Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, February 18
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
1:00 p.m. CT
Middle Tennessee
2-1
3
vs
7
Bowling Green
1-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Bowling Green
0
1
4
1
0
0
1
0
0
7
9
3
Middle Tennessee
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
8
2
Blue Raiders drop series finale to Bowling Green
2/18/2024 5:09:00 PM | Baseball
A four-run third inning for the Falcons, all coming after a MTSU error, set the Blue Raiders back on Sunday
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A four-run top of the third proved to be the difference in Game Three of the 2024 season at Reese Smith Jr. Field, where Middle Tennessee baseball dropped the series finale to Bowling Green 7-3 on Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Raiders (2-1) and Falcons (1-2) each scratched across unearned runs early, but Bowling Green broke the game open in the top of the third, scoring four runs in the frame, all unearned due a Blue Raider error, including three runs from runners who reached base either due to a walk, a hit-by-pitch or an MTSU error.
MTSU would earn another unearned run in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch, but BGSU would get it right back in the top of the fourth after a Falcon walked and came around to score on three wild pitches. Bowling Green expanded the lead in the top of the seventh after MTSU walked in a run. A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth got the Blue Raiders ever so closer, but a late rally didn't materialize in the final frame, helping the Falcons avoid the sweep.
Luke Vinson and Gabe Jennings both went 2-for-4 at the dish, while Briggs Rutter added two more RBIs, leading the team with eight RBIs after the weekend. Jackson Underwood continued his strong start to the season out of the bullpen, striking out two Falcons in relief. Justin Goldstein also recorded a scoreless frame, striking out two.
By the Numbers
7: Number of combined unearned runs scored by Bowling Green and Middle Tennessee. Just three runs scored by either team were earned on Sunday. Two of MTSU's three runs were unearned, while five for BGSU's seven runs were unearned.
12: Number of free bases issued by MTSU on Sunday, either via walks (eight) or hit batsmen (four). Bowling Green issues just one free base, giving away one base on balls all afternoon.
15: Runners left on base by BGSU, as MTSU showed resiliency to stay in the game with clutch pitching despite having runners on.
The Skipper Speaks
"You've got to tip your hat to the kid who threw a lot of strikes for a good five innings. I would've liked to have responded a bit better. It's a close game, then we give up the four-spot in the third, score on the bottom, so it's 5-2 after three with six innings left to play. I'd have liked to have seen a little better response. They scored two the whole rest of the game, we only scored one and couldn't get that gap closed up enough to put any kind of pressure on them. A combination of we didn't through enough strikes at times and a combination of a couple of plays we didn't make."
Up Next
The Blue Raiders hit the road for the first time in the 2024 season, traveling south to Alabama for a midweek contest against the Crimson Tide on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. in Sewell-Thomas Stadium on SECN+, with radio coverage on GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Radio App.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on X (formerly known as Twitter) (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
The Blue Raiders (2-1) and Falcons (1-2) each scratched across unearned runs early, but Bowling Green broke the game open in the top of the third, scoring four runs in the frame, all unearned due a Blue Raider error, including three runs from runners who reached base either due to a walk, a hit-by-pitch or an MTSU error.
MTSU would earn another unearned run in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch, but BGSU would get it right back in the top of the fourth after a Falcon walked and came around to score on three wild pitches. Bowling Green expanded the lead in the top of the seventh after MTSU walked in a run. A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth got the Blue Raiders ever so closer, but a late rally didn't materialize in the final frame, helping the Falcons avoid the sweep.
Luke Vinson and Gabe Jennings both went 2-for-4 at the dish, while Briggs Rutter added two more RBIs, leading the team with eight RBIs after the weekend. Jackson Underwood continued his strong start to the season out of the bullpen, striking out two Falcons in relief. Justin Goldstein also recorded a scoreless frame, striking out two.
By the Numbers
7: Number of combined unearned runs scored by Bowling Green and Middle Tennessee. Just three runs scored by either team were earned on Sunday. Two of MTSU's three runs were unearned, while five for BGSU's seven runs were unearned.
12: Number of free bases issued by MTSU on Sunday, either via walks (eight) or hit batsmen (four). Bowling Green issues just one free base, giving away one base on balls all afternoon.
15: Runners left on base by BGSU, as MTSU showed resiliency to stay in the game with clutch pitching despite having runners on.
The Skipper Speaks
"You've got to tip your hat to the kid who threw a lot of strikes for a good five innings. I would've liked to have responded a bit better. It's a close game, then we give up the four-spot in the third, score on the bottom, so it's 5-2 after three with six innings left to play. I'd have liked to have seen a little better response. They scored two the whole rest of the game, we only scored one and couldn't get that gap closed up enough to put any kind of pressure on them. A combination of we didn't through enough strikes at times and a combination of a couple of plays we didn't make."
Up Next
The Blue Raiders hit the road for the first time in the 2024 season, traveling south to Alabama for a midweek contest against the Crimson Tide on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. in Sewell-Thomas Stadium on SECN+, with radio coverage on GoBlueRaiders.com and the Varsity Radio App.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on X (formerly known as Twitter) (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball) and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mitchell, Calvin (1-0)
L: Beranek, Bryant (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Archer,Nathan 1 ; Banjoff,Leighton 1 ; Ganun,Gavin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Newman, Dj 1 ; Seidel, Sam 1 ; Archer,Nathan 1 ; Birchmeier, Brady 1 ; Ross,Tyler 1 ; Krause,Jack 1 ; Banjoff,Leighton 1
SB: Newman, Dj 1 ; Banjoff,Leighton 2 ; Wright, Garrett 1
HBP: Seidel, Sam 1 ; Ross,Tyler 1 ; Wright, Garrett 2
Batting:
2B: Vinson, Luke 1
RBI: Rutter, Briggs 2
SF: Rutter, Briggs 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Snider, Eston 1 ; Vinson, Luke 2
SB: Rutter, Briggs 1
CS: Vinson, Cale 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
dh/c
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
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