Hines, Edwards Lead 11-4 Win

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Nathan Hines drove in four runs, including a three-run homer in a five-run second inning, and Chad Edwards worked six effective innings in Middle Tennessee's 11-4 victory over Western Kentucky Sunday afternoon at Reese Smith Field. The Blue Raiders won the series, 2-1, with Sunday's triumph.

Hines had the three-run homer in the second inning and drove in another run with a groundout in the fourth. The No. 8 hitters in the lineup - Matt Campbell and Rawley Bishop, combined for three hits, three runs scored and one RBI, including a solo homer from Bishop, his first of the season.

Edwards (1-2), in his first career weekend start, gave up three earned runs in six innings of work, striking out four and walking two. He worked out of a major jam in the first with the bases loaded and no one out, giving up just an unearned run.

Nick Marrs worked two scoreless innings, though he gave up four hits but induced two doubleplays, and Allan Woodward struck out the side in the ninth.

WKU's Kenny Griffin (3-2), the first of seven Hilltoppers hurlers, took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in 3.1 innings.

Middle Tennessee's Jeff Beachum added two more hits with two RBIs and a run scored in the contest. The senior was 8-for-14 in the series with three runs scored.

Campbell was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Chase Eakes collected two hits in the Blue Raiders 14-hit attack.

Western Kentucky scored once in the first and could have had more. Matt Ransdell drew a leadoff walk and Corteze Armstrong followed with a single. Scotty Colt grounded to first, but Campbell's throw to second was wide, loading the bases. Casey Hamilton's fielder's choice plated a run, but Edwards got a strikeout and then the Blue Raiders gunned down Armstrong at the plate when WKU tried the double steal.

Middle Tennessee exploded for five runs in the second to take the lead. Josh Horn walked with one out and Campbell and Eakes followed with singles to load the bases. Beachum then flaired a two-run single into short rightfield and Hines followed with a three-run homer, just clearing the rightfield wall for his first round-tripper of the season and a 5-1 Blue Raiders advantage.

The Hilltoppers got two runs back in the fourth when Colt drew a leadoff walk and Jordan Newton followed with a single. Hamilton's double into leftcenter scored both runners, cutting the Middle Tennessee lead to 5-3.

The Blue Raiders came back with one run in the bottom of the inning after Campbell sailed a double over Armstrong's head in centerfield to start the frame. Eakes was then hit before a fielder's choice put runners on the corners. Another fielder's choice, this one by Hines, plated Campbell for a 6-3 lead.

Michael McKenry's solo homer, his ninth of the year, led off the fifth for the Blue Raiders. Marcus Taylor doubled later in the inning and scored on a bloop double down the leftfield line from Eakes for an 8-3 advantage.

In the sixth WKU's Dennis Winn doubled down the rightfield line to leadoff and Eric Scriven's single to left scored the runner.

Rawley Bishop belted a solo homer over the 24-foot wall in centerfield in the seventh for the Blue Raiders for a 9-4 lead.

In the eighth Beachum led off with a double and pinch-hitter Dillon Heath's single to center scored the run. Adam Warren fisted a single to right with one out, scoring Heath for an 11-4 lead.

Middle Tennessee finishes its current six-game homestand Tuesday at 7 p.m., hosting Vanderbilt at Reese Smith Field.

GAME NOTES
Freshman Chad Edwards made his fifth start of the season and his first career weekend start ... Matt Campbell extended his hitting streak to four games with a single in the second ... Jeff Beachum extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the second ... Marcus Taylor extended his hitting streak to four games with a double in the fifth ... Adam Warren's single in the eighth extended his hitting streak to seven games.

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