Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 1
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
3 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
vs
Lipscomb University
Photo by: @MTAthletics
Five Games Lie Ahead for Blue Raider Baseball
2/28/2022 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee looks to carry its momentum from a two-win weekend into March when it faces its busiest week of the season.
The Blue Raiders (3-5) are set to host Lipscomb March 1 in the home opener at Reese Smith Jr. Field. On a short turnaround, MT will then travel to Chattanooga, TN for a neutral site game vs. Western Carolina. Later in the week, the Blue Raiders will take on South Alabama for a three-game series in Mobile, Ala.
Tickets for Tuesday's game vs. Belmont are available at GoBlueRaiders.com/Tickets or by contacting the MT Ticket Office at tickets@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5261. Click here for the full 2022 home promotional schedule at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
It was a noteworthy weekend in Conway, S.C. for the Blue Raiders as MT bounced back from an opening loss vs. Illinois Feb. 25 to sweep an afternoon doubleheader Feb. 26.
Zach Keenan threw a complete game shutout in a dominating 1-0 win. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Blue Raiders bombarded Illinois, piling on 17 runs in a 17-10 shootout against the Fighting Illini. MT scored 11 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take control of the game.
Keenan improved his season numbers to a 1.20 ERA with 10 strikeouts and 15 innings pitched in his second start and first win of the season.
Fausto Lopez has started all eight games this season and is batting.393, including three doubles, two home runs and six RBI for a .714 slugging percentage and .486 on-base percentage.
Wyatt Morgan and Jackson Galloway both increased their batting averages last weekend. Galloway .318 after a five-for-12 weekend with two doubles and four RBI.
Morgan, meanwhile, is batting .333 through eight games. After going hitless in his first three games, Morgan rides a five-game hitting streak and is eight-for-19 since the weekend finale in Wilmington.
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.
LOOKING AT LIPSCOMB The Bisons are right at .500 through six games. Lipscomb scored a combined 21 runs in its first two contests against Akron and scored 14 more against Bradley last Friday at home. Coming off an 0-2 finish to the weekend against Pittsburgh, Tuesday will be Lipscomb's first road game of the season.
Four Bisons are hitting over .300. Chaz Bertolani leads the way at .385, next to a .914 OPS in five games. Maddux Houghton is hitting .350. Houghton has two doubles, a home run and five RBI for a 1.119 OPS. Malik Williams has an OPS of 1.168 with three home runs and 11 RBI in six starts.
On the mound, Kaleb Kantola is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts. Matthew Bonhert has made two appearances out of the bullpen and enters Tuesday fanning seven batters and allowing one hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Head Coach Jeff Forehand recently won his 600th career win leading the Bisons.
PREVIEWING THE CATAMOUNTS Western Carolina has already scored 90 runs in eight games this season. The Catamounts throttled Niagra in a four-game series to open up the season, outscoring their opponent 72-12. WCU was brought back down to earth this past week with four consecutive losses against USC Upstate and Illinois State.
As a team, Western Carolina is batting .335 with 11 home runs, 22 doubles and a slugging percentage of .552. Seth Graves is one of six Catamounts hitting over .360 as the senior outfielder is hitting .407 while slugging two home runs, driving in 10 RBI and a slugging percentage of .741.
On the mound, WCU carries four relievers who haven't given up a run (min. two innings). Zebby Matthews has 16 strikeouts in two starts for an ERA of 4.09.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA Coming off a Sun Belt Championship and three wins in the Gainesville Regional, South Alabama is off to a 5-2 start to the season, including a 6-5 win over C-USA member Southern Miss Feb. 22.
Miles Simington leads a scrappy Jaguar offense, batting .448, hitting two doubles, two triples and driving in 11 runs in 29 at-bats. Will Turner has a .548 on-base percentage and 11 hits in seven games. USA has a combined 34 walks, 72 hits and just one home run on the season.
