Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, March 23
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
3:00 p.m. CT
Middle Tennessee
10-11, 0
10
vs
0
Liberty
9-13, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Liberty
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
Middle Tennessee
1
0
2
0
5
0
0
2
10
10
0
MTSU freshman Chandler Alderman no-hits Liberty in 10-0 run rule to even up series
3/23/2024 6:11:00 PM | Baseball
Lefthander throws fourth no-no in program history in second career start
MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—Middle Tennessee State (10-11, 2-3) southpaw Chandler Alderman toed the rubber on a breezy afternoon. With his Blue Raiders looking to keep pace in a competitive Conference USA early-season race, the freshman needed to deliver a good start to keep the Liberty (9-13, 1-1) offense at bay following an 11-run outburst in the series opener.
With already 111 pitches under his belt and two outs in the seventh, Alderman reached back with everything he had and fired a fastball by Liberty first baseman Brian McClellin for his 11th strikeout of the afternoon, keeping the no-hitter intact. It was the crowning moment of the afternoon for Alderman, as the Poplar Grove, Illinois rode that moment to the fourth no-hitter in program history in a 10-0 win in eight innings over Liberty.
The Blue Raiders got off to a fast start. Alderman struck out the first two hitters of the game looking, and first baseman Trace Phillips collected his 19th RBI of the year to give MTSU a 1-0 lead heading into the second.
Middle Tennessee added two more runs in the third inning. Gabe Jennings came around to score his second run of the afternoon on an error and Trace Phillips drove in his second RBI of the afternoon on a single up the middle to make it 3-0.
The Blue Raiders exploded for a five-spot in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a pair of costly Liberty errors in the inning. Briggs Rutter, Trace Phillips, Cale Vinson, Luke Vinson and Bryce Symlar all came in to score as MTSU hit around in the frame.
For Alderman, his 11 strikeouts were the most by a Blue Raider freshman pitcher since current junior James Sells sat down eight Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on March, 29, 2022. Alderman didn't allow a baserunner until the fifth inning, when he issued a two-out walk. His final line consisted of a few team-high's, including innings pitched with eight and strikeouts with 11. Today's start was the first career complete-game shutout for Alderman, who allowed three baserunners all afternoon. The no-hitter was the first since 2004 against IPFW, which was a combined no-hitter, and the first solo no-hitter since Brad Howard, who was also a freshman, on March 16, 1997.
Alderman's classmate, Trace Phillips, had a productive day at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Catcher Briggs Rutter also reached base three times, scoring a team-high three runs while stealing his seventh base of the year. Gabe Jennings went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Cale Vinson, Luke Vinson and Clay Badylak all also reached base twice on the afternoon.
Middle Tennessee won the game on a run-rule in the eighth inning, scoring on Liberty's sixth error of the game with to walk it off with Briggs Rutter coming in to score the game-winning run.
By the Numbers
11: Strikeouts this afternoon by Chandler Alderman, a season and career high
6: Multi-RBI games by freshman first baseman Trace Phillips following his two RBI effort, today
20: Years since the last Middle Tennessee no-hitter, which came on February, 21, 2004 against IPFW.
The Skipper, Jerry Meyers, Speaks
"(The no-hitter) was really special and very-much needed, and for a young guy to do it on top of everything else. We played good defense behind him. He was outstanding. I'm so proud and happy for him. Once he got to around the 100-pitch mark, we had a good lead and the bullpen going. We were just kind of down there counting outs. We had nine outs left, then six, and so on. That's how you work it in your mind. Something entered my mind late that I didn't want to take this opportunity away from a guy that may never get it again."
Player's Perspective: Freshman LHP Chandler Alderman
"I was ecstatic (when the no-hitter was finalized). Everyone was jumping around and all of a sudden I saw a big water jug getting dumped over on me. It was an out of body experience. I first realized what was going on in the seventh inning. I was going back out there (even if the game went into the ninth inning. It's insane to be one of those guys (to throw a no-hitter). It was great."
Up Next
The Blue Raiders and Flames wrap up the series tomorrow from Reese Smith Jr. Field at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
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).
