitching staff has a 5.80 ERA and has collected 49 punch outs.
Next Time Out
» After the series against Valparaiso, the Blue Raiders will head out on a nine-game road swing starting with a midweek game against Austin Peay in Clarksville on Tuesday, March 16 at 6 PM. MT will return home on April 1 to play Conference-USA foe Rice under the lights of Reese Smith Jr. Field at 6 PM.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Players Mentioned
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