Blue Raiders drop close decision to Hilltoppers

Saturday, April 27

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

3:00 p.m. CT

Middle Tennessee

14-28, 0

WKU

30-14, 0

WKU

Middle Tennessee

Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications

4/27/2024 6:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

A ninth-inning rally allowed WKU to edge past MTSU on Saturday

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee baseball dropped game two of the series to Western Kentucky 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

The Blue Raiders (14-28, 5-12 C-USA) got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first off back to back home runs by Briggs Rutter and Trace Phillips. Both homers took advantage of the wind blowing out to right field to hug the foul pole for an early 3-0 lead.

The Hilltoppers (30-14, 12-5 C-USA) added a run in the third and two runs in the fifth to tie up the game. Both offenses were at a stalemate through the middle innings, exchanging scoreless halves for the next three frames, until WKU scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth off an RBI-double.

That was enough for the Hilltoppers to bring in closer Mason Burns to shut the Blue Raiders down in the ninth. The Blue Raiders were able to get a runner to second base on a Hilltopper error with two outs, but could not bring around pinch runner Bryce Symlar to score.

Trace Phillips was the lone Blue Raider with multiple hits on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Chandler Alderman was solid in his start on the mound, throwing five complete innings with four strikeouts and three runs (two earned). Ollie Akens and Colin Kerrigan both combined for 2.1 innings of scoreless relief pitching out of the bullpen.

By the Numbers

2: Saturday was the second time this year that Briggs Rutter and Trace Phillips went deep back-to-back.

11 vs 4: Runners left on by the Hilltoppers vs Runners left on by the Blue Raiders. While the MTSU pitching staff was able to strand many WKU runners on base, the Blue Raiders failed to threaten on the basepaths much of Saturday's game.

7: Games where the Blue Raiders have had at least three errors after committing three errors on Saturday. One such error resulted in one unearned run.

The Skipper Speaks

"It was a hard fought game. Obviously we got off to a hot start in the first against a guy who has a really good arm. It is one of those deals where not one team played better than the other, but it was a hard fought game and came out on the short end."

Up Next

The Blue Raiders will host the series finale vs WKU at the Reese tomorrow, April 28th at 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Blue Raider Radio Network.

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