Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, February 17
Conway, S.C.
9:00 AM CT
Middle Tennessee
1-0
14
vs
8
VCU
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
0
4
0
4
0
4
0
0
2
14
15
2
VCU
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
6
8
13
4
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hamm, Jaden (1-0)
L: Ellis, Campbell (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Snider, Eston 2 ; Mabry, JT 1
3B: Vinson, Luke 1
HR: Coker, Brett 2 ; Wright, DJ 1
RBI: Snider, Eston 1 ; Coker, Brett 4 ; Wright, DJ 2 ; Boyd, Jeremiah 1 ; Mabry, JT 1 ; Vinson, Luke 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Snider, Eston 3 ; Coker, Brett 2 ; Rutter, Briggs 2 ; Wright, DJ 2 ; Boyd, Jeremiah 2 ; Mabry, JT 1 ; Vinson, Luke 2
SB: Coker, Brett 1 ; Boyd, Jeremiah 1
Batting:
2B: Gibbs, Casey 1 ; Benzin, Cooper 1
HR: Bean, William 1 ; Long, Harrison 1 ; Carlone, Will 1
RBI: Bean, William 3 ; Long, Harrison 2 ; Carlone, Will 2 ; Benzin, Cooper 1
Base Running:
RUNS: O'Bryan, Scottie 1 ; Bean, William 2 ; Long, Harrison 2 ; Carlone, Will 1 ; Gibbs, Casey 1 ; Benzin, Cooper 1
PO: Bean, William 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
6
R
2
H
3
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
C
/ BaseballSS
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballOF/INF
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Coker, Hamm Lead Blue Raiders to Opening Day Win over VCU
2/17/2023 1:18:00 PM | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. – It did not take long to set the tone.
Shortstop Brett Coker recorded the first hit of 2023 in the opening inning and followed with a deep home run to left field an inning later.
It was part of a 15-hit, 14-8 win for Middle Tennessee Baseball on Friday over the VCU Rams to commence the season and the Baseball at the Beach showcase at Springs Brooks Stadium.
RHP Jaden Hamm took the run support and pitched a gem to move to 1-0 alongside his team. The junior's final line included 5.1 innings, 6 strikeouts, no walks and no runs.
Fellow RHPs Jalen Wirtz and Justin Lee pitched the remaining frames.
Coker would put a cherry on top of the win in the ninth with his second two-run home run. The senior from Hendersonville, Tenn. finished 3-6 on the day with four RBI.
The Skipper Speaks
"It was a good day," said head coach Jerry Meyers. "Our guys came out ready to play. I'm really pleased with the effort, especially the way we came out of the blocks against a good veteran left-handed pitcher. We haven't seen a lot of left-handed pitching in intersquads, so some of our hitters had not seen a lot of left-handed pitching lately. Our at bats were outstanding through the first five or six innings and then we continued to tack on a little bit. It was a great day all the way around."
Shortstop Brett Coker
"It felt good out there today. I stuck to my approach. Coach Nichols has been talking about approach a lot this spring. It's my last season in college so it was good to get the ball rolling."
RHP Jaden Hamm
"My approach was to attack that lineup. They can hit, so I didn't want to fall behind too many guys in the count. It's super good to get that first win around the belt. This opening day win is big for myself and the team."
By the Numbers
4: The Blue Raiders scored four runs in three separate innings. Coker's early big fly made it 4-0 in the second inning after RBI from CF Luke Vinson and RF Eston Snider.
C Briggs Rutter scored on a fielder's choice in the fourth before RBI singles from DH Jeremiah Boyd and 2B JT Mabry made it 8-0.
And 1B DJ Wright opened the four-run sixth inning with a two-run homer, with a two-run single following from CF Luke Vinson.
3: Snider, Wright and Vinson all went 3-5 Friday.
10: With a 10 a.m. first pitch, MTSU's game was the first in the nation on opening day, giving the Blue Raiders the first win of the season among all D1 teams, and Coker the first hit and home run in 2023 nationally.
Blue Raider Notes
The win was the first time the Blue Raiders played VCU.
Middle Tennessee has now won three consecutive season openers. Dating back to 2006, the Raiders are 8-1 when its season opener is away from Murfreesboro.
12 runs are the most in a season opener for MTSU since 2009, when they hung 19 runs against Missouri State.
Up Next
The Blue Raiders return to action for Game 2 of Baseball at the Beach against Coastal Carolina at Springs Brooks Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT.
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
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