Blue Raiders take 13-9 win over Tennessee Tech

Senior Blake McDade ended the game a triple short of the cycle after reaching base six consecutive times during the game. McDade ended the day 4 for 5 with two doubles, home run, three RBI and scored three runs. The two times he reached base without recording a hit were by an error on the second baseman and a walk.

"We had to score runs and outhit them and our power really showed up. Blake McDade had a great day at the plate. He was so productive fouling pitches off and hit his fifth home run of the season. He just had a great, great bat and he's just one of the most productive hitters we have in the line-up," head coach Steve Peterson said.

Junior Justin Miller only had one hit on the night but it came when the Blue Raiders needed timely hitting. With a one-run lead in the sixth, Miller hit a grand slam handing the Blue Raiders a five run lead.

Middle Tennessee recorded 15 hits on the night with senior Zach Hudson and junior Will Skinner each posted three hits with Hudson recording a double and Skinner a home run. Junior Bryce Brentz added two hits of his own while junior Tyler Burnett hit a home run.

"Will Skinner is starting to understand the selection process of having quality at-bats and figure out the differences of pitching, what he can handle and what he can't. I'm glad to see he had a solid day and throughout the line-up we had some guys that had really good days and we needed it tonight," Peterson said.

Middle Tennessee used five pitchers with junior Hunter Dawson working 2.2 innings in relief allowing two runs on three hits as he took the win and improved to 5-0. Senior Tyler Hyde closed out the game on the mound working 1.2 innings allowing just one hit.

"Hunter came in and gave us two good innings. Then we had that long inning when we scored six runs or so and he had to sit and wait he didn't come out physically and mentally ready. He looked like a tired pitcher and gave up a bunch of runs before he settled down," Peterson said. "Tyler Hyde is getting better and better. He is doing a good job of keeping the ball down in the strike-zone and Coach McLaury has done a good job working with him and Tyler has not given up. His last three outings have been very solid and that will be important for us this weekend."

Tennessee Tech also had big hits on the night with Casanova Donaldson recording three while A.J. Kirby-Jones, Ben Burgess and Chad Hayes each had two. Kirby-Jones recorded a home run and double as he drove in two runs while Hayes brought in three.

The Blue Raiders got on the board first as Hudson scored from second on a single by McDade. Then McDade added a second run for the Blue Raiders as he scored on a failed pickoff throw by the pitcher to first.

Tennessee Tech quickly answered in the bottom of the third as Kirby-Jones hit a one out two-run shot to left centerfield knotting the score at 2.

McDade broke the tie in the fifth with a solo home run to right and giving the lead back to Middle Tennessee. Then Burnett hit a home run making it a two run lead.

The Blue Raiders' lead did not last long as TTU answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 4. The first scored on a squeeze sac bunt by Oberacker with runners at second and third. The tying run scored on a single up the left side by Burgess. Then the Golden Eagles took their first lead of the game after a two-run double to right center by Hayes. Beech then made it 7-4 after his sacrifice fly to right field. The Golden Eagles took a 7-4 lead after scoring five runs on four hits.

Middle Tennessee scored a run on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball in the sixth to cut the TTU lead to one, 7-6. The Blue Raiders tied the game at 7 in the seventh after a double down the left field line by McDade scored Robertson from second. A ball hit by Burnett and misplayed by Kirby-Jones with the bases loaded broke the tie and gave the Blue Raiders an 8-7 lead. Then Miller hit a grand slam to hand the Blue Raiders a five run lead. Middle Tennessee pulled ahead 12-7 after scoring six runs on four hits in the inning.

The Golden Eagles scored two runs on three hits making it a three run game, 12-9 to end the seventh. In the top of the eighth, Skinner hit a solo to centerfield to keep the Golden Eagles at bay, 13-9.

The Blue Raiders will play their final non-conference game on Wednesday, May 12 at 6 p.m. when they face Tennessee in Knoxville. Then the Blue Raiders return to Reese Smith Jr. Field for their final home games of the season when they play host to New Orleans.

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