Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 8
Tuscaloosa, AL
3 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
at
University of Alabama
Blue Raiders To Face Two SEC Opponents in Alabama
3/7/2022 2:05:00 PM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Middle Tennessee baseball looks to shake off its recent struggles when it takes on Alabama Tuesday and Auburn this weekend.
SCHEDULE
Alabama: March 8 - 3 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 11 - 6 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 12 - 2 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 13 - 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)
After dropping three games in Mobile, Ala. against South Alabama March 4-6, the Blue Raiders (4-9) continue their seven-game road trip within the state of Alabama.
The two SEC opponents this week mark the second and third time MT will go up against a Power Five opponent this season. The Blue Raiders split two games with Illinois earlier in the season in Conway, S.C.
Middle Tennessee starters have thrown seven quality starts 13 games into the season. Zach Keenan leads the team with three, while Peyton Wigginton has two and Trent Seibert and Eriq Swan each have one.
Keenan has been MT's best starting pitcher this season. The Suwanee, Ga. native threw a complete game shutout of Ball State Feb. 26 that featured six strikeouts and a span of 10 consecutive batters set down.
Keenan followed the performance Friday vs. South Alabama with 7 2/3 innings featuring five strikeouts and three earned runs allowed. As the lone pitcher (min. 10 innings) with a sub-two ERA, Keenan's season numbers now are 1-1, a 1.99 ERA, 22 2/3 innings pitched and 15 strikeouts.
Jared Vetetoe has started to become a regular in the MT lineup. The freshman catcher and outfielder has six hits in his first 17 collegiate trips to the plate, making up for a .353 batting average.
After hitting five home runs in 53 games in 2021, Coker is two away from matching his 2021 total 13 games into the 2022 season. Coker is slugging .460 and has eight RBI this season.
Playing their first eight games, and 16 of their first 17 games away from Reese Smith Jr. Field, the Blue Raiders face a daunt- ing 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.
BRING ON 'BAMA The Crimson Tide are winners of their past four games entering Tuesday's game vs. MT after beating Troy 8-1 March 2 and sweeping Murray State. After opening the season with five straight wins, Alabama dropped three straight to No. 1 Texas Feb. 25-27 and another to UT Martin March 1. Three of the four losses were decided by less than two runs.
Besides the blemish vs. UT Martin, Alabama has not lost a game at home this season.
Tommy Seidl holds the team lead in hitting. Seidl, a senior outfielder, is hitting .405 with a .992 OPS in 11 games played. Infielder Jim Jarvis and Drew Williamson are the next two best hitters in terms of average. Jarvis has played in all 13 games and comes into Tuesday batting .370 with a .926 OPS. Williamson is the team leader in RBI with 11.
Nine different Alabama hitters have hit at least one home run this season to make up for 43 extra-base hits.
Jacob McNairy is the probable Alabama starter. The Senior RHP is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA 12 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. Batters are hitting .182 against him.
Out of the bullpen Brock Guffey and Hunter Furtado are the most called upon Crimson Tide relievers. Guffey has appeared in four games and hasn't allowed a run in seven innings. Furtado also has four appearances and has posted a 1.42 earned run average with 13 strikeouts.
Jacob McNairy tossed seven shutout, one-hit innings, and struck out seven batters March 2 vs. Troy.
TAMING THE TIGERS Auburn heads into the week after an impressive complete performance vs. Rhode Island March 4-6. The Tigers outscored Rhode Island 49-3 over the four-game stretch after previously defeating UAB 16-1 March 2.
The Tiger offense has scored in double figures in seven games this season and have held opponents to three-or- fewer runs in 11 games.
Auburn is sixth in the nation in runs scored (122) and eighth in the country in team earned run average (1.80).
Sonny Dichiara is hitting close to .500 on the season with a .472 average in 36 at-bats. The senior infielder's stat line also includes seven doubles, five home runs and 11 RBI for a 1.698 OPS.
DiChiara is eighth in the country in doubles (7), 10th in on-base percentage (.615) and fifth in slugging percentage (1.083).
Kason Howell and Blake Rambusch have combined for 35 hits, 23 RBI and 25 runs as two other productive pieces to the Auburn lineup. Through three starts, Trace Bright hasn't allowed an earned run and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 19.
