Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 19
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
6 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
19-16
3
vs
1
Belmont University
23-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Belmont
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
1
Middle Tennessee
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
X
3
7
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Julian, Jack (2-0)
L: HUBBELL, Aaron (0-2)
S: Seibert, Trent (1)
Batting:
RBI: HEATON, Brodey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BEHRENDS, John 1
SB: LIPSCOMB, Guy 1
HBP: SHACKLETT, Carson 1
PO: LIPSCOMB, Guy 1
Batting:
2B: Rutter, Briggs 1 ; Galloway, Jackson 1
RBI: Rutter, Briggs 2 ; Galloway, Jackson 1
SH: Negishi, Tatsunori 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mabry, JT 1 ; Morgan, Wyatt 1 ; Rutter, Briggs 1
SB: Wright, Jacob 1 ; Coker, Brett 1
HBP: Mabry, JT 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: Ian Mahan/MT Athletic Communications
Blue Raiders Outduel Bruins in Midweek Pitcher’s Battle
4/19/2022 10:06:00 PM | Baseball
Jack Julian struck out seven in six innings to earn the win.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Jack Julian's breaking ball might've kept Belmont "Livin' on a Prayer" in the batter's box, but the freshman pitcher wasn't the only one on the Blue Raiders pitching staff who kept the Bruins guessing "All Night Long."
In front of Reese Smith Jr. Field crowd dressed in their best Miami Vice colors on 80s Night, the Middle Tennessee bats came up clutch "Under Pressure" to sneak past Belmont, 3-1, in a midweek pitcher's duel.
"Our three pitchers pitched very well," head coach Jim Toman said. "We didn't hit great, but we had some timely hits. It's a win, and we figured out a way to win. That's better than playing really well and losing. I'd rather play bad and win. Not that we played extremely bad, but pitching was the name of the game tonight."
Julian gave up one run in the first inning, but told himself that, the rest of the way, he was "Never Gonna Give You Up", at one point striking out six Bruins in a row across parts of the third, fourth and fifth innings.
"I came in early just throwing fastball like I did last week and knew that I needed to establish some off speed, because they were barreling up my fastball," Julian said. "So I took a deep breath, threw some good pitches in there."
James Sells and Trent Seibert both tossed scoreless frames the rest of the way, with Seibert earning the five-out save, his first save of 2022.
"That's just who Jack is," catcher Briggs Rutter said of the freshman's start. "When he gets in a groove, he just dials in. He goes quick, and I think he throws his best stuff when he's dialed in."
Rutter's sixth inning double held up "In the Air Tonight" just enough to split the Bruin left fielder and center fielder, plating MT's first two runs of the night, runs that would be the only Middle Tennessee (19-16) would need to even up the season series with Belmont (23-14), who one the first game of the season between the two clubs in Nashville in February, 11-1.
"I was just trying to see something up," Rutter said. "I saw an opportunity to get the ball in the air with a runner on first and third. Not trying to roll one into a double play, I'm not that fast. I got a hanging breaking ball and luckily put a great swing on it. Wyatt (Morgan) did a great job scoring from first, he's also not an extremely fast guy."
Belmont scored one run in the top of the first that put the Bruins up 1-0, a lead they would hold for the next five innings. But in the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Raiders bats came alive after JT Mabry took a pitch to the helmet to head to first with one away. Morgan then singled through the 3-4 hole as Mabry attempted to steal, pushing Mabry to third with one out.
Rutter then smashed a double off the wall in left-center field, plating both Mabry and Morgan to give MT its first lead of the night. A sac bunt from Tatsunori Negishi moved Rutter to third, with the catcher coming around to score on the next play as Jackson Galloway's infield single ricocheted off the Bruin first baseman. MT ended the inning with a 3-1 lead.
That lead would hold the rest of the way, as Sells and Seibert combined to toss three scoreless frames in the final three innings, with Sells earning a hold and Seibert a save.
MT will now travel to Ruston, La. this weekend to take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Conference USA action. The three-game series at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park commences on Friday evening at 6 p.m. central.
In front of Reese Smith Jr. Field crowd dressed in their best Miami Vice colors on 80s Night, the Middle Tennessee bats came up clutch "Under Pressure" to sneak past Belmont, 3-1, in a midweek pitcher's duel.
"Our three pitchers pitched very well," head coach Jim Toman said. "We didn't hit great, but we had some timely hits. It's a win, and we figured out a way to win. That's better than playing really well and losing. I'd rather play bad and win. Not that we played extremely bad, but pitching was the name of the game tonight."
Julian gave up one run in the first inning, but told himself that, the rest of the way, he was "Never Gonna Give You Up", at one point striking out six Bruins in a row across parts of the third, fourth and fifth innings.
"I came in early just throwing fastball like I did last week and knew that I needed to establish some off speed, because they were barreling up my fastball," Julian said. "So I took a deep breath, threw some good pitches in there."
James Sells and Trent Seibert both tossed scoreless frames the rest of the way, with Seibert earning the five-out save, his first save of 2022.
"That's just who Jack is," catcher Briggs Rutter said of the freshman's start. "When he gets in a groove, he just dials in. He goes quick, and I think he throws his best stuff when he's dialed in."
Rutter's sixth inning double held up "In the Air Tonight" just enough to split the Bruin left fielder and center fielder, plating MT's first two runs of the night, runs that would be the only Middle Tennessee (19-16) would need to even up the season series with Belmont (23-14), who one the first game of the season between the two clubs in Nashville in February, 11-1.
"I was just trying to see something up," Rutter said. "I saw an opportunity to get the ball in the air with a runner on first and third. Not trying to roll one into a double play, I'm not that fast. I got a hanging breaking ball and luckily put a great swing on it. Wyatt (Morgan) did a great job scoring from first, he's also not an extremely fast guy."
Belmont scored one run in the top of the first that put the Bruins up 1-0, a lead they would hold for the next five innings. But in the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Raiders bats came alive after JT Mabry took a pitch to the helmet to head to first with one away. Morgan then singled through the 3-4 hole as Mabry attempted to steal, pushing Mabry to third with one out.
Rutter then smashed a double off the wall in left-center field, plating both Mabry and Morgan to give MT its first lead of the night. A sac bunt from Tatsunori Negishi moved Rutter to third, with the catcher coming around to score on the next play as Jackson Galloway's infield single ricocheted off the Bruin first baseman. MT ended the inning with a 3-1 lead.
That lead would hold the rest of the way, as Sells and Seibert combined to toss three scoreless frames in the final three innings, with Sells earning a hold and Seibert a save.
MT will now travel to Ruston, La. this weekend to take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Conference USA action. The three-game series at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park commences on Friday evening at 6 p.m. central.
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