Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Sunday, March 14
Murfreesboro, TN
1:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
9-5
5
vs
0
Valparaiso
3-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Valpo
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
Middle Tennessee
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
X
5
10
0
Keenan's Career Day Leads MT Past Valpo in Series Finale
3/14/2021 5:16:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee baseball team took the series finale against Valparaiso on Sunday thanks to a career day from right-handed pitcher Zach Keenan. The Blue Raiders' (9-5, C-USA 0-0) starter collected a career-high 11 strikeouts in the, 5-0, win against the Crusaders (3-7, Missouri Valley 0-0).
"Zach [Keenan] has pitched well all year long, so that is what we expected out of him," said Head Coach Jim Toman, "we got eight strong innings from him and Eriq Swan finished it up in the ninth."
Keenan's 11 strikeouts Sunday are tied for the most this season by a Blue Raider pitcher. Teammate Aaron Brow has struck out 11 batters in a game twice this season.
To go along with the Suwanee, Georgia native's 11 punch outs, Keenan pitched eight innings, allowed just three hits, and has still yet to allow a walk this season in 23.2 inning pitched.
Thanks to a big bottom of the first inning, the Blue Raiders were able to jump out to an early, 4-0, lead. MT picked up three hits in the half-inning including a two-RBI single from Nathan Sanders.
Sanders finished the game 2-for-4, with a double, a run, a stolen base and brought in a pair of RBI.
"It was really good to bounce back after a rough day yesterday," said Toman. "Coach [Blake] Hunt has talked to our hitters a lot about our approach at the plate… We were able to figure out some of the things we were doing wrong."
The Blue Raiders added a run in the seventh on a Valparaiso throwing error to seal the game, 5-0.
Now that the weekend series with Valpo has concluded the Blue Raiders will begin a nine-game road swing starting with Austin Peay on Tuesday.
"We've only played three games on the road so far this season, but it will give us some time to practice and get better," said Toman.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
"Zach [Keenan] has pitched well all year long, so that is what we expected out of him," said Head Coach Jim Toman, "we got eight strong innings from him and Eriq Swan finished it up in the ninth."
Keenan's 11 strikeouts Sunday are tied for the most this season by a Blue Raider pitcher. Teammate Aaron Brow has struck out 11 batters in a game twice this season.
To go along with the Suwanee, Georgia native's 11 punch outs, Keenan pitched eight innings, allowed just three hits, and has still yet to allow a walk this season in 23.2 inning pitched.
Thanks to a big bottom of the first inning, the Blue Raiders were able to jump out to an early, 4-0, lead. MT picked up three hits in the half-inning including a two-RBI single from Nathan Sanders.
Sanders finished the game 2-for-4, with a double, a run, a stolen base and brought in a pair of RBI.
"It was really good to bounce back after a rough day yesterday," said Toman. "Coach [Blake] Hunt has talked to our hitters a lot about our approach at the plate… We were able to figure out some of the things we were doing wrong."
The Blue Raiders added a run in the seventh on a Valparaiso throwing error to seal the game, 5-0.
Now that the weekend series with Valpo has concluded the Blue Raiders will begin a nine-game road swing starting with Austin Peay on Tuesday.
"We've only played three games on the road so far this season, but it will give us some time to practice and get better," said Toman.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keenan, Zach (2-0)
L: Rosenkranz, Jacob (0-1)
Base Running:
HBP: Schmack, Kyle 1 ; Dent, Riley 1
Batting:
2B: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Wright, DJ 1 ; Sanders, Nathan 1
3B: Coker, Brett 1
RBI: Sanders, Nathan 2 ; Coker, Brett 1 ; Thomas, Brycen 1
SH: Sullivan, Hunter 1
SF: Coker, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Sullivan, Hunter 2 ; Wright, DJ 1 ; Sanders, Nathan 1
SB: Sullivan, Hunter 2 ; Wright, DJ 2 ; Sanders, Nathan 1
CS: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Mabry, JT 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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