Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Wednesday, May 24
Houston, TX
1:05 PM CT
Middle Tennessee
26-27
5
vs
1
UTSA
38-18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
5
9
1
UTSA
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
6
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Swan, Eriq (2-6)
L: WARD, Ryan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Coker, Brett 1 ; Jennings, Gabe 1
HR: Mabry, JT 1 ; Wright, DJ 1
RBI: Mabry, JT 1 ; Wright, DJ 3 ; Rutter, Briggs 1
SF: Rutter, Briggs 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mabry, JT 2 ; Coker, Brett 2 ; Wright, DJ 1
SB: Snider, Eston 1
Batting:
HR: KING, Matt 1
RBI: KING, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KING, Matt 1
SB: HILL, Caleb 1
HBP: KING, Matt 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ Baseball
Eriq Swan’s Gem Leads Blue Raiders to Win Over UTSA
5/24/2023 4:37:00 PM | Baseball
HOUSTON – They say the postseason comes down to pitching.
For Middle Tennessee Baseball, that could not have been truer, one game into the Conference USA Championships.
Starting pitcher Eriq Swan delivered a six-inning gem Wednesday at Rice's Reckling Park, and the Blue Raiders never trailed on their way to a 5-1 win over the No. 2 seed UTSA Roadrunners.
Swan struck out nine batters and allowed just one run off three hits, holding the league's leading hitting team during the regular season in check all afternoon.
Kota Sato entered out of the bullpen in the seventh, allowing just two total baserunners while striking out two over a pair of innings. He gave way to Jaden Hamm in the ninth who recorded the final three outs in his first relief outing of the season.
With the win, the No. 7 seed Blue Raiders advance in the winner's bracket to play LA Tech Thursday.
The Blue Raiders scored in the game's first at bat, when JT Mabry lined a ball to left field on the second pitch of the matchup.
MTSU scored two runs in the third inning without a hit, with an RBI groundout from DJ Wright and a Briggs Rutter sacrifice fly following a trio of walks to load the bases.
UTSA would get a run back in the sixth inning, on a solo home run. But the Raiders answered back in the eighth, with a two-run homer off the bat of DJ Wright.
The Skipper Speaks
"Our guys did an outstanding job. The older guys at the top of the lineup set the tone. The senior leadership didn't try to do too much. We got the lead and kept the lead, and we tried to tack on, which we did," said head coach Jerry Meyers.
"That was Swan's best outing of the year. He got ahead in the count, and sustained it through multiple innings. He had to reach back to close out a couple of innings, but he was able to execute."
Player Perspective – RHP Eriq Swan
"It feels amazing that I can go out there, do my part for these guys, we put up a lot of runs and a lot of hits to put pressure on the other team. Like I said yesterday, I just want to do my part and help them out."
By the Numbers
4: Four Blue Raiders each logged multiple hits on Wednesday. Eston Snider, Gabe Jennings and Wright all went 2-4, with Wright compiling three RBI.
.188: The Roadrunners hit just .188 overall, and did not have a hit with runners in scoring position.
Blue Raider Notes
For the second time this season, Mabry led a game off with a home run, previously doing so against FIU on March 31.
Mabry extended his on-base streak to 13 games and his hitting streak to 11.
Middle Tennessee moves to 8-0 when allowing two runs or fewer.
Next Up
The Blue Raiders will face LA Tech on Thursday in the winner's bracket, with first pitch slated for 12:30 p.m. at Reckling Park.
ESPN+ will broadcast the game. WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna), GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App will carry the radio broadcast.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
For Middle Tennessee Baseball, that could not have been truer, one game into the Conference USA Championships.
Starting pitcher Eriq Swan delivered a six-inning gem Wednesday at Rice's Reckling Park, and the Blue Raiders never trailed on their way to a 5-1 win over the No. 2 seed UTSA Roadrunners.
Swan struck out nine batters and allowed just one run off three hits, holding the league's leading hitting team during the regular season in check all afternoon.
Kota Sato entered out of the bullpen in the seventh, allowing just two total baserunners while striking out two over a pair of innings. He gave way to Jaden Hamm in the ninth who recorded the final three outs in his first relief outing of the season.
With the win, the No. 7 seed Blue Raiders advance in the winner's bracket to play LA Tech Thursday.
The Blue Raiders scored in the game's first at bat, when JT Mabry lined a ball to left field on the second pitch of the matchup.
MTSU scored two runs in the third inning without a hit, with an RBI groundout from DJ Wright and a Briggs Rutter sacrifice fly following a trio of walks to load the bases.
UTSA would get a run back in the sixth inning, on a solo home run. But the Raiders answered back in the eighth, with a two-run homer off the bat of DJ Wright.
The Skipper Speaks
"Our guys did an outstanding job. The older guys at the top of the lineup set the tone. The senior leadership didn't try to do too much. We got the lead and kept the lead, and we tried to tack on, which we did," said head coach Jerry Meyers.
"That was Swan's best outing of the year. He got ahead in the count, and sustained it through multiple innings. He had to reach back to close out a couple of innings, but he was able to execute."
Player Perspective – RHP Eriq Swan
"It feels amazing that I can go out there, do my part for these guys, we put up a lot of runs and a lot of hits to put pressure on the other team. Like I said yesterday, I just want to do my part and help them out."
By the Numbers
4: Four Blue Raiders each logged multiple hits on Wednesday. Eston Snider, Gabe Jennings and Wright all went 2-4, with Wright compiling three RBI.
.188: The Roadrunners hit just .188 overall, and did not have a hit with runners in scoring position.
Blue Raider Notes
For the second time this season, Mabry led a game off with a home run, previously doing so against FIU on March 31.
Mabry extended his on-base streak to 13 games and his hitting streak to 11.
Middle Tennessee moves to 8-0 when allowing two runs or fewer.
Next Up
The Blue Raiders will face LA Tech on Thursday in the winner's bracket, with first pitch slated for 12:30 p.m. at Reckling Park.
ESPN+ will broadcast the game. WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna), GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App will carry the radio broadcast.
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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