Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Tuesday, February 17
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
3 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
3-1
19
vs
2
Alabama A&M
0-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Alabama A&M
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
6
2
Middle Tenn.
10
0
1
2
6
0
X
19
15
0
Middle Tennessee baseball begins midweek schedule with run-rule win
2/17/2026 8:00:00 PM | Baseball
Middle Tennessee baseball (3-1) opened up its midweek slate with a bang in a 19-2 win over Alabama A&M (0-4) in a seven inning run rule victory.
Dean O'Neill led the way on offense for the Blue Raiders, notching a 5-for-5 game with four RBI at the plate. O'Neill is the second player in as many games to accomplish the feat, after Brett Rogers powered his way to five hits in a win over Bellarmine.
Overall, the MTSU offense put up 15 hits in the win, while putting up a double-digit scoring frame for the first time since May 15, 2022 against Rice.
The Blue Raider offense had an explosive start in the bottom of the first, putting up 10 runs in the first inning. O'Neill, paired with Nathan Brewer and Brett Vondohlen all powered RBI doubles to put MTSU up 3-0.
The bats continued to stay hot against Antonio Torres (L, 0-1) in the first, with Clay Badylak, Owen Nowak and Tyler Minnick driving in two runs each on singles. O'Neill added another RBI on the Blue Raiders' second time through the order in the first inning with a single to left.
MTSU added a run in the third after a sacrifice fly to center by Vondohlen, allowing Nowak to cross home plate.
The Blue Raiders added two runs in the fourth, with Cooper Clapp scoring on a throwing error by the Bulldogs' catcher. O'Neill picked up his third of four singles on the night while driving Nowak in to make it 13-2.
The offensive onslaught continued in the fifth, putting up a six-spot in the inning. Clapp pulled a towering drive down the right field line to tack three more runs on the board. Minnick joined in on the home run fun, sending a line drive into the concourse of Floyd Stadium for a two-run home run, his second of the year.
O'Neill added his fifth and final hit of the night in the fifth on an RBI single to put the Blue Raiders ahead 19-2.
Middle Tennessee's pitching staff utilized four pitchers across 7.0 innings, including redshirt freshman Ethan Robinson. Making his collegiate debut on the bump for the Blue Raiders, the 6-foot-5 right hander picked up five strikeouts across 2.0 innings of work.
Behind him in the bullpen, Walker Shaw, Mason Dobbs (W, 1-0) and Jack Fortner patched together 5.0 innings of work, with only one run coming against Shaw in the fourth.
Shaw had a stand out third inning, striking out the side in his first inning of work in 2026.
By the Numbers
2: Tuesday's game marks the second time in as many games a Blue Raider hitter goes 5-for-5 from the dish.
1.000: The blowout win over the Bulldogs marks MTSU's first win against Alabama A&M, in the two school's first ever matchup in baseball.
10: The amount of walks the Blue Raiders' drew in the 19-2 win.
The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)
"Overall, our offensive approach was really good," Meyers said. "Regardless of the amount of runs we put up I thought the approach was great. If there was a walk to be taken, we took them. We didn't chase throughout at-bats too much at all. Offensively I felt like our guys did a really solid job."
Player Perspective (SR Dean O'Neill)
"I'm just having more fun," O'Neill said. "Maine was great and I'm really grateful for the opportunities I was given there, but I definitely think it was partially the climate. Always being snowy, always being indoors, now that I'm catching some rays on occasion, walking outside barefoot and getting a little color on me, it's just more fun and a happier environment."
Up next
The Blue Raiders will continue a 13-game homestand by welcoming the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (2-2) to The Reese for a three-game set. The Blue Raiders and Bonnies are scheduled to start the series on Friday, Feb. 20 with a 3 p.m. CT first pitch.
Dean O'Neill led the way on offense for the Blue Raiders, notching a 5-for-5 game with four RBI at the plate. O'Neill is the second player in as many games to accomplish the feat, after Brett Rogers powered his way to five hits in a win over Bellarmine.
Overall, the MTSU offense put up 15 hits in the win, while putting up a double-digit scoring frame for the first time since May 15, 2022 against Rice.
