Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
12-11, 2-3
Missouri State
14-7, 4-1
Middle Tennessee baseball falters in run-rule defeat to Mo State
3/21/2026 5:15:00 PM | Baseball
With temperatures reaching into the 90 degree mark, both team's offenses started out hot on Saturday.
The Blue Raiders struck first, scratching across one run in the top of the first. Tyler Minnick doubled down the left field line to bring home Owen Nowak. Missouri State responded with a three-run frame against Middle Tennessee's Drew Horn (L, 1-1).
Middle Tennessee's offense responded with a two-run second inning. Nowak picked up an RBI with a single to center, and Brett Rogers singled through the right side to bring home Clay Badylak.
Nowak had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three singles and a hit by pitch. His season average now sits at .400.
The Bears offense came right back at the Blue Raiders, working across one run in the second and seven in the third inning.
Overall, Horn carried a line of 2.0 innings pitched, allowing eight earned runs on eight hits while
striking out four.
After forcing Horn out of the game, right-hander Gavin King entered for MTSU and was tagged for six runs on six hits across 2.1 innings pitched. King flashed a strong fourth inning, striking out the side for one of two scoreless innings on the afternoon.
Nathan Brewer picked up his third home run of the season in the sixth inning with a solo shot to the right of the batters' eye at Hammons Field. The Blue Raiders threatened after Brewer's score with a hit by pitch and walk issued by Mo State's Brody McNiel.
The Bears ultimately worked out of the sixth, and sat the Middle Tennessee bats down in order to end the game early in the seventh.
By the Numbers
10: Nathan Brewer's sixth inning home run was the 10th longball of his collegiate career.
8: Owen Nowak's three-hit day was his eighth multi-hit performance of the season.
Up next
Middle Tennessee and Missouri State will meet tomorrow for the series finale at 1:00 p.m. CT from Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Slater,Owen (3-2)
L: Horn, Drew (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Minnick, Tyler 1
HR: Brewer, Nathan 1
RBI: Nowak, Owen 1 ; Minnick, Tyler 1 ; Rogers, Brett 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nowak, Owen 1 ; Brewer, Nathan 2 ; Badylak, Clay 1
HBP: Nowak, Owen 1
Batting:
2B: Cermenelli,Bryce 1 ; Knight,Max 1
HR: Cermenelli,Bryce 1 ; Gollert,Taeg 1 ; Sutherland,Curry 1 ; Kragel,Brant 1
RBI: Cermenelli,Bryce 1 ; Gollert,Taeg 3 ; Bogenpohl,Caden 1 ; Sutherland,Curry 3 ; Knight,Max 1 ; Fyffe,Logan 2 ; Kragel,Brant 3
SF: Knight,Max 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cermenelli,Bryce 2 ; Gollert,Taeg 2 ; Bogenpohl,Caden 2 ; Sutherland,Curry 1 ; Bergman,Carter 1 ; Knight,Max 1 ; Fyffe,Logan 2 ; Atkinson,Bobby 1 ; Kragel,Brant 2
SB: Fyffe,Logan 1
HBP: Callahan,Michael 1
