Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Wednesday, February 23
Nashville, TN
3:30 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
at
Belmont University
Photo by: @MTAthletics
Blue Raiders Head to Belmont Before Carolinas Coastline Classic
2/22/2022 6:41:00 PM | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee begins a busy week against Belmont with its first midweek matchup set for Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. Following Wednesday's game, the Blue Raiders will participate in the Carolinas Coastline Classic in Conway, S.C. Feb. 25-27.
Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. - Middle Tennessee at Belmont
Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Illinois
Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Ball State
Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Rutgers
MT (1-3) is coming off a weekend in which it won its opening game vs. St. John's, but then dropped its next three vs. UNC Wilmington and St. John's. Three of the four games were decided by less than two runs.
Belmont finished the 2021 season eight games under .500 (22-30) with matchups against then-fourth-ranked Ole Miss, then-No.2 Vanderbilt, then-fourth-ranked Tennessee and Wake Forest. Belmont went 0-7 against its Power Five opponents last season.
Logan Jarvis was ranked as the 21st best third baseman in the country in D1Baseball.com's Top 50 Third Basemen Power Rankings. Jarvis led the Bruins in batting average (.346), triples (5), RBI (53), slugging percentage (.570) and on base percentage (.474). Jarvis is batting .286 this season in four games with a double, home run and two RBI.
Belmont's starting staff is ranked 15th in the country in team earned run average, posting a 1.41 ERA after four games. The staff has combined for 31 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .145. The numbers are improved from last season's totals, which include a 5.59 ERA, 397 strikeouts and 58 home runs allowed.
SET TO FIGHT THE ILLINI Illinois was one of the most prolific Big Ten teams at the plate a season ago, ranking first in batting average (.276), first in hits (411), third in scoring (6.6 runs per game) and third in runs (290).
2021 Big Ten batting champion Justin Janas returns to Illinois this season after batting .391, slugging .449 and recording an on base percentage of .506. Janas scored 32 runs and drove in 28 runs at the plate.
Branden Comia, the second of three players who batted over .300 in 2021, returns in 2022. Comia batted .323 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBI, including a .445 slugging percentage and .457 on base percentage.
Comia is batting just .100 in three starts while Janas hasn't played in a game yet. In eight at-bats, Brody Harding is hitting .375.
Illini pitching in three games has a team ERA of 5.33 despite seven pitchers allowing one run or less.
LOOKING AT THE CARDINALS Ball State won 38 games but was not selected into the NCAA Tournament field in 2021. Finishing as the runner-up to Central Michigan, only the MAC regular season champion received a bid to a regional last season as there was no postseason conference tournament due to COVID-19.
Ball State split its four games at the Swig & Swine tournament last weekend, beating Bucknell and Army but falling to Iowa and Air Force. The Cardinals scored 8-plus runs in their two wins but scored a combined one run in the two losses and surrendered 20 runs all together in the losses.
Only two Ball State hitters (minimum two plate appearances) are hitting over .300 this season with Amir Wright (.333) and Ryan Peltier (.300). However, five players have three-or-more RBI. Hunter Dobbins played in just one game, but went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI.
Five of the 13 Ball State relievers, who have pitched at least an inning this season, have not given up a run. Starters have given up a combined 16 runs and 19 hits for the Cardinals four games into 2022.
RESEARCHING RUTGERS The Scarlet Knights are 3-0 for the first time since 2006. Rutgers was picked to finished sixth in the projected Big Ten standings by D1Baseball.com after a 21-23 conference only season last year.
Rutgers hit 48 home runs in 2021, including six grand slams. Mike Nyisztor is back in 2022 after batting .351 with a .896 OPS in 38 games. Nyisztor is batting .167 in one game to start the season.
Five Scarlet Knights are batting over .350 this season, including Richie Schiekofer (.571) and Nick Cimillo (.556). The team has not hit a home run yet but has 14 extra base hits.
On the mound, Dale Stanavich and Nate McLain are the top returnees on a staff that has a combined 2.67 ERA and 31 strikeouts.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. - Middle Tennessee at Belmont
Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Illinois
Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Ball State
Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. CDT - Middle Tennessee vs. Rutgers
MT (1-3) is coming off a weekend in which it won its opening game vs. St. John's, but then dropped its next three vs. UNC Wilmington and St. John's. Three of the four games were decided by less than two runs.
