Blue Raiders tough against No. 1 Vandy

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee went toe-to-toe with No. 1 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night receiving excellent pitching in a 1-0 loss.

R-Freshman Paul Mittura worked four innings allowing just three hits and no runs. Freshman Cody Tollison worked an inning in relief allowing no hits.

"We haven't had a shutout yet, so this had to be our best pitching performance of the year," head coach Steve Peterson said. "But we had to have that. When you play against the No. 1 team in the nation, you'd better have good pitching or you'll get run out of your own house."

Junior Matt Drake took the loss after allowing the lone run to score after a double. The Cullman, Ala., native worked 1.2 innings allowing the one run on three hits. R-sophomore Joey McClung closed the game for the Blue Raiders with his 2.1 innings of work allowing just two hits.

Vanderbilt had eight total hits on the night but could only bring one run across stranding nine runners on base. Joe Loftus was the only Vanderbilt player with double digit hits as he had two.

Middle Tennessee had three hits on the night with the tying run at third in Will Skinner in the bottom of the ninth.

The Commodores' T.J. Pecoraro took the win on the mound improving to 6-0 on the season while Navery Moore picked up his seventh win of the season.

Vanderbilt scored its first run of the game in the sixth after Yastrzemski doubled to deep right field allowing Gomez to score from second, 1-0.

Middle Tennessee will be back in action on Wednesday, April 13 when it plays host to Tennessee Tech at 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

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