Blue Raiders fall to WKU in first game of CUSA Championship

Wednesday, May 20

Kennesaw, GA

12:30 P.M.

Middle Tennessee

26-30

Western Kentucky

30-26

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

5/20/2026 5:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Anthony Fiorella, MTSU Athletic Communications

KENNESAW, Ga.—Western Kentucky (30-26, 15-16 CUSA) was able to do enough damage early against Middle Tennessee (26-30, 12-19 CUSA) in an 8-2 win over the Blue Raiders to start play in Pool A of the 2026 CUSA Tournament.

Reigning CUSA Pitcher of the Week David Horn Jr. tossed a clean first inning but was unable to escape the next three frames unscathed, as the Hilltoppers got to the senior for seven hits and six earned runs in 3.2 innings. Middle Tennessee had a tough time solving WKU starter Gavin Perry, as the right-hander allowed just two earned runs across in eight innings.

The Blue Raiders finally got to Perry in the eighth when All-CUSA catcher Tyler Minnick hit his team-high 18th double of the year down the line in left field to score fellow All-CUSA selection Owen Nowak in the eighth inning, Nowak's team-high 50th run of the year. Layne Akers brought Minnick home from third base with a two-out single to right to plate Middle Tennessee's second run of the afternoon.

Akers, also a member of CUSA's second all-conference team and all-freshman teams, was able to collect four hits in a 4-for-4 day off Perry, including a two-out double in the sixth inning. Clay Badylak also had a double that came back in the fifth inning, his sixth of the year.

Veteran righty Bryant Beranek went for 4.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two earned runs and was the benefactor of some great defensive plays behind him in what was his 67th and possibly final appearance of his career. Beranek tossed a career-high 46.1 innings this season and had a career-low 4.25 ERA entering the ballgame.

By the Numbers

20: Clay Badylak's double was the 20th of his three-year Blue Raider career.

18: Team-high in doubles by catcher Tyler Minnick.

50: Team-high in runs scored by outfielder Owen Nowak.

2: Layne Akers recorded his second four-hit game of the season, and of his career.

The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)

"We just didn't do enough," Meyers said. "We didn't get to the point to where we could make it interesting early enough… We just didn't get enough going offensively, even though we had some good swings and a few nice plays."

Player Perspective (Designated hitter Layne Akers)

"I was seeing the ball well," Akers said. "We faced a really quality arm and we knew that coming into the game. Last time we faced him, he went seven too, so we knew what he had."

Up next

The Blue Raiders will take on the regular season champion and No. 1 overall seed Jacksonville State from Kennesaw, Georgia on Thursday, May 21 to conclude the Blue Raiders Pool A slate. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with a radio broadcast available on the Blue Raider Network.