Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, March 24
Boca Raton, FL
5:30 PM CT
Middle Tennessee
at
Florida Atlantic
Photo by: MT Athletic Communications
Blue Raiders Head Southward for Conference USA Series at Florida Atlantic
3/23/2023 6:00:00 PM | Baseball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Middle Tennessee Baseball are winners of four of its past five games, and will extend its momentum under the South Florida sun as it gets set to face the Florida Atlantic Owls this weekend for a three-game series.
First pitch on Friday is set for 5:30 p.m. CT. The teams will meet again Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT before the series finale on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. CT.
All games will be streamed on C-USA TV, with WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna) carrying the radio broadcast in conjunction with GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App.
The Blue Raiders sit at 11-9 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA play heading into the series, after winning their opening conference series against WKU and dispatching Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. this past Tuesday.
All-Time Against Florida Atlantic
The Blue Raiders trail the all-time series with Florida Atlantic, 26-16. MTSU is looking for its first win over the Owls since 2018, having not played FAU in a series since 2019.
Quick Hitters
RHP James Sells has logged two saves over the past week. Entering the game with the tying run on deck against Tennessee Tech in the seventh, the Tullahoma, Tenn. native
recorded the seven-out save last Wednesday. Two days later, he induced five outs late in MTSU's series-opening win over WKU. And in the series finale against the Hilltoppers, he earned his first win, tossing three innings of one-run ball as the Raiders rallied late.
Gino Avros has come on the scene over the past week, getting the nod in right field in the final won games of the WKU series this past weekend. With just two starts before the series this season, the Austin Peay graduate transfer went 4-8 in two games against the 'Toppers, including an RBI to open the scoring for MTSU in Sunday's rubber matchup win. Avros followed that with a 3-5, 3 RBI night at Tennessee Tech.
MTSU's 16-game opening homestand is officially in the rearview mirror. The Blue Raiders hit the road on Tuesday for the first time since Feb. 17-19 to face Tennessee Tech on March 21. The team will follow its Boca Raton series with a midweek matchup against Alabama in Huntsville, Ala. March 28. The Raiders are back at home March 31 to open a three-game C-USA series vs. FIU.
Starting Rotation
As in each weekend series, RHPs Jaden Hamm and Eriq Swan will toe the rubber. However, Hamm's start this week has been moved from Friday and Saturday, and Swan's from Saturday to Sunday. Freshman righty Patrick Johnson will get his first carrer start on Friday, currently carrying a 3.52 ERA.
Scouting the Owls
The Owls are 12-10 to start the year, but have lost each of their past four games. After opening the C-USA slate 0-3 at UTSA, FAU dropped a midweek matchup 10-5 at Miami on Wednesday.
FAU features the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, OF Nolan Schanuel. The junior from Boynton Beach, Fla. currently leads the league in both batting average (.458) and OPS (1.562). Schanuel's nine homers also lead the Owls and is good for second in the conference.
Two other Owls currently bat north of .300. Junior OF Dylan Goldstein is second on the squad with a .337 AVG, and senior INF Jackson Ross follows at .303.
Redshirt junior RHP Jacob Josey and LHP grad student Hunter Cooley have each logged a start every weekend series to date. Josey currently carries and ERA of 3.76, while Cooley sits at a 4.60 clip.
Up Next
After this weekend, the Blue Raiders head to Huntsville, Ala. for a Tuesday game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Toyota Field. First pitch for that matchup is set for 6:00 p.m.
MTSU is back in action at home on Friday, March 31 when it opens a three-game C-USA series against FIU.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
First pitch on Friday is set for 5:30 p.m. CT. The teams will meet again Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT before the series finale on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. CT.
All games will be streamed on C-USA TV, with WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna) carrying the radio broadcast in conjunction with GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App.
The Blue Raiders sit at 11-9 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA play heading into the series, after winning their opening conference series against WKU and dispatching Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. this past Tuesday.
All-Time Against Florida Atlantic
The Blue Raiders trail the all-time series with Florida Atlantic, 26-16. MTSU is looking for its first win over the Owls since 2018, having not played FAU in a series since 2019.
Quick Hitters
RHP James Sells has logged two saves over the past week. Entering the game with the tying run on deck against Tennessee Tech in the seventh, the Tullahoma, Tenn. native
recorded the seven-out save last Wednesday. Two days later, he induced five outs late in MTSU's series-opening win over WKU. And in the series finale against the Hilltoppers, he earned his first win, tossing three innings of one-run ball as the Raiders rallied late.
Gino Avros has come on the scene over the past week, getting the nod in right field in the final won games of the WKU series this past weekend. With just two starts before the series this season, the Austin Peay graduate transfer went 4-8 in two games against the 'Toppers, including an RBI to open the scoring for MTSU in Sunday's rubber matchup win. Avros followed that with a 3-5, 3 RBI night at Tennessee Tech.
MTSU's 16-game opening homestand is officially in the rearview mirror. The Blue Raiders hit the road on Tuesday for the first time since Feb. 17-19 to face Tennessee Tech on March 21. The team will follow its Boca Raton series with a midweek matchup against Alabama in Huntsville, Ala. March 28. The Raiders are back at home March 31 to open a three-game C-USA series vs. FIU.
Starting Rotation
As in each weekend series, RHPs Jaden Hamm and Eriq Swan will toe the rubber. However, Hamm's start this week has been moved from Friday and Saturday, and Swan's from Saturday to Sunday. Freshman righty Patrick Johnson will get his first carrer start on Friday, currently carrying a 3.52 ERA.
Scouting the Owls
The Owls are 12-10 to start the year, but have lost each of their past four games. After opening the C-USA slate 0-3 at UTSA, FAU dropped a midweek matchup 10-5 at Miami on Wednesday.
FAU features the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, OF Nolan Schanuel. The junior from Boynton Beach, Fla. currently leads the league in both batting average (.458) and OPS (1.562). Schanuel's nine homers also lead the Owls and is good for second in the conference.
Two other Owls currently bat north of .300. Junior OF Dylan Goldstein is second on the squad with a .337 AVG, and senior INF Jackson Ross follows at .303.
Redshirt junior RHP Jacob Josey and LHP grad student Hunter Cooley have each logged a start every weekend series to date. Josey currently carries and ERA of 3.76, while Cooley sits at a 4.60 clip.
Up Next
After this weekend, the Blue Raiders head to Huntsville, Ala. for a Tuesday game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Toyota Field. First pitch for that matchup is set for 6:00 p.m.
MTSU is back in action at home on Friday, March 31 when it opens a three-game C-USA series against FIU.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Players Mentioned
3B/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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