Clapp's walkoff paired with dominant pitching powers MTSU baseball to win over SBU

Friday, February 20

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

3 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

4-1

St. Bonaventure

2-3

St. Bonaventure

Middle Tenn.

2/20/2026 8:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Willie Phaler, MTSU Athletic Communications

After being held to just one hit and one run through eight innings, Middle Tennessee baseball (4-1) strung together a ninth inning rally to walk off the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (2-3) 2-1 on the back of an RBI double to right-center by Cooper Clapp.

Bonnies reliever Derek Duval (L, 0-1) quickly picked up two outs in the ninth, but was no match for MTSU's combination between Clapp and Matt Wolfe, who scored after reaching on a two-out walk.

The fashionable finish came for the Blue Raiders in a matchup where arms reigned supreme for most of the night.

Middle Tennessee's ace, Drew Horn, made the start and bounced back to form with 5.0 innings of one-run work along with eight strikeouts. Horn's lone earned run came from a wall-scraping home run down the right field line by shortstop Chris Hoalcraft.

The redshirt junior worked through trouble in his second start of the season, escaping two jams with runners on second and third while striking out the side in the fourth after Hoalcraft's home run.

Right-hander Landen Burch (W, 1-0) piggy-backed off Horn's performance, with 4.0 innings of shutout work. The senior swingman silenced the Bonnies' offense to just two hits during his tenure on the bump, while striking out seven and walking none.

On the flip side, SBU's David James went 4.0 innings in his second start of the year. Brett Rogers tagged the right-hander for a single to drive in Tyler Minnick in the fourth inning after Minnick reached on error.

Two-way outfielder Joey Calabretti was the first Bonnie arm out of the 'pen, and hurled 3.0 innings of no-hit ball before passing it off to Duval.

Clapp's walk off is MTSU's first since last May against Jax State. The win helps the Blue Raiders continue their strong start, winning four of five to start the year.

By the numbers

15: Drew Horn and Landen Burch combined for 15 strikeouts for the Blue Raiders.
1: Clapp's walkoff double was the first of his career.
2: The amount of double plays MTSU turned in the win.

The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)

"[Wolfe] got on with two outs and then Cooper was able to get a ball into the gap, which seemed to escape us on some other good swings that we had today, we just couldn't find that gap. Fortunately that one did and I think it was a well pitched game on both sides. It was one of those deals where you have to find a way to win anyway.

Player Perspective (Cooper Clapp)

"Once Matt got on, I was just trying to keep it simple. My Dad always told me 'Be on time to hit a strike,' and I was just doing that… I was ready to win the game. We need to beat those guys and we need to beat 'em two more times."

Next up

MTSU and St. Bonaventure will square off for game two of the series tomorrow with a 1:00 first pitch. Chandler Alderman (1-0, 4.50 ERA) is projected to start for the Blue Raiders, while the Bonnies are slated to send out Nolan Feidt (0-0, 10.12 ERA).