Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, April 16
Bowling Green, KY
5:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
WKU
Series Preview: Blue Raiders Travel to Bowling Green for Series at WKU
4/15/2021 6:00:00 PM | Baseball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — After dropping three out of four to UTSA in San Antonio, the Middle Tennessee baseball team looks to bounce back against long time rival WKU to conclude the back half of an eight-game road swing. The Blue Raiders and the Hilltoppers will meet on the diamond of Nick Denes Field on Friday, April 16 at 5 p.m. for the first of a four game Conference USA weekend series.
Games 32-35 (Bowling Green, Ky.): Middle Tennessee (16-14-1, 5-6-1 C-USA) at WKU (16-16, 6-6 C-USA)
» Friday, April 16 | 5 PM CT | at WKU
» Saturday, April 17 | 12 PM CT & TBA | at WKU (Doubleheader)
» Sunday, April 18 | 1 PM CT | at WKU
Fan Attendance
Capacity at Nick Denes Field is set at 50 percent. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the gate beginning an hour prior to each contest. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first served basis. Fans are required to wear masks and practice social distancing during the game.
About the Blue Raiders
» MT right-hander Aaron Brown ranks No. 7 nationally with 68 strikeouts this season and is rapidly nearing the top 10 for most strikeouts in a single season as a Blue Raider. With 24 games remaining on the MT regular season schedule, Brown lacks 23 punch outs of tying Jack Laverty's 1973 total of 91 for tenth most in a season. Atop the single season strikeout list is former No. 3 overall draft pick and Blue Raider Hall of Famer Dewon Brazelton who fanned 154 batters in 2001.
» As a team the Blue Raider pitching staff ranks in the top 10 nationally in three different statistical categories. Heading into this weekend's series in Bowling Green, the MT staff ranks No. 3 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (272:70), No. 6 in walks allowed per nine innings (2.42 per game), and No. 9 in WHIP (1.17).
» Freshman Jacob Williams earned four straight starts at UTSA, all at the designated hitter position. Williams hit .462 (6-for13) and knocked three doubles off Roadrunner pitching in the four-game series in San Antonio.
All-time vs. WKU
» The Hilltoppers lead the all-time series with MT, 68-65, dating back to April 20, 1974.
» The last time the Blue Raiders and WKU played was April 5-7 of 2019 at Reese Smith Jr. Field. MT swept the three-game series against the Hilltoppers and outscored WKU 37-18.
Scouting The Hilltoppers
» WKU is tied with Vanderbilt for the second most doubles nationally. The Hilltoppers have 72 doubles through 32 games and are three shy of the nation leader Texas. WKU averages 2.25 doubles per contest and Matthew Meyer holds the team lead in two-baggers with 12.
» Sophomore Jackson Gray leads the Hilltoppers and C-USA in batting average and currently sits at an even .400 (36-for-90) in 28 starts. Gray is also has the second highest on base percentage in C-USA reaching base at a .513 clip and is behind only Southern Miss' Charlie Fischer at .535.
» This series will feature two of the nation's strikeout leaders in MT's Aaron Brown and WKU's Jake Kates. Kates comes into the series currently tied for No. 17 on the national strikeout list and has a team high 63 punch outs. Kates trails Brown by just five strikeouts on the season and is seven spots behind the MT right-hander in the national rankings.
Next Time Out
» After the weekend series at WKU, the Middle Tennessee baseball will return home to Murfreesboro and Reese Smith Jr. Field for back-to-back home series against UAB and the current No. 14 ranked team in the country, LA Tech.
Games 32-35 (Bowling Green, Ky.): Middle Tennessee (16-14-1, 5-6-1 C-USA) at WKU (16-16, 6-6 C-USA)
» Friday, April 16 | 5 PM CT | at WKU
» Saturday, April 17 | 12 PM CT & TBA | at WKU (Doubleheader)
» Sunday, April 18 | 1 PM CT | at WKU
Fan Attendance
Capacity at Nick Denes Field is set at 50 percent. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the gate beginning an hour prior to each contest. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first served basis. Fans are required to wear masks and practice social distancing during the game.
About the Blue Raiders
» MT right-hander Aaron Brown ranks No. 7 nationally with 68 strikeouts this season and is rapidly nearing the top 10 for most strikeouts in a single season as a Blue Raider. With 24 games remaining on the MT regular season schedule, Brown lacks 23 punch outs of tying Jack Laverty's 1973 total of 91 for tenth most in a season. Atop the single season strikeout list is former No. 3 overall draft pick and Blue Raider Hall of Famer Dewon Brazelton who fanned 154 batters in 2001.
» As a team the Blue Raider pitching staff ranks in the top 10 nationally in three different statistical categories. Heading into this weekend's series in Bowling Green, the MT staff ranks No. 3 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (272:70), No. 6 in walks allowed per nine innings (2.42 per game), and No. 9 in WHIP (1.17).
» Freshman Jacob Williams earned four straight starts at UTSA, all at the designated hitter position. Williams hit .462 (6-for13) and knocked three doubles off Roadrunner pitching in the four-game series in San Antonio.
All-time vs. WKU
» The Hilltoppers lead the all-time series with MT, 68-65, dating back to April 20, 1974.
» The last time the Blue Raiders and WKU played was April 5-7 of 2019 at Reese Smith Jr. Field. MT swept the three-game series against the Hilltoppers and outscored WKU 37-18.
Scouting The Hilltoppers
» WKU is tied with Vanderbilt for the second most doubles nationally. The Hilltoppers have 72 doubles through 32 games and are three shy of the nation leader Texas. WKU averages 2.25 doubles per contest and Matthew Meyer holds the team lead in two-baggers with 12.
» Sophomore Jackson Gray leads the Hilltoppers and C-USA in batting average and currently sits at an even .400 (36-for-90) in 28 starts. Gray is also has the second highest on base percentage in C-USA reaching base at a .513 clip and is behind only Southern Miss' Charlie Fischer at .535.
» This series will feature two of the nation's strikeout leaders in MT's Aaron Brown and WKU's Jake Kates. Kates comes into the series currently tied for No. 17 on the national strikeout list and has a team high 63 punch outs. Kates trails Brown by just five strikeouts on the season and is seven spots behind the MT right-hander in the national rankings.
Next Time Out
» After the weekend series at WKU, the Middle Tennessee baseball will return home to Murfreesboro and Reese Smith Jr. Field for back-to-back home series against UAB and the current No. 14 ranked team in the country, LA Tech.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
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