Middle Tennessee loses late in seesaw battle with WKU

Sunday, May 3

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

23-25, 10-14

Western Kentucky

26-22, 11-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Ky.	0	0	0	3	3	1	0	0	2	9	9	0
Middle Tenn.	2	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	8	12	1

5/3/2026 5:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Anthony Fiorella, MTSU Athletic Communications

Murfreesboro, Tenn.—Western Kentucky (26-22, 11-13 CUSA) hit a ninth inning home run to claim the series with a 9-8 win over Middle Tennessee (13-25, 10-14 CUSA) in a seesaw of a game on Sunday. Both teams overcame a deficit in the game, however, it was the Hilltoppers that did so twice in the game to win the rubber match.

Blue Raider catcher Tyler Minnick didn't waste any time extending his on-base streak to 38 games by smashing a two-run shot over the wall in left field to make it a 2-0 game. In his second at-bat in the second inning, Minnick fought an inside pitch off his hands for his third and fourth RBIs of the game to make it a 4-0 game.

Middle Tennessee starter Gavin King got the start and gave up three earned runs on three hits in 4.2 innings of work. The hard-throwing righty struck out a season-high 11 just a week after he set a season-high of 8 against Sam Houston. Western Kentucky scored three unearned runs in the fourth followed by the three earned in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead.

Designated hitter Layne Akers started off the Blue Raider half of the sixth by hitting his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot, to make it 7-5 WKU. Clay Badylak came through with an RBI to put Middle Tennessee down one. The Blue Raider shortstop had a big weekend, going a combined 4-for-8 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored while also playing well defensively. Fellow middle infielder Cooper Clapp singled through the left side to score Brett Vondohlen to tie the game and cap off a three-run sixth.

Leadoff hitter Owen Nowak had a productive day at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double two walks and two runs scored. Clapp, Minnick, Vondohlen and Akers all had two-hit efforts with Clapp also drawing a walk. Brett Rogers had a two-out RBI double in the ninth to get himself into scoring position as the tying run where the Hilltoppers were able to strand him.

By the Numbers:

38: Tyler Minnick's on-base streak is now pushed to 38 games. Minnick became the first Blue Raider with an on-base streak of 30 or more since Dustin Delgado (30) in 2015. Minnick's streak started on March 1.

4: RBIs is a career-high for Minnick. His 44 on the year are a team-high.

11: season high in strikeouts for starter Gavin King.

The Skipper Speaks (Jerry Meyers)

"We came in ready to play today and responded with an opportunity to win today," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jerry Meyers. "We had a good gameplan against their starter to get him out early and get to the bullpen and we did that. When you get in to those tight back-and-forth games, each pitch gets more meaningful. They got it close when they made it 4-3. It comes down to getting one more hit. We had some opportunities, hit balls hard and squared up balls, they just didn't fall in the gap. We had a chance to break it open and had a good at-bat, just didn't get the results we wanted."

Player Perspective (C/IF Tyler Minnick)

"As an offense, we did a lot of really good things," Minnick said. "We were able to jump out in front early and set the table in the first three to fourth innings. You just try to flush some things when you lose a game like that with one run when you have the tying run at second. (Catching) really helps me (offensively). As a catcher, it's unlike any other position on the field, you got to be locked in at all times. I'm constantly talking with coaches in the dugout calling pitches for the other team what I'm seeing versus what they are seeing, so it really helps me stay focused. I love and enjoy it."

Up next

Middle Tennessee will head up I-24 to play Lipscomb Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. CDT on the Blue Raider Network and ESPN+.