Memphis Connection Leads Blue Raiders to Win

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Jeff Beachum homered and drove in three runs and Jeff Kasser tossed five shutout innings in his first collegiate start, as Middle Tennessee defeated Tennessee Tech, 3-0, Tuesday night at Reese Smith Field.

Beachum, a Cordova High School product, and Kasser, from Germantown High School, room together and played summer ball for the Memphis Tigers. Beachum belted his fourth home run in the last 12 games after going homerless in the first 67 games of his career, and Kasser picked up a victory in the first start of his career and defeated Tennessee Tech for the second time in two years.

The Blue Raider pitching staff recorded its fifth shutout of the year, with Chase Swing picking up his fourth save of the year with four scoreless innings of relief. Kasser (1-0) allowed three hits and struck out three with one walk, with Swing coming on to give up three hits and striking out five in one of his best outings of the season.

Middle Tennessee (16-8) got off to a good start with a run in the first, as Eric McNamee led off with a double down the rightfield line and scored two batters later on Brett Carroll's double down the leftfield line. The hit broke an 0-for-11 skid by Carroll.

Tennessee Tech starter Kyle Copeland allowed a baserunner in each of his five innings, and the Blue Raiders finally took advantage in the fifth.

McNamee singled with one out before Beachum's two-run blast over the leftfield wall, the only ball to get out of the yard on a cold and windy night at Reese Smith Field with the wind blowing straight in from centerfield.

Tennessee Tech (3-11) had only three runners reach second base and one get to third, as the Golden Eagles managed just six hits in the contest. Justin Showalter had two of his team's six hits.

Copeland (0-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings to take the loss, walking two and striking out two. Adam Cloar pitched three shutout innings of relief for TTU, giving up two hits and striking out two.

Beachum went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while McNamee had hits and scored twice and Shane Kemp added a pair of hits.

Middle Tennessee plays the back end of the home-and-home with Tennessee Tech Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Quillen Field in Cookeville. The Blue Raiders host their first Sun Belt Conference series this weekend against Louisiana-Lafayette, beginning Friday at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
Sophomore Jeff Kasser made his first career start in the game, going a career-long five innings to get his first win of the season. Kasser now has two career victories on the mound, both against Tennessee Tech ... The double in the first by junior Brett Carroll broke an 0-for-11 slump that dated to March 23 versus Troy State ... Sophomore Jeff Beachum extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the third ... Senior Derek Phillips extended his hitting streak to four games with a single in the sixth ... Senior Troy Harp's seven-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-3 effort.

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