Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, May 15
Murfreesboro, TN
1:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
22-25-1, 0
1
vs
2
FIU
19-29, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
FIU
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
5
1
Middle Tennessee
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
1
Blue Raiders Clinch First Conference USA Tournament Birth Since 2015 in Shutout of FIU
5/15/2021 8:13:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee baseball team clinched a spot of the Conference USA Tournament with a win in game-two of Saturday's doubleheader against FIU. The Blue Raiders (23-26-1, C-USA 12-18-1) will make their first appearance in the conference tournament since 2015.
"I told the players that I'm excited for them because none of them have been there," said Head Coach Jim Toman. "We dog-piled in right field because we didn't want to show FIU up and it was a special moment for these guys."
Before the start of Saturday's doubleheader MT honored seniors Jake Hagenow, David Zoz, and Walker Armstrong for their seasons as Blue Raiders and their hard work as student athletes.
GAME 2: MT 5, FIU 0
In the post-season clinching game the Blue Raiders shutout FIU (19-30, C-USA 10-19) 5-0 on the back of a complete game by left-hander Trent Seibert who stuck out five Panthers, walked none, and allowed just three hits.
This makes consecutive solid outings by the junior-transfer. Seibert has pitched 14.2 scoreless innings over his last two starts dating back to May 7 against Southern Miss.
"I think he went stronger as the game went," said Toman. "After he got a few runs behind him I think he pitched really well after that."
In a back and forth game tempers flared as both Assistant Coach Blake Hunt and Head Coach Jim Toman were both ejected from the game within a half-inning of each other.
"I don't even know if I'm suspended or if Coach Hunt is," said Toman jokingly. "All I know is that doesn't matter right now because we're headed to Ruston."
The game was scoreless with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Blue Raiders collected back-to-back RBI hits from Fausto Lopez and Hunter Sullivan to give the Blue Raiders a 3-0 lead.
MT tacked on a couple more on a walk, a stolen base and two singles to stretch the lead to 5-0.
The Blue Raiders held the Panthers scoreless in the seventh inning to give the Blue Raiders the tournament clinching victory,
Following a dog-pile in right field and a Gatorade bath Coach Toman had this to say:
"That's cold, but man it feels good!"
GAME 1: FIU 2, MT 1
The Blue Raiders couldn't push enough runs across in the first game of today's twin ticket to pass the Panthers and fell, 2-1.
MT's only run came on an error by the FIU third baseman that scored Brett Coker from third in the bottom of the first inning.
Following the Raider run, FIU starting pitcher Tyler Myrick allowed three hits the rest of the game and completed the game with four strikeouts.
The Blue Raiders will conclude their series vs. FIU tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field before headed to Murray State to close out the regular season.
"We'll try and get some younger guys some work now that we've clinched," said Toman. "Tomorrow and Tuesday we may look to get some guys in who haven't played as much. We're also trying to add three more games at the end of our schedule and hopefully we can pick up a team for that last open weekend and then head down to the conference tournament, so we're happy."
The Conference USA Tournament will begin on May 26 and last through May 30. The tournament will take place in Ruston, Louisiana and be held at JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
"I told the players that I'm excited for them because none of them have been there," said Head Coach Jim Toman. "We dog-piled in right field because we didn't want to show FIU up and it was a special moment for these guys."
Before the start of Saturday's doubleheader MT honored seniors Jake Hagenow, David Zoz, and Walker Armstrong for their seasons as Blue Raiders and their hard work as student athletes.
GAME 2: MT 5, FIU 0
In the post-season clinching game the Blue Raiders shutout FIU (19-30, C-USA 10-19) 5-0 on the back of a complete game by left-hander Trent Seibert who stuck out five Panthers, walked none, and allowed just three hits.
This makes consecutive solid outings by the junior-transfer. Seibert has pitched 14.2 scoreless innings over his last two starts dating back to May 7 against Southern Miss.
"I think he went stronger as the game went," said Toman. "After he got a few runs behind him I think he pitched really well after that."
In a back and forth game tempers flared as both Assistant Coach Blake Hunt and Head Coach Jim Toman were both ejected from the game within a half-inning of each other.
"I don't even know if I'm suspended or if Coach Hunt is," said Toman jokingly. "All I know is that doesn't matter right now because we're headed to Ruston."
The game was scoreless with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Blue Raiders collected back-to-back RBI hits from Fausto Lopez and Hunter Sullivan to give the Blue Raiders a 3-0 lead.
MT tacked on a couple more on a walk, a stolen base and two singles to stretch the lead to 5-0.
The Blue Raiders held the Panthers scoreless in the seventh inning to give the Blue Raiders the tournament clinching victory,
Following a dog-pile in right field and a Gatorade bath Coach Toman had this to say:
"That's cold, but man it feels good!"
GAME 1: FIU 2, MT 1
The Blue Raiders couldn't push enough runs across in the first game of today's twin ticket to pass the Panthers and fell, 2-1.
MT's only run came on an error by the FIU third baseman that scored Brett Coker from third in the bottom of the first inning.
Following the Raider run, FIU starting pitcher Tyler Myrick allowed three hits the rest of the game and completed the game with four strikeouts.
The Blue Raiders will conclude their series vs. FIU tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field before headed to Murray State to close out the regular season.
"We'll try and get some younger guys some work now that we've clinched," said Toman. "Tomorrow and Tuesday we may look to get some guys in who haven't played as much. We're also trying to add three more games at the end of our schedule and hopefully we can pick up a team for that last open weekend and then head down to the conference tournament, so we're happy."
The Conference USA Tournament will begin on May 26 and last through May 30. The tournament will take place in Ruston, Louisiana and be held at JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Myrick, T (7-3)
L: Wigginton, Peyton (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Girardi, D 1
RBI: Chavez, L 1 ; Girardi, D 1
SH: Rozenblum, B 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanchez, A 1 ; Ondina, S 1
SB: Sanchez, A 1 ; Ondina, S 1
HBP: Sanchez, A 1
Batting:
2B: Coker, Brett 1
SH: Vinson, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coker, Brett 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
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