He leads a team staff that has a team ERA of 1.80 with 140 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .175.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SCHEDULE
Alabama: March 8 - 3 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 11 - 6 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 12 - 2 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Auburn: March 13 - 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)
After dropping three games in Mobile, Ala. against South Alabama March 4-6, the Blue Raiders (4-9) continue their seven-game road trip within the state of Alabama.
The two SEC opponents this week mark the second and third time MT will go up against a Power Five opponent this season. The Blue Raiders split two games with Illinois earlier in the season in Conway, S.C.
Middle Tennessee starters have thrown seven quality starts 13 games into the season. Zach Keenan leads the team with three, while Peyton Wigginton has two and Trent Seibert and Eriq Swan each have one.
Keenan has been MT's best starting pitcher this season. The Suwanee, Ga. native threw a complete game shutout of Ball State Feb. 26 that featured six strikeouts and a span of 10 consecutive batters set down.
Keenan followed the performance Friday vs. South Alabama with 7 2/3 innings featuring five strikeouts and three earned runs allowed. As the lone pitcher (min. 10 innings) with a sub-two ERA, Keenan's season numbers now are 1-1, a 1.99 ERA, 22 2/3 innings pitched and 15 strikeouts.
Jared Vetetoe has started to become a regular in the MT lineup. The freshman catcher and outfielder has six hits in his first 17 collegiate trips to the plate, making up for a .353 batting average.
After hitting five home runs in 53 games in 2021, Coker is two away from matching his 2021 total 13 games into the 2022 season. Coker is slugging .460 and has eight RBI this season.
Playing their first eight games, and 16 of their first 17 games away from Reese Smith Jr. Field, the Blue Raiders face a daunt- ing 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.
BRING ON 'BAMA The Crimson Tide are winners of their past four games entering Tuesday's game vs. MT after beating Troy 8-1 March 2 and sweeping Murray State. After opening the season with five straight wins, Alabama dropped three straight to No. 1 Texas Feb. 25-27 and another to UT Martin March 1. Three of the four losses were decided by less than two runs.
Besides the blemish vs. UT Martin, Alabama has not lost a game at home this season.
Tommy Seidl holds the team lead in hitting. Seidl, a senior outfielder, is hitting .405 with a .992 OPS in 11 games played. Infielder Jim Jarvis and Drew Williamson are the next two best hitters in terms of average. Jarvis has played in all 13 games and comes into Tuesday batting .370 with a .926 OPS. Williamson is the team leader in RBI with 11.
Nine different Alabama hitters have hit at least one home run this season to make up for 43 extra-base hits.
Jacob McNairy is the probable Alabama starter. The Senior RHP is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA 12 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. Batters are hitting .182 against him.
Out of the bullpen Brock Guffey and Hunter Furtado are the most called upon Crimson Tide relievers. Guffey has appeared in four games and hasn't allowed a run in seven innings. Furtado also has four appearances and has posted a 1.42 earned run average with 13 strikeouts.
Jacob McNairy tossed seven shutout, one-hit innings, and struck out seven batters March 2 vs. Troy.
TAMING THE TIGERS Auburn heads into the week after an impressive complete performance vs. Rhode Island March 4-6. The Tigers outscored Rhode Island 49-3 over the four-game stretch after previously defeating UAB 16-1 March 2.
The Tiger offense has scored in double figures in seven games this season and have held opponents to three-or- fewer runs in 11 games.
Auburn is sixth in the nation in runs scored (122) and eighth in the country in team earned run average (1.80).
Sonny Dichiara is hitting close to .500 on the season with a .472 average in 36 at-bats. The senior infielder's stat line also includes seven doubles, five home runs and 11 RBI for a 1.698 OPS.
DiChiara is eighth in the country in doubles (7), 10th in on-base percentage (.615) and fifth in slugging percentage (1.083).
Kason Howell and Blake Rambusch have combined for 35 hits, 23 RBI and 25 runs as two other productive pieces to the Auburn lineup. Through three starts, Trace Bright hasn't allowed an earned run and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 19.
He leads a team staff that has a team ERA of 1.80 with 140 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .175.
For more information or updates throughout the weekend, follow Middle Tennessee baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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