A productive bullpen is leading the way for a team staff ERA of 2.82 and a combined 80 strikeouts. Grant Wood has yet to give up a run in five innings of relief this season. Matt Boswell leads all starters, posting an ERA of 1.64 and 20 strikeouts in 11 innings.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Blue Raiders (3-5) are set to host Lipscomb March 1 in the home opener at Reese Smith Jr. Field. On a short turnaround, MT will then travel to Chattanooga, TN for a neutral site game vs. Western Carolina. Later in the week, the Blue Raiders will take on South Alabama for a three-game series in Mobile, Ala.
Tickets for Tuesday's game vs. Belmont are available at GoBlueRaiders.com/Tickets or by contacting the MT Ticket Office at tickets@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5261. Click here for the full 2022 home promotional schedule at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
It was a noteworthy weekend in Conway, S.C. for the Blue Raiders as MT bounced back from an opening loss vs. Illinois Feb. 25 to sweep an afternoon doubleheader Feb. 26.
Zach Keenan threw a complete game shutout in a dominating 1-0 win. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Blue Raiders bombarded Illinois, piling on 17 runs in a 17-10 shootout against the Fighting Illini. MT scored 11 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take control of the game.
Keenan improved his season numbers to a 1.20 ERA with 10 strikeouts and 15 innings pitched in his second start and first win of the season.
Fausto Lopez has started all eight games this season and is batting.393, including three doubles, two home runs and six RBI for a .714 slugging percentage and .486 on-base percentage.
Wyatt Morgan and Jackson Galloway both increased their batting averages last weekend. Galloway .318 after a five-for-12 weekend with two doubles and four RBI.
Morgan, meanwhile, is batting .333 through eight games. After going hitless in his first three games, Morgan rides a five-game hitting streak and is eight-for-19 since the weekend finale in Wilmington.
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.
LOOKING AT LIPSCOMB The Bisons are right at .500 through six games. Lipscomb scored a combined 21 runs in its first two contests against Akron and scored 14 more against Bradley last Friday at home. Coming off an 0-2 finish to the weekend against Pittsburgh, Tuesday will be Lipscomb's first road game of the season.
Four Bisons are hitting over .300. Chaz Bertolani leads the way at .385, next to a .914 OPS in five games. Maddux Houghton is hitting .350. Houghton has two doubles, a home run and five RBI for a 1.119 OPS. Malik Williams has an OPS of 1.168 with three home runs and 11 RBI in six starts.
On the mound, Kaleb Kantola is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts. Matthew Bonhert has made two appearances out of the bullpen and enters Tuesday fanning seven batters and allowing one hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Head Coach Jeff Forehand recently won his 600th career win leading the Bisons.
PREVIEWING THE CATAMOUNTS Western Carolina has already scored 90 runs in eight games this season. The Catamounts throttled Niagra in a four-game series to open up the season, outscoring their opponent 72-12. WCU was brought back down to earth this past week with four consecutive losses against USC Upstate and Illinois State.
As a team, Western Carolina is batting .335 with 11 home runs, 22 doubles and a slugging percentage of .552. Seth Graves is one of six Catamounts hitting over .360 as the senior outfielder is hitting .407 while slugging two home runs, driving in 10 RBI and a slugging percentage of .741.
On the mound, WCU carries four relievers who haven't given up a run (min. two innings). Zebby Matthews has 16 strikeouts in two starts for an ERA of 4.09.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA Coming off a Sun Belt Championship and three wins in the Gainesville Regional, South Alabama is off to a 5-2 start to the season, including a 6-5 win over C-USA member Southern Miss Feb. 22.
Miles Simington leads a scrappy Jaguar offense, batting .448, hitting two doubles, two triples and driving in 11 runs in 29 at-bats. Will Turner has a .548 on-base percentage and 11 hits in seven games. USA has a combined 34 walks, 72 hits and just one home run on the season.
A productive bullpen is leading the way for a team staff ERA of 2.82 and a combined 80 strikeouts. Grant Wood has yet to give up a run in five innings of relief this season. Matt Boswell leads all starters, posting an ERA of 1.64 and 20 strikeouts in 11 innings.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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1B
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