Big Innings Helps Blue Raiders Sweep Tech, 17-7

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee used three big innings and Nate Jaggers, Marcus Taylor and Nathan Hines all homered in a 17-7 victory over Tennessee Tech Wednesday night at Bush Stadium.

The Blue Raiders drew a season-high 15 walks and pounded out 14 hits, combining the two aspects to sweep the season series from the Golden Eagles for the first time since 2001. Middle Tennessee scored six runs in the third, seventh in the seventh and four in the eighth and even the club's overall record at 11-11.

Reliver Aaron Wallus (3-0) worked 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on two hits, to get the victory. Josh Anderson and Eric Blevins finished the game, getting the final seven outs.

Todd Martin and Jaggers both had three hits, and Jaggers and Hines each drove in three runs, to lead the Middle Tennessee offensive attack. Martin and Jaggers also three times apiece.

The Blue Raiders had a chance to take an early lead, thanks to some wildness from TTU starter Matthew Edwards.

Eric McNamee and Martin both walked on four pitches to start the first, and Jaggers followed with a single to load the bases. But Matthews got a strikeouts and induced an inning-ending doubleplay from Michael McKenry to get out of the jam unscathed.

A pair of walks in the second also presented a run-scoring situation for Middle Tennessee, but Chase Eakes popped out and McNamee flied out.

Tennessee Tech got on the board first with three runs in the bottom of the second thanks to a leadoff walk to Nathan Marty and a two-run homer from Brandon Bornstein. A two-out double by Phillip Hatch was followed by a ground ball to Jeff Beachum, who booted the ball and then threw it away, allowing the run to score for a 3-0 Golden Eagles lead.

But the Blue Raiders erased the deficit in the third after walks to Martin and Jaggers before a three-run homer to right by Taylor. Another walk chased Edwards from the game, but reliever Justin Fields walked his first batter before Hines belted his first career home run to give the visitors a 6-3 edge.

A solo homer by Shaun Sheehan to leadoff the bottom of the third made it 6-4 Blue Raiders. TTU got a single and a walk in the fourth to chase Middle Tennessee starter Allan Woodward, and after a hit batsman, Wallus ended the threat with a popout.

Sheehan's two-out double in the sixth plated Robby Adams, and Brandon Selvog followed with a single to left to knot the game at six.

Middle Tennessee came right back in the seventh to retake the lead, starting with three straight singles to start the inning from Beachum, Hines and Josh Archer. The last one plated a run and McNamee's sacrifice fly scored Hines for an 8-6 advantage.

A two-out single to right from Jaggers plated pinch-runner Doug Birkofer, and McKenry drove home another run with a single to left. Taylor scored on the play on a throwing error from the leftfielder, and McKenry later scored on a Beachum double for a 13-6 edge.

In the eighth McNamee's RBI groundout scored pinch-runner David Patterson and Martin drove in a run with his third hit of the night. Jaggers followed with a two-run homer to leftcenter for a 17-7 lead.

Woodward allowed four runs on six hits in 3.1 innings, tying his career-high with six strikeouts.

Edwards departed after two-plus innings for the Golden Eagles, allowing four runs on two hits while walking seven.

Middle Tennessee hosts Cumberland Sunday at 2 p.m. at Reese Smith Field.

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