Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, March 10
3:00 PM CT
Middle Tennessee
2
vs
0
Evansville
Players Mentioned
SS
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: Cameron Wimberly/MT Athletic Communications
Hamm’s Complete Game, One-Hit Shutout Powers Blue Raiders to Win
3/10/2023 6:44:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee Baseball may have been playing the Evansville Purple Aces, but there was only once ace on the mound Friday at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
Blue Raider RHP Jaden Hamm tossed the program's first nine-inning, one-hit complete game shutout since Bob Hardin in 1976, striking out 11 batters and allowing just six baserunners in the 2-0 win.
It was also the first complete game and complete game shutout from an MTSU hurler since Peyton Wigginton at Rice last season on May 15.
Hamm faced the minimum of batters into the fourth inning, retiring the side in order in three frames and inducing a double play in the second. A second double play in the sixth inning kept an Evansville run off the board, with a runner stranded at third base as the third out was recorded.
The Aces are a .271 hitting team on the year, but the righty from Culleoka, Tenn. held the Missouri Valley Conference squad to a single hit, a leadoff infield bouncer in the sixth. Four Evansville starters entered the afternoon with batting averages above .300, including first baseman Chase Hug, the two-time current MVC Player of the Week.
MTSU scored first, when Brett Coker brought home JT Mabry on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff triple in the opening inning. The Blue Raiders doubled their lead in the sixth, also off the bat of Coker, on an RBI double to once again score Mabry.
The Skipper Speaks
"Hamm was outstanding. He set the tone and did more than that. He continued to get better as the game went on. When he had a couple of spurts with some misfires, he immediately got himself back to where he needed it get," said head coach Jerry Meyers.
"He stays in the moment, keeps his heart rate where it needs to be, he has some maturity about him.
"All the way around I felt it was a good effort. We had some guys come up and have some good at bats when we needed them. Throughout the week we had a chance to work hard on some stuff. It makes it harder coming off some losses [last week] that you don't get to play again [until Friday]. We scrimmaged, got some live at bats, got our work in and tried to regenerate our mindset a little bit."
Player Perspective – Jaden Hamm
"I felt amazing. I had a great defense behind me. I trusted my stuff out there. It's my first time going nine innings, so it's awesome. It's one for the books for sure," said Hamm. "Everything was working from the beginning. I had a couple of spurts in there where I had to overcome and trust my stuff.
"Especially after we put up a couple of runs, my confidence went through the roof. Our defense is awesome, you can't play the game without them, so hats off to those guys."
By the Numbers
11: Hamm's 11 strikeouts are a career-high.
3-1: Hamm's record in 2023 improves to 3-1. He has earned the decision each time he's toed the rubber.
7: The Blue Raiders are 7-0 when they hold opponents to six runs or fewer.
2-3: Mabry and C Briggs Rutter each had 2-3 days at the plate, with Mabry scoring both runs.
Blue Raider Notes
The win is MTSU's first shutout win since May 13 last season, a 7-0 victory at Rice.
Mabry has the longest hitting streak on the team currently—at seven games. The Chesterfield, Mo. native is a combined 9-15 at the plate over the past five games.
The Blue Raiders are now 6-0 when leading after six innings and 7-0 when leading after eight.
The 2-0 win is the closest game the Raiders have played in 2023.
Next Up
The Blue Raiders are back in action for Game 2 of the series against Evansville at 1:00 p.m. Saturday. The matchup can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the Varsity Network App and GoBlueRaiders.com.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Blue Raider RHP Jaden Hamm tossed the program's first nine-inning, one-hit complete game shutout since Bob Hardin in 1976, striking out 11 batters and allowing just six baserunners in the 2-0 win.
It was also the first complete game and complete game shutout from an MTSU hurler since Peyton Wigginton at Rice last season on May 15.
Hamm faced the minimum of batters into the fourth inning, retiring the side in order in three frames and inducing a double play in the second. A second double play in the sixth inning kept an Evansville run off the board, with a runner stranded at third base as the third out was recorded.
The Aces are a .271 hitting team on the year, but the righty from Culleoka, Tenn. held the Missouri Valley Conference squad to a single hit, a leadoff infield bouncer in the sixth. Four Evansville starters entered the afternoon with batting averages above .300, including first baseman Chase Hug, the two-time current MVC Player of the Week.
MTSU scored first, when Brett Coker brought home JT Mabry on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff triple in the opening inning. The Blue Raiders doubled their lead in the sixth, also off the bat of Coker, on an RBI double to once again score Mabry.
The Skipper Speaks
"Hamm was outstanding. He set the tone and did more than that. He continued to get better as the game went on. When he had a couple of spurts with some misfires, he immediately got himself back to where he needed it get," said head coach Jerry Meyers.
"He stays in the moment, keeps his heart rate where it needs to be, he has some maturity about him.
"All the way around I felt it was a good effort. We had some guys come up and have some good at bats when we needed them. Throughout the week we had a chance to work hard on some stuff. It makes it harder coming off some losses [last week] that you don't get to play again [until Friday]. We scrimmaged, got some live at bats, got our work in and tried to regenerate our mindset a little bit."
Player Perspective – Jaden Hamm
"I felt amazing. I had a great defense behind me. I trusted my stuff out there. It's my first time going nine innings, so it's awesome. It's one for the books for sure," said Hamm. "Everything was working from the beginning. I had a couple of spurts in there where I had to overcome and trust my stuff.
"Especially after we put up a couple of runs, my confidence went through the roof. Our defense is awesome, you can't play the game without them, so hats off to those guys."
By the Numbers
11: Hamm's 11 strikeouts are a career-high.
3-1: Hamm's record in 2023 improves to 3-1. He has earned the decision each time he's toed the rubber.
7: The Blue Raiders are 7-0 when they hold opponents to six runs or fewer.
2-3: Mabry and C Briggs Rutter each had 2-3 days at the plate, with Mabry scoring both runs.
Blue Raider Notes
The win is MTSU's first shutout win since May 13 last season, a 7-0 victory at Rice.
Mabry has the longest hitting streak on the team currently—at seven games. The Chesterfield, Mo. native is a combined 9-15 at the plate over the past five games.
The Blue Raiders are now 6-0 when leading after six innings and 7-0 when leading after eight.
The 2-0 win is the closest game the Raiders have played in 2023.
Next Up
The Blue Raiders are back in action for Game 2 of the series against Evansville at 1:00 p.m. Saturday. The matchup can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the Varsity Network App and GoBlueRaiders.com.
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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