The Blue Raider offense had an explosive start in the bottom of the first, putting up 10 runs in the first inning. O'Neill, paired with Nathan Brewer and Brett Vondohlen all powered RBI doubles to put MTSU up 3-0.
The bats continued to stay hot against Antonio Torres (L, 0-1) in the first, with Clay Badylak, Owen Nowak and Tyler Minnick driving in two runs each on singles. O'Neill added another RBI on the Blue Raiders' second time through the order in the first inning with a single to left.
MTSU added a run in the third after a sacrifice fly to center by Vondohlen, allowing Nowak to cross home plate.
The Blue Raiders added two runs in the fourth, with Cooper Clapp scoring on a throwing error by the Bulldogs' catcher. O'Neill picked up his third of four singles on the night while driving Nowak in to make it 13-2.
The offensive onslaught continued in the fifth, putting up a six-spot in the inning. Clapp pulled a towering drive down the right field line to tack three more runs on the board. Minnick joined in on the home run fun, sending a line drive into the concourse of Floyd Stadium for a two-run home run, his second of the year.
O'Neill added his fifth and final hit of the night in the fifth on an RBI single to put the Blue Raiders ahead 19-2.
Middle Tennessee's pitching staff utilized four pitchers across 7.0 innings, including redshirt freshman Ethan Robinson. Making his collegiate debut on the bump for the Blue Raiders, the 6-foot-5 right hander picked up five strikeouts across 2.0 innings of work.
Behind him in the bullpen, Walker Shaw, Mason Dobbs (W, 1-0) and Jack Fortner patched together 5.0 innings of work, with only one run coming against Shaw in the fourth.
Shaw had a stand out third inning, striking out the side in his first inning of work in 2026.
By the Numbers
2: Tuesday's game marks the second time in as many games a Blue Raider hitter goes 5-for-5 from the dish.
1.000: The blowout win over the Bulldogs marks MTSU's first win against Alabama A&M, in the two school's first ever matchup in baseball.
10: The amount of walks the Blue Raiders' drew in the 19-2 win.
The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)
"Overall, our offensive approach was really good," Meyers said. "Regardless of the amount of runs we put up I thought the approach was great. If there was a walk to be taken, we took them. We didn't chase throughout at-bats too much at all. Offensively I felt like our guys did a really solid job."
Player Perspective (SR Dean O'Neill)
"I'm just having more fun," O'Neill said. "Maine was great and I'm really grateful for the opportunities I was given there, but I definitely think it was partially the climate. Always being snowy, always being indoors, now that I'm catching some rays on occasion, walking outside barefoot and getting a little color on me, it's just more fun and a happier environment."
Up next
The Blue Raiders will continue a 13-game homestand by welcoming the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (2-2) to The Reese for a three-game set. The Blue Raiders and Bonnies are scheduled to start the series on Friday, Feb. 20 with a 3 p.m. CT first pitch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dobbs, Mason (1-0)
L: A. Torres (0-1)
Batting:
2B: W. Cuevas 1
RBI: B. Hammonds 1 ; M. Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: K. Parnell 1 ; I. Castro 1
HBP: I. Castro 1
Batting:
2B: O'Neill, Dean 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 1 ; Vondohlen, Brett 2
HR: Minnick, Tyler 1 ; Clapp, Cooper 1
RBI: Nowak, Owen 2 ; O'Neill, Dean 4 ; Minnick, Tyler 4 ; Brewer, Nathan 1 ; Vondohlen, Brett 2 ; Badylak, Clay 2 ; Clapp, Cooper 3
SF: Vondohlen, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nowak, Owen 5 ; O'Neill, Dean 3 ; Minnick, Tyler 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 1 ; Vondohlen, Brett 2 ; Rogers, Brett 2 ; Badylak, Clay 1 ; Akers, Layne 1 ; Clapp, Cooper 3
SB: Nowak, Owen 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 1 ; Clapp, Cooper 1
HBP: Nowak, Owen 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
3
H
5
RBI
4
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
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OF
/ Baseball
INF
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RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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C
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballC
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RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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INF
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