Blue Raiders fall in series finale with Arkansas State, 11-4

JONESBORO, Ark. - Arkansas State raced out to an early lead and wouldn't look back as the Red Wolves secured an 11-4 victory over the Middle Tennessee baseball team at Tomlinson Stadium on Saturday evening.

Hank LaRue was the focal point of the Middle Tennessee offense, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in.

Johnny Thomas was the only other Blue Raider with multiple hits and finished 2-for-5 with a run.

Eric Gilley got the start on the mound and allowed seven runs (two unearned) over two innings of work.

Following a scoreless 1.2 innings from Jud Stoltz, Cody Tollison put together his best outing this season in relief. The freshman pitched a hitless 3.1 innings.

Arkansas State started off the game with a five-run opening frame and added another in the second to take a 6-0 lead into the third inning.

The Blue Raiders cut the deficit to four with a pair of runs in the third. Thomas opened up with a single up the middle and Tyler Acker doubled to right. A Justin Guidry infield single brought home the first run, and LaRue singled to plate Acker.

The Red Wolves reclaimed a run in the bottom of the third.

Middle Tennessee posted another run in the top of the eighth. LaRue reached on a two-out infield single, and the freshman would score on an ASU fielding error followed by a Matt Drake single.

ASU added four runs in the bottom of the eighth, and back-to-back errors in the ninth allowed Ford to score the final run of the game.

Middle Tennessee will now prepare for another Sun Belt series next weekend, taking on FIU at Reese Smith Jr. Field. First pitch on Friday is slated for 6 p.m.

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