Blue Raiders Drop a Pair of One Run Games to No. 16 LA Tech - GoBlueRaiders.com

Story Links

• Photo Gallery

Next Game:

Louisiana Tech

5/2/2021 | 1:00 PM

WGNS - 1450/100.5/101.9

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - After last night, the Middle Tennessee(21-20-1, 10-12-1) first baseman was looking for another chance to come up big for his team. On Saturday he got that chance late in the second game of the Blue Raiders doubleheader with No.16 Louisiana Tech (31-11, 17-6). 

After hitting his first career home run in yesterday's ballgame and his second earlier in game two, Freeman had all the confidence in the world that he could get the timely hit the Blue Raiders needed with two men out and a full count in the bottom of the sixth. Freeman stepped out of the box and got the sign from third base coach Blake Hunt. The big, right-handed hitter rolled one right back up the middle to pick up his second and third RBIs of the game and more importantly tie the game at 4-4.

"That was a big hit by [Freeman] in the sixth to tie things up for us," said Middle Tennessee Head Coach Jim Toman. "He's been playing pretty well for us lately and doing well at first. When [Brycen Thomas] got hurt [Freeman] got an opportunity and he's making the most of it."

Unfortunately, a late home run by Louisiana Tech leadoff hitter Taylor Young in the top of the seventh would help the Bulldogs steal the game with a 5-4 win. It was the second one-run victory of the afternoon for Louisiana Tech, who took the first game by a narrow one-run margin, as well.

GAME 1: LA Tech 1, MT 0
Middle Tennessee found itself on the wrong side of a pitcher's duel, falling 1-0 to begin the afternoon.

Louisiana Tech starter Ryan Jennings threw a complete-game five-hit shutout for the Bulldogs. The right hander had a 6:1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Louisiana Tech's lone run came on a solo home run in the third inning from right fielder Phillip Matulia. Matulia drove a fastball to right center field and it hung up just high enough to sneak over the wall. It was his sixth home run of the year.

Junior Aaron Brown made a historic start in the first game of Saturday's twin-bill. The right-hander struck out a total of seven Bulldogs, moving his season total up to 94. That total moved Brown into tenth place all-time in program history for single season strikeouts. Brown broke the record in the top of the fifth inning by striking out Louisiana Tech catcher Jorge Corona on an off-speed pitch. Brown passed Jack Laverety, who struck out a total of 91 hitters in 1973.

"There's a lot of great players on that list right now and it's an honor and a pleasure to be a part of it," Brown said. "It's an honor to be on the list now. We just have to keep throwing strikes as a staff. We were one hit away from winning a couple games today, so we just have to keep going."

Next on the list for Brown is the great Dewon Brazelton, whose total of 98 in 2000 is still good for ninth place in the record books.

"[Brown] pitched great again," Toman said. "It's unfortunate we couldn't get him more runs, but he did a great job out there for us again today. In one regard, it's good that we've been in all three of these games, but on the other hand we need to come up with some more hits and play some better defense."

Offensively for the Blue Raiders, JT Mabry had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3. Fausto Lopez picked up his team-high 11^th double of the season in the bottom of the third by driving a fastball into the left field corner. Hunter Sullivan and Brett Coker also had hits. For Sullivan, he extended his hitting streak to five games and Coker has now hit safely in five of his last six.

GAME 2: LA Tech 5, MT 4
Middle Tennessee scored its' first run of the afternoon in the first inning. Fausto Lopez led things off with a double to right field and eventually came in to score on a sacrifice fly to right field by designated hitter DJ Wright. For Wright, it was his second RBI of the series and it gave Middle Tennessee an early 1-0 lead.

Blue Raider first baseman Daniel Freeman hit his second home run of the series in the bottom of the third inning to extend the MT lead to 2-0. Just as he did yesterday, Freeman took an inside pitch and drove it over the left field wall, this time hitting it well into the Floyd Stadium concourse.

Louisiana Tech scored three unearned runs in the top of the fourth to gain the lead and added an insurance run before Freeman's game-tying single in the bottom of the sixth.

On the mound, Peyton Wigginton followed up Aaron Brown's game one start with an impressive start of his own. The left-hander allowed just one earned run and racked up five strikeouts in six innings of work, giving the bullpen a much-needed day of rest as the Blue Raiders only had to use David Zoz for one total inning of relief for the bullpen as a whole on the day.

"It's a shame that Brown and Wigginton pitched as well as they did today and we couldn't get a win out of it," Toman said. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We've played three games where our last batter could've won the game for us against the No. 16 team in the country. We've been right there."

Middle Tennessee was led at the plate by its' corner infielders: Daniel Freeman and Brett Coker. Freeman finished game two 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Coker went 3-for-3 with a run.

The Blue Raiders will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow as they will host the Bulldogs at 1:00 at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Anthony Fiorella is a writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @a_fiorella74 and also follow @mt_baseball on Twitter, @mt_baseball on Instagram and Blue Raider Baseball on Facebook for more on the Blue Raiders.
 

Print Friendly Version

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://goblueraiders.com/news/2021/5/1/baseball-blue-raiders-drop-a-pair-of-one-run-games-to-no-16-la-tech.aspx

2021-05-02 00:04:43Z
CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vZ29ibHVlcmFpZGVycy5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIxLzUvMS9iYXNlYmFsbC1ibHVlLXJhaWRlcnMtZHJvcC1hLXBhaXItb2Ytb25lLXJ1bi1nYW1lcy10by1uby0xNi1sYS10ZWNoLmFzcHjSAQA

Bagikan Berita Ini