Fausto Lopez, one the team's top returning players, started 2022 with an impressive stat line. The senior infielder from Orlando, Fla. started all four games at shortstop and batted .467 (7-for-15) with two home runs, six RBI, four runs and two walks.
Jaden Hamm was the most productive Blue Raider reliever during opening weekend. Hamm, a sophomore from Culleoka, Tenn., made two appearances and struck out nine, allowed three hits and walked one in 6.1 shutout innings.
Playing their first eight games, and 16 of their first 17 games away from Reese Smith Jr. Field, the Blue Raiders face a daunting non-conference slate featuring three 2021 NCAA Tournament teams and seven games against Power Five schools (SEC and Big Ten). Six of the 16 non-conference opponents have made at least one NCAA Regional appearance in the past three seasons.
BREAKING DOWN THE BRUINS Winners of three of its first four games, Belmont had a successful opening weekend vs. Toledo. The Bruins had back-to-back shutouts to conclude the series and didn't allow more than three runs all weekend.Belmont finished the 2021 season eight games under .500 (22-30) with matchups against then-fourth-ranked Ole Miss, then-No.2 Vanderbilt, then-fourth-ranked Tennessee and Wake Forest. Belmont went 0-7 against its Power Five opponents last season.
Logan Jarvis was ranked as the 21st best third baseman in the country in D1Baseball.com's Top 50 Third Basemen Power Rankings. Jarvis led the Bruins in batting average (.346), triples (5), RBI (53), slugging percentage (.570) and on base percentage (.474). Jarvis is batting .286 this season in four games with a double, home run and two RBI.
Belmont's starting staff is ranked 15th in the country in team earned run average, posting a 1.41 ERA after four games. The staff has combined for 31 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .145. The numbers are improved from last season's totals, which include a 5.59 ERA, 397 strikeouts and 58 home runs allowed.
SET TO FIGHT THE ILLINI Illinois was one of the most prolific Big Ten teams at the plate a season ago, ranking first in batting average (.276), first in hits (411), third in scoring (6.6 runs per game) and third in runs (290).
2021 Big Ten batting champion Justin Janas returns to Illinois this season after batting .391, slugging .449 and recording an on base percentage of .506. Janas scored 32 runs and drove in 28 runs at the plate.
Branden Comia, the second of three players who batted over .300 in 2021, returns in 2022. Comia batted .323 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBI, including a .445 slugging percentage and .457 on base percentage.
Comia is batting just .100 in three starts while Janas hasn't played in a game yet. In eight at-bats, Brody Harding is hitting .375.
Illini pitching in three games has a team ERA of 5.33 despite seven pitchers allowing one run or less.
LOOKING AT THE CARDINALS Ball State won 38 games but was not selected into the NCAA Tournament field in 2021. Finishing as the runner-up to Central Michigan, only the MAC regular season champion received a bid to a regional last season as there was no postseason conference tournament due to COVID-19.
Ball State split its four games at the Swig & Swine tournament last weekend, beating Bucknell and Army but falling to Iowa and Air Force. The Cardinals scored 8-plus runs in their two wins but scored a combined one run in the two losses and surrendered 20 runs all together in the losses.
Only two Ball State hitters (minimum two plate appearances) are hitting over .300 this season with Amir Wright (.333) and Ryan Peltier (.300). However, five players have three-or-more RBI. Hunter Dobbins played in just one game, but went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI.
Five of the 13 Ball State relievers, who have pitched at least an inning this season, have not given up a run. Starters have given up a combined 16 runs and 19 hits for the Cardinals four games into 2022.
RESEARCHING RUTGERS The Scarlet Knights are 3-0 for the first time since 2006. Rutgers was picked to finished sixth in the projected Big Ten standings by D1Baseball.com after a 21-23 conference only season last year.
Rutgers hit 48 home runs in 2021, including six grand slams. Mike Nyisztor is back in 2022 after batting .351 with a .896 OPS in 38 games. Nyisztor is batting .167 in one game to start the season.
Five Scarlet Knights are batting over .350 this season, including Richie Schiekofer (.571) and Nick Cimillo (.556). The team has not hit a home run yet but has 14 extra base hits.
On the mound, Dale Stanavich and Nate McLain are the top returnees on a staff that has a combined 2.67 ERA and 31 strikeouts.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
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