Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, May 5
Dallas, TX
6:30 PM CT
Middle Tennessee
at
Dallas Baptist
Blue Raiders Travel to Face Conference-Leading No. 16 Dallas Baptist
5/4/2023 6:00:00 PM | Baseball
DALLAS – Middle Tennessee Baseball is back in the Lone Star State, and will await one of its toughest tests of the season when it faces the Conference USA-leading No. 16 Dallas Baptist Patriots this weekend for a three-game series.
While the Blue Raiders have seen two currently ranked teams so far this year in No. 8 Coastal Carolina and No. 22 UTSA, this weekend marks the first time in 2023 an MTSU opponent is ranked at the time of facing the Blue Raiders.
First pitch for Friday's opener is set for 6:30 p.m. at Horner Ballpark in Dallas. The teams will face off again at 2:00 p.m. Saturday before closing the series at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
DBU's Patriot Broadcasting Network will stream the series, with WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna), GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App carrying the radio broadcast.
Standings Glance
The Blue Raiders currently sit in fifth in the C-USA standings, at 11-10 in the league and 22-21 overall. A four-team logjam currently occupy the fourth through seventh spots, ranging from Louisiana Tech in fourth to Florida Atlantic and WKU tied for sixth. The one game separates fourth from seventh place.
The Patriots meanwhile are 18-3 in the conference and 34-11 overall, a game and a half ahead of second place UTSA.
Series History
This weekend represents the first time MTSU has ever played Dallas Baptist. The Patriots are a first-year member of Conference USA in baseball only, coming from the Missouri Valley Conference. In other sports, DBU is a member of the Lone Star Conference in Division II.
Probable Starting Pitchers
RHPs Patrick Johnson and Jaden Hamm are set to start Friday and Saturday's games, respectively. The Game 3 starter remains TBD.
Quick Hitters
Once counterparts in the weekend rotation, RHPs Jaden Hamm and Eriq Swan have become a promising one-two punch on the mound. Hamm has started each of the past six Game Twos in weekend series, with Swan currently serving as a weapon out of the bullpen as a high-velocity thrower. On April 29 vs. LA Tech, the pair combined for a team season-high 15 strikeouts, with Swan allowing just one baserunner in his first three frames.
DH Jeremiah Boyd had an invaluable week at the plate April 18-23, hitting four home runs and hitting a combined .313 against Lipscomb and Rice. The graduate student drove in seven runs and slugged 1.063 across the four matchups. Twice this season, Boyd has hit homers in consecutive games, including in Games 2 and 3 against Rice, and is the only Blue Raider to own that feat this year, while also being one of two players (DJ Wright) to have two home runs in a game. Boyd currently carries an eight-game on-base streak, the team's highest current mark. His 12 homers are also a team-high.
OF Luke Vinson has raised his AVG 63 points since the start of C-USA play. The Murfreesboro native hit his first home run of the season April 23 to walk-off Rice in the 11th inning, part of an eight-game stretch where he hit .500. Vinson earned his first opportunity to hit in the leadoff spot April 30 vs. LA Tech, and is one of just three players to hit leadoff for MTSU in 2023.
RHP James Sells leads the Raiders with six saves this year, three of them coming in a three-game series sweep at rival WKU April 6-8. The sophomore tossed six scoreless frames against LA Tech April 30 and earned TSWA Pitcher of the Week honors.
Scouting the Patriots
Leading C-USA, the Patriots are currently projected as a No. 15 seed nationally and an NCAA Regional host.
Despite a 10-7 home loss to Oklahoma this past Tuesday, the DBU Patriots are 18th nationally in RPI and first among teams in Texas.
The Patriots are 17-2 over their last 19 games and have won 27 of their last 33, while winning 14 in a row in conference play with sweeps over UAB, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech and Rice.
Four players currently maintain batting averages above .300, led by fifth-year infielder Kodie Kolden at .338. Two Patriots have OPSs north of 1.000 with Redshirt junior utility Ethan Mann and freshman C Jay Grant also leading the squad with 13 and 12 home runs, respectively.
DBU is first in the conference in team ERA, at 4.03. Opponents hit just .238 off Patriot pitching, a mark that also leads C-USA. The squad's top three pitchers in terms of games started each have ERAs below 4.00, with sophomore RHP Ryan Johnson the team's leader in innings pitched (60.1) and WHIP (0.94) while currently carrying a 2.83 ERA.
Next Up
After this weekend, the Raiders will remain on the road for two more matchups, visiting SEMO on May 9 and North Alabama on May 10.
