Middle Tennessee opens final regular season series with 8-1 win against Liberty to clinch spot in CUSA Tournament

Thursday, May 14

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

26-27, 12-16

Liberty

36-18, 19-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Liberty	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	8	1
Middle Tenn.	0	4	3	1	0	0	0	0	X	8	11	0

5/14/2026 9:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Anthony Fiorella, MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—The old cliché of saving the best for last was one that you could argue was in effect against at Reese Smith Jr. Field on Friday night. Middle Tennessee (26-27, 12-16 CUSA) had to open the final series of the regular season against a top draft prospect in Liberty's (36-18, 19-9 CUSA), Ben Blair, who sits at No. 45 on Baseball America's big board. Middle Tennessee attacked him early in counts and was able to score eight runs in the four innings against the hard-throwing righty to earn a 8-1 win in the series opener.

Blue Raider starter David Horn Jr. also saved the best for last, putting together arguably his best start of the season. The senior tossed seven innings of one-run ball, tying a career-high with nine strikeouts. Sitting at over 115 pitches, Horn Jr. struck out the side in the seventh, the second time striking out the side in the game, to strand a man in scoring position and end his evening.

Middle Tennessee got to Blair for four runs in the second. The bottom of the lineup got the scoring started, with Brett Rogers and Clay Badylak collecting RBIs and scoring runs, along with Dean O'Neill, who scored after he was hit by a pitch. Leadoff man Owen Nowak dealt the biggest blow in the inning, poking a two-RBI single to left field with two outs and the bases loaded to make it 4-0.

Cooper Clapp hit his fourth home run in as many games, a solo-shot to left field, to start a three-run fifth inning. Rogers doubled to right field to score Nathan Brewer for Rogers' second RBI of the game and O'Neill got his first RBI by knocking in Rogers with a single to center field. It was enough to end Blair's afternoon at 4.0 innings, giving up five earned runs with just two strikeouts.

Clapp led the Blue Raiders at the dish, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Tyler Minnick moved his on-base streak to 43 games with a double and a run scored in the fourth inning. Rogers and Nathan Brewer both had a two-hit, two-run game with a double a piece. Brewer also reached on a walk.

John Michael Pickens came out of the bullpen for Middle Tennessee to finish the final two innings, giving up just one hit.

By the Numbers

43: Tyler Minnick's on-base streak is now sitting at 43 games.

4: Cooper Clapp becomes the first Blue Raider to homer in four straight games since Briggs Rutter did so between Western Kentucky and Binghamton between April 27th and May 3rd, 2024.

9: Tied career-high in strikeouts for David Horn Jr.

The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)

"We watched a ton of video on (Liberty starter Ben Blair)," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jerry Meyers. "We faced him last year and knew what he was like with the movement, arm action and the fact that he has a lot of strikeouts and not a lot of walks. Part of the gameplan that Coach (Kevin) Nichols was outstanding in getting our guys ready was to attack him and not wait him out. (David Horn Jr.) only let the leadoff guy on maybe once or twice, which made it hard for them to build an inning offensively. We made some plays behind him and he made some big pitches in big spots tonight, just like the bases loaded strikeout to end (the sixth inning). You'd hate to let (not clinching a postseason berth) get farther. There's been a lot of competition throughout the league week in and week out, so getting game one tonight was huge. Just super happy with our effort tonight."

Player Perspective (SR. RHP David Horn Jr.)

"I think first-pitch strikes are one of the most important things, especially against a good team like that," Horn Jr. said. "If you can get ahead early, it allows a lot of your other pitches to work out well for you. (Coach Meyers) sometimes comes out and it seems like his mind is made up with what he's going to do sometimes, but tonight I got lucky and he was feeling generous. All the boys behind me had my back and (the inning ending strikeout in the seventh) fired me up. I keep my emotions under control for the most part, but that one I had to let the emotions go, it was a big one."

(R. Jr. IF Cooper Clapp)

"Late-season, so I've been seeing it well and I'm just trying to keep seeing it well," Clapp said. "I just want to keep being on time and keep things as simple as possible at the plate. (Blair) throws a lot of strikes, so we needed to come in ready to hit and we executed our plan well. It was everything to (attack) early. (Blair) gets ahead of hitters, so there was no waiting around."

Up next

Game two against the Flames is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. CDT first pitch tomorrow. The game can be watched on ESPN+ and heard on the Blue Raider Network.