Scott's Seven Shutout Innings Leads 4-0 Victory

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Matt Scott worked seven shutout innings, striking out 10, and Todd Martin had two hits and scored twice in a 4-0 victory over New Mexico State Friday night at Reese Smith Field.

Scott (9-1) won his fifth straight decision, giving up just three hits and tying his career-high with 10 strikeouts. Four batters reached second base, with Scott throwing 108 pitches. The righthander has allowed just two earned runs in his last 25 innings of work, all victories for the Blue Raiders.

The Blue Raiders (29-24, 11-10 Sun Belt) scored single runs in the first and third innings and added two more in the sixth for their sixth straight Friday night victory.

Martin doubled and scored in the first, and walked and scored in the sixth. He also singled home a run in the third. Nate Jaggers added two hits, including an RBI single in the sixth.

Allan Woodward worked the final two innings for Middle Tennessee, striking out one.

NMSU starter Dustin Cameron (6-8) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on seven hits, striking out four. Bryan Gausman worked 1.1 innings, and Alec Shepherd tossed one shutout inning.

The Raiders got on the board in the first when Martin laced a double down the leftfield line, went to third on a single by Jaggers and scored on a wild pitch.

Middle Tennessee added to the lead in the third, with Josh Archer reaching on an infield single to leadoff. Archer went to second on a wild pitch, third on a groundout by Eric McNamee and scored on Martin's single to right.

The home team scored twice more in the sixth, chasing Cameron from the contest.

McNamee singled to right, concluding a 10-pitch at-bat, and Martin followed with a walk. Jaggers' high pop down the leftfield line dropped after a long run from NMSU's Derek Maytubby, plating McNamee. Jeff Beachum's two-out single to right scored Martin for a 4-0 Blue Raiders lead.

The Blue Raiders were a little unlucky in the seventh after Archer and McNamee both walked to start the frame. Martin put down a sacrifice fly but Jaggers lined into a doubleplay, ending the threat.

The two teams play again Saturday at 2 p.m. and the Blue Raiders conclude the home schedule Sunday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES
Todd Martin returned to the lineup after a seven-game absence. Martin had not started since May 6 against Florida International ... Nate Jaggers extended his hitting streak to four games with a single in the first ... Matt Scott walked a batter with two outs in the fourth, ending a stretch of 28.0-plus innings without issuing a free pass. He last issued a walk in the first inning on April 30 at Arkansas State ... Adam Warren extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the fifth ... Eric McNamee extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the sixth ... Jeff Beachum extended his hitting streak to six games with an RBI single in the sixth ... Scott tossed seven shutout innings and has allowed just two earned runs in his last three outings, totaling 25 innings, against Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette and New Mexico State.

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