MTSU has its final home series scheduled for May 12-14 against UAB. A 6:00 p.m. first pitch is scheduled for Friday to open that series.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
While the Blue Raiders have seen two currently ranked teams so far this year in No. 8 Coastal Carolina and No. 22 UTSA, this weekend marks the first time in 2023 an MTSU opponent is ranked at the time of facing the Blue Raiders.
First pitch for Friday's opener is set for 6:30 p.m. at Horner Ballpark in Dallas. The teams will face off again at 2:00 p.m. Saturday before closing the series at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
DBU's Patriot Broadcasting Network will stream the series, with WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM (Murfreesboro), WGNS 100.5 FM (Smyrna), GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Network App carrying the radio broadcast.
Standings Glance
The Blue Raiders currently sit in fifth in the C-USA standings, at 11-10 in the league and 22-21 overall. A four-team logjam currently occupy the fourth through seventh spots, ranging from Louisiana Tech in fourth to Florida Atlantic and WKU tied for sixth. The one game separates fourth from seventh place.
The Patriots meanwhile are 18-3 in the conference and 34-11 overall, a game and a half ahead of second place UTSA.
Series History
This weekend represents the first time MTSU has ever played Dallas Baptist. The Patriots are a first-year member of Conference USA in baseball only, coming from the Missouri Valley Conference. In other sports, DBU is a member of the Lone Star Conference in Division II.
Probable Starting Pitchers
RHPs Patrick Johnson and Jaden Hamm are set to start Friday and Saturday's games, respectively. The Game 3 starter remains TBD.
Quick Hitters
Once counterparts in the weekend rotation, RHPs Jaden Hamm and Eriq Swan have become a promising one-two punch on the mound. Hamm has started each of the past six Game Twos in weekend series, with Swan currently serving as a weapon out of the bullpen as a high-velocity thrower. On April 29 vs. LA Tech, the pair combined for a team season-high 15 strikeouts, with Swan allowing just one baserunner in his first three frames.
DH Jeremiah Boyd had an invaluable week at the plate April 18-23, hitting four home runs and hitting a combined .313 against Lipscomb and Rice. The graduate student drove in seven runs and slugged 1.063 across the four matchups. Twice this season, Boyd has hit homers in consecutive games, including in Games 2 and 3 against Rice, and is the only Blue Raider to own that feat this year, while also being one of two players (DJ Wright) to have two home runs in a game. Boyd currently carries an eight-game on-base streak, the team's highest current mark. His 12 homers are also a team-high.
OF Luke Vinson has raised his AVG 63 points since the start of C-USA play. The Murfreesboro native hit his first home run of the season April 23 to walk-off Rice in the 11th inning, part of an eight-game stretch where he hit .500. Vinson earned his first opportunity to hit in the leadoff spot April 30 vs. LA Tech, and is one of just three players to hit leadoff for MTSU in 2023.
RHP James Sells leads the Raiders with six saves this year, three of them coming in a three-game series sweep at rival WKU April 6-8. The sophomore tossed six scoreless frames against LA Tech April 30 and earned TSWA Pitcher of the Week honors.
Scouting the Patriots
Leading C-USA, the Patriots are currently projected as a No. 15 seed nationally and an NCAA Regional host.
Despite a 10-7 home loss to Oklahoma this past Tuesday, the DBU Patriots are 18th nationally in RPI and first among teams in Texas.
The Patriots are 17-2 over their last 19 games and have won 27 of their last 33, while winning 14 in a row in conference play with sweeps over UAB, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech and Rice.
Four players currently maintain batting averages above .300, led by fifth-year infielder Kodie Kolden at .338. Two Patriots have OPSs north of 1.000 with Redshirt junior utility Ethan Mann and freshman C Jay Grant also leading the squad with 13 and 12 home runs, respectively.
DBU is first in the conference in team ERA, at 4.03. Opponents hit just .238 off Patriot pitching, a mark that also leads C-USA. The squad's top three pitchers in terms of games started each have ERAs below 4.00, with sophomore RHP Ryan Johnson the team's leader in innings pitched (60.1) and WHIP (0.94) while currently carrying a 2.83 ERA.
Next Up
After this weekend, the Raiders will remain on the road for two more matchups, visiting SEMO on May 9 and North Alabama on May 10.
MTSU has its final home series scheduled for May 12-14 against UAB. A 6:00 p.m. first pitch is scheduled for Friday to open that series.
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
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