Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Sunday, February 26
12:00 PM CT
Middle Tennessee
6-2
6
vs
3
St. Bonaventure
0-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
St. Bonaventure
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
3
9
0
Middle Tennessee
1
0
0
0
1
0
3
1
X
6
9
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cothran, Jake (1-0)
L: KLODOWSKI, Nathan (0-1)
Batting:
HR: GRILLI, Thomas 1
RBI: THARNISH, Jayce 1 ; GRILLI, Thomas 1
SH: BIAGEYIAN, Artin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GRILLI, Thomas 1 ; SZABLEWSKI, Chet 1 ; HOALCRAFT, Chris 1
HBP: SZABLEWSKI, Chet 1
Batting:
2B: Rutter, Briggs 1
HR: Snider, Eston 1
RBI: Snider, Eston 3 ; Boyd, Jeremiah 1 ; Mabry, JT 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Snider, Eston 2 ; Rutter, Briggs 1 ; Mabry, JT 1 ; Jennings, Gabe 1 ; Vinson, Luke 1
SB: Snider, Eston 2 ; Rutter, Briggs 1
CS: Mabry, JT 1
HBP: Coker, Brett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballOF/INF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: MT Athletic Communications
Blue Raiders Take Lead in Seventh to Clinch Sweep over St. Bonaventure
2/26/2023 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee Baseball had outscored the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 39-6 combined over the first three games during this weekend's series at Reese Smith Jr. Field. The Atlantic 10 Conference foe provided MTSU with its sternest test of the four-game set on Sunday, but the Blue Raiders rode a three-run seventh inning and an insurance run in the eighth to secure the four-game sweep over the Bonnies Sunday with a 6-3 win.
Down 3-2 after the traditional 'God Bless America' rendition, RF Eston Snider followed a fifth-inning solo homer with a two-RBI single in the seventh, scoring 3B Gabe Jennings and 2B JT Mabry to give MTSU a lead it held onto for the remainder of the contest.
CF Luke Vinson scored later in the seventh on a wild pitch, before Mabry provided an RBI single in the eighth to give the Blue Raiders separation heading into the ninth.
LHP Jake Cothran earned the win out of the bullpen. It's the first career Blue Raider decision for the sophomore transfer from Florence Darlington Tech College. The Inman, S.C. native entered the contest with MTSU trailing, but allowed no runs and struck out five batters across 4.1 innings pitched to secure the win.
The Raiders improve to 6-2 with the win and have won five straight since opening a 16-game homestand on the Murfreesboro campus.
By The Numbers
3: Snider was 3-4 on the afternoon with a HR and a trio of RBI.
3: DH Briggs Rutter was 3-3 at the plate Sunday with a double and a walk.
9: Starting pitcher Justin Lee, reliever Caleb Peterson and Cothran combined for nine strikeouts while walking just two batters.
The Skipper Speaks
"Today was good. I told the guys we had a test on Friday, having to play a doubleheader. We had to put the tarp on five or six times this weekend it seemed like. We had a rain delay on Saturday, where got up really early and didn't play until 4 p.m., then had to turn around and not get much sleep ahead of today," said Blue Raider head coach Jerry Meyers. "It was a good test of character. St. Bonaventure is going to be a much better club once they get some games under their belt. They're coming out of mostly indoor workouts up there. We made some really good plays and did some really good things, but we know we have a lot to work on if we're going to be as consistent and strong as we need to be."
Player's Perspective – Eston Snider
"I was trying to see fastball up. I was struggling to get my barrel out there so Coach Nichols was saying to get my barrel up there, not to miss fastball and adjust to all of the other pitches," said Snider. "Our dugout is never quiet. We're always ready to go. Today started off slower than normal, but it just showed that we stay locked in and focused."
Blue Raider Notes
Graduate transfer Jeremiah Boyd has logged a hit in all eight games to start the 2023 season. Snider meanwhile has reached base in each game.
The Blue Raiders used just nine pitchers across the four-game series.
MTSU is 5-0 at home in 2023.
Up Next
MTSU will welcome Belmont to Reese Smith Jr. Field this Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch. The Blue Raiders' will kick off their next weekend series on Friday against Toledo, with another 3:00 p.m. first pitch at home.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Down 3-2 after the traditional 'God Bless America' rendition, RF Eston Snider followed a fifth-inning solo homer with a two-RBI single in the seventh, scoring 3B Gabe Jennings and 2B JT Mabry to give MTSU a lead it held onto for the remainder of the contest.
CF Luke Vinson scored later in the seventh on a wild pitch, before Mabry provided an RBI single in the eighth to give the Blue Raiders separation heading into the ninth.
LHP Jake Cothran earned the win out of the bullpen. It's the first career Blue Raider decision for the sophomore transfer from Florence Darlington Tech College. The Inman, S.C. native entered the contest with MTSU trailing, but allowed no runs and struck out five batters across 4.1 innings pitched to secure the win.
The Raiders improve to 6-2 with the win and have won five straight since opening a 16-game homestand on the Murfreesboro campus.
By The Numbers
3: Snider was 3-4 on the afternoon with a HR and a trio of RBI.
3: DH Briggs Rutter was 3-3 at the plate Sunday with a double and a walk.
9: Starting pitcher Justin Lee, reliever Caleb Peterson and Cothran combined for nine strikeouts while walking just two batters.
The Skipper Speaks
"Today was good. I told the guys we had a test on Friday, having to play a doubleheader. We had to put the tarp on five or six times this weekend it seemed like. We had a rain delay on Saturday, where got up really early and didn't play until 4 p.m., then had to turn around and not get much sleep ahead of today," said Blue Raider head coach Jerry Meyers. "It was a good test of character. St. Bonaventure is going to be a much better club once they get some games under their belt. They're coming out of mostly indoor workouts up there. We made some really good plays and did some really good things, but we know we have a lot to work on if we're going to be as consistent and strong as we need to be."
Player's Perspective – Eston Snider
"I was trying to see fastball up. I was struggling to get my barrel out there so Coach Nichols was saying to get my barrel up there, not to miss fastball and adjust to all of the other pitches," said Snider. "Our dugout is never quiet. We're always ready to go. Today started off slower than normal, but it just showed that we stay locked in and focused."
Blue Raider Notes
Graduate transfer Jeremiah Boyd has logged a hit in all eight games to start the 2023 season. Snider meanwhile has reached base in each game.
The Blue Raiders used just nine pitchers across the four-game series.
MTSU is 5-0 at home in 2023.
Up Next
MTSU will welcome Belmont to Reese Smith Jr. Field this Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch. The Blue Raiders' will kick off their next weekend series on Friday against Toledo, with another 3:00 p.m. first pitch at home.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
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