With already 111 pitches under his belt and two outs in the seventh, Alderman reached back with everything he had and fired a fastball by Liberty first baseman Brian McClellin for his 11th strikeout of the afternoon, keeping the no-hitter intact. It was the crowning moment of the afternoon for Alderman, as the Poplar Grove, Illinois rode that moment to the fourth no-hitter in program history in a 10-0 win in eight innings over Liberty.
The Blue Raiders got off to a fast start. Alderman struck out the first two hitters of the game looking, and first baseman Trace Phillips collected his 19th RBI of the year to give MTSU a 1-0 lead heading into the second.
Middle Tennessee added two more runs in the third inning. Gabe Jennings came around to score his second run of the afternoon on an error and Trace Phillips drove in his second RBI of the afternoon on a single up the middle to make it 3-0.
The Blue Raiders exploded for a five-spot in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a pair of costly Liberty errors in the inning. Briggs Rutter, Trace Phillips, Cale Vinson, Luke Vinson and Bryce Symlar all came in to score as MTSU hit around in the frame.
For Alderman, his 11 strikeouts were the most by a Blue Raider freshman pitcher since current junior James Sells sat down eight Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on March, 29, 2022. Alderman didn't allow a baserunner until the fifth inning, when he issued a two-out walk. His final line consisted of a few team-high's, including innings pitched with eight and strikeouts with 11. Today's start was the first career complete-game shutout for Alderman, who allowed three baserunners all afternoon. The no-hitter was the first since 2004 against IPFW, which was a combined no-hitter, and the first solo no-hitter since Brad Howard, who was also a freshman, on March 16, 1997.
Alderman's classmate, Trace Phillips, had a productive day at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Catcher Briggs Rutter also reached base three times, scoring a team-high three runs while stealing his seventh base of the year. Gabe Jennings went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Cale Vinson, Luke Vinson and Clay Badylak all also reached base twice on the afternoon.
Middle Tennessee won the game on a run-rule in the eighth inning, scoring on Liberty's sixth error of the game with to walk it off with Briggs Rutter coming in to score the game-winning run.
By the Numbers
11: Strikeouts this afternoon by Chandler Alderman, a season and career high
6: Multi-RBI games by freshman first baseman Trace Phillips following his two RBI effort, today
20: Years since the last Middle Tennessee no-hitter, which came on February, 21, 2004 against IPFW.
The Skipper, Jerry Meyers, Speaks
"(The no-hitter) was really special and very-much needed, and for a young guy to do it on top of everything else. We played good defense behind him. He was outstanding. I'm so proud and happy for him. Once he got to around the 100-pitch mark, we had a good lead and the bullpen going. We were just kind of down there counting outs. We had nine outs left, then six, and so on. That's how you work it in your mind. Something entered my mind late that I didn't want to take this opportunity away from a guy that may never get it again."
Player's Perspective: Freshman LHP Chandler Alderman
"I was ecstatic (when the no-hitter was finalized). Everyone was jumping around and all of a sudden I saw a big water jug getting dumped over on me. It was an out of body experience. I first realized what was going on in the seventh inning. I was going back out there (even if the game went into the ninth inning. It's insane to be one of those guys (to throw a no-hitter). It was great."
Up Next
The Blue Raiders and Flames wrap up the series tomorrow from Reese Smith Jr. Field at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
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: Alderman, Chandler (2-1)
L: BUTLER, Ryan (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Jennings, Gabe 1 ; Phillips, Trace 2 ; Vinson, Luke 1 ; Badylak, Clay 1
SH: Snider, Eston 1
SF: Phillips, Trace 1 ; Badylak, Clay 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jennings, Gabe 2 ; Snider, Eston 1 ; Rutter, Briggs 3 ; Phillips, Trace 1 ; Vinson, Cale 1 ; Vinson, Luke 1 ; Symlar, Bryce 1
SB: Rutter, Briggs 1 ; Symlar, Bryce 1
CS: Rutter, Briggs 1
HBP: Snider, Eston 1 ; Vinson, Cale 1
PO: Badylak, Clay 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF/RHP
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
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