Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, March 7
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
3 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
7-5
8
vs
4
Oakland
3-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Oakland
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
4
11
2
Middle Tennessee
2
0
0
0
0
4
1
1
X
8
11
1
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
MTSU scores four in sixth inning to secure 8-4 win over Oakland
3/7/2025 7:41:00 PM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee baseball used late run support to defeat the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Friday, 8-4.
Middle Tennessee (7-5) got off to another hot start in the first inning with Brett Vondohlen reaching first on a single to right field, followed by a two-run home run to left-center field to give the Blue Raiders a 2-1 lead.
Trace Phillips settled into his fourth start of the season in the second inning, with his fastball reaching 97 mph. He pitched five innings, allowing three runs, no walks, and striking out seven.
Oakland (3-12) regained the lead in the fifth inning, but it wouldn't last long. The Blue Raiders scored four runs in the sixth inning to take control. Vondohlen led off the inning with a double that just stayed fair down the right-field line. Tyler Minnick followed with a hard-hit single that struck the pitcher's leg, keeping Vondohlen at third. Nathan Brewer came up next and drove the ball to the gap for a stand-up double, scoring Minnick from first. Then, Kenny McKinley connected on a ball, sending it 402 feet into the construction zone of the Student-Athlete Performance Center for a 6-3 lead.
Jonny Stevens and Landen Burch came into the game in the final three innings of relief, allowing four hits, one run, and striking out four.
The Blue Raiders added two more runs in each of the last two innings, with Oakland getting one back for a final score of 8-4, as MTSU claimed the first game of the series.
By the Numbers
Up Next
Game two of the series against Oakland will take place Saturday, March 8, at 1 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)
"That was a pretty well-played game in terms of both sides. It was nice to see us make a few plays to stop running situations, which we didn't do well last weekend. We did enough offensively, but I feel like we left more on base. We had the one big inning and tacked on some runs late, which were important."
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball), and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Middle Tennessee (7-5) got off to another hot start in the first inning with Brett Vondohlen reaching first on a single to right field, followed by a two-run home run to left-center field to give the Blue Raiders a 2-1 lead.
Trace Phillips settled into his fourth start of the season in the second inning, with his fastball reaching 97 mph. He pitched five innings, allowing three runs, no walks, and striking out seven.
Oakland (3-12) regained the lead in the fifth inning, but it wouldn't last long. The Blue Raiders scored four runs in the sixth inning to take control. Vondohlen led off the inning with a double that just stayed fair down the right-field line. Tyler Minnick followed with a hard-hit single that struck the pitcher's leg, keeping Vondohlen at third. Nathan Brewer came up next and drove the ball to the gap for a stand-up double, scoring Minnick from first. Then, Kenny McKinley connected on a ball, sending it 402 feet into the construction zone of the Student-Athlete Performance Center for a 6-3 lead.
Jonny Stevens and Landen Burch came into the game in the final three innings of relief, allowing four hits, one run, and striking out four.
The Blue Raiders added two more runs in each of the last two innings, with Oakland getting one back for a final score of 8-4, as MTSU claimed the first game of the series.
By the Numbers
- 2: Kenny McKinley hit his second career home run, a line drive over the center-field wall.
- 11: The Blue Raiders tallied 11 strikeouts, bringing the season total to 113.
- 3: Three Blue Raiders scored two runs each on Friday afternoon: Brett Vondohlen, Tyler Minnick, and Kenny McKinley.
Up Next
Game two of the series against Oakland will take place Saturday, March 8, at 1 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)
"That was a pretty well-played game in terms of both sides. It was nice to see us make a few plays to stop running situations, which we didn't do well last weekend. We did enough offensively, but I feel like we left more on base. We had the one big inning and tacked on some runs late, which were important."
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Baseball), Facebook (Blue Raider Baseball), and Instagram (@MT_Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stevens, Jonny (2-0)
L: Hunter Pidek (0-3)
S: Burch, Landen (2)
Batting:
2B: Brandon Nigh 2 ; Sam Griffith 1
HR: Carter Hain 1
RBI: Brandon Nigh 1 ; Matthew McGann 2 ; Carter Hain 1
Base Running:
RUNS: John Lauinger 1 ; Ben Clark 1 ; Brandon Nigh 1 ; Carter Hain 1
CS: Aidan Orr 1
HBP: John Lauinger 1 ; Brandon Nigh 1
Batting:
2B: Vondohlen, Brett 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 1
HR: Minnick, Tyler 1 ; McKinley, Kenny 1
RBI: Minnick, Tyler 2 ; Brewer, Nathan 2 ; McKinley, Kenny 2 ; Badylak, Clay 1
SF: Badylak, Clay 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vondohlen, Brett 2 ; Minnick, Tyler 2 ; Brewer, Nathan 1 ; McKinley, Kenny 2 ; Vinson, Cale 1
SB: Snider, Eston 1 ; Vinson, Cale 1
HBP: McKinley, Kenny 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
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