Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, March 20
Memphis, TN
1:00 PM
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MT Splits Doubleheader With Memphis
3/20/2021 6:15:00 PM | Baseball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader against Memphis. The Blue Raiders (11-7, C-USA 0-0) won the first game, 8-2, but dropped game-two to the Tigers (8-8, AAC 0-0) 1-0.
Game 1: MT 8, Memphis 2
The Blue Raiders' three hit shutout yesterday afternoon was an afterthought in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader as the MT offense exploded for eight runs on 11 hits.
In the top of the first inning JT Mabry drew a one out walk, on four straight pitches, and moved over to third on a Cole Escher single and a Tiger error. Junior DJ Wright brought Mabry home on a fielder's choice to give MT an early, 1-0, lead.
The Blue Raiders bats really came alive in the third inning. MT struck for five runs on five hits including a pair of home runs from Fausto Lopez and Brett Coker.
Coker finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI coming from his home run in the third.
In the following inning the Blue Raiders' bats stayed hot adding two more runs and four more hits.
MT nine-hole Brian Dillingham led off the fourth inning with a single and advanced to third on an Escher double. Wright once again came through with runners in scoring position, singling to left field and extending the Blue Raiders' lead to 8-0.
The Tigers added a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth on a home run to left, shortening the Raider lead to 8-2.
The home run would be the only runs Blue Raider starter Peyton Wigginton would allow before turning things over to St. Louis native Austin Cheeley in the seventh. The junior pitched a clean seventh inning and picked up a strikeout to end the game.
Wigginton left the game after six innings pitched, allowed two runs on five hits, and struck out two in the victory.
Game 2: Memphis 1, MT 0
Blue Raider right-handed pitcher Zach Keenan pitched another solid game. Keenan tossed six innings, allowed one run on two hits, and struck out nine in the loss.
Keenan's innings streak without allowing a walk came to an end with one out the fourth inning. The Georgia native had pitched 28 consecutive innings to begin this season before allowing his first free pass.
Memphis picked up its only run of the game on a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning.
The Blue Raiders tried to make a push in the top of the seventh after Bryce Symlar wore a pitch and Brett Coker singled to right field.
With two on and one out in the final frame, Memphis turned to righty Bailey Wimberley. Wimberley struck out the final two batters and sealed the win for the Tigers, 1-0.
The series finale in Memphis will be tomorrow at noon, inside the walls of FedEx Park.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Game 1: MT 8, Memphis 2
The Blue Raiders' three hit shutout yesterday afternoon was an afterthought in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader as the MT offense exploded for eight runs on 11 hits.
In the top of the first inning JT Mabry drew a one out walk, on four straight pitches, and moved over to third on a Cole Escher single and a Tiger error. Junior DJ Wright brought Mabry home on a fielder's choice to give MT an early, 1-0, lead.
The Blue Raiders bats really came alive in the third inning. MT struck for five runs on five hits including a pair of home runs from Fausto Lopez and Brett Coker.
Coker finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI coming from his home run in the third.
In the following inning the Blue Raiders' bats stayed hot adding two more runs and four more hits.
MT nine-hole Brian Dillingham led off the fourth inning with a single and advanced to third on an Escher double. Wright once again came through with runners in scoring position, singling to left field and extending the Blue Raiders' lead to 8-0.
The Tigers added a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth on a home run to left, shortening the Raider lead to 8-2.
The home run would be the only runs Blue Raider starter Peyton Wigginton would allow before turning things over to St. Louis native Austin Cheeley in the seventh. The junior pitched a clean seventh inning and picked up a strikeout to end the game.
Wigginton left the game after six innings pitched, allowed two runs on five hits, and struck out two in the victory.
Game 2: Memphis 1, MT 0
Blue Raider right-handed pitcher Zach Keenan pitched another solid game. Keenan tossed six innings, allowed one run on two hits, and struck out nine in the loss.
Keenan's innings streak without allowing a walk came to an end with one out the fourth inning. The Georgia native had pitched 28 consecutive innings to begin this season before allowing his first free pass.
Memphis picked up its only run of the game on a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning.
The Blue Raiders tried to make a push in the top of the seventh after Bryce Symlar wore a pitch and Brett Coker singled to right field.
With two on and one out in the final frame, Memphis turned to righty Bailey Wimberley. Wimberley struck out the final two batters and sealed the win for the Tigers, 1-0.
The series finale in Memphis will be tomorrow at noon, inside the walls of FedEx Park.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wigginton, Peyton (2-1)
L: COTHREN, Jackson (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Escher, Cole 2
HR: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Coker, Brett 1
RBI: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Wright, DJ 3 ; Hagenow, Jake 1 ; Symlar, Bryce 1 ; Coker, Brett 2
SF: Hagenow, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lopez, Fausto 1 ; Mabry, JT 2 ; Escher, Cole 2 ; Symlar, Bryce 1 ; Coker, Brett 1 ; Dillingham, Brian 1
SB: Vinson, Luke 1 ; Symlar, Bryce 1
CS: Symlar, Bryce 1 ; Coker, Brett 1
Batting:
HR: HOWELL, Taylor 1
RBI: HOWELL, Taylor 2
Base Running:
RUNS: TRELA, Alec 1 ; HOWELL, Taylor 1
HBP: HOWELL, Taylor 1 ; BIBILONI, Ian 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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OF
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RHP
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OF
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LHP
/ Baseball
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