Baseball set to begin 2012 season

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee baseball team will look to get its 2012 campaign underway on a positive note as they welcome three teams to Reese Smith Jr. Field this weekend.

The Blue Raiders, along with Lipscomb and Belmont, are co-hosting the inaugural Mule Mix Classic, which features teams traveling to the area from around the Midwest, including MT's scheduled opponents of Kansas, Saint Louis and Evansville.

The Blue Raiders will look to Preseason All-Sun Belt performers Hank LaRue and Justin Guidry to keep up their recent success in opening games under the direction of head coach Steve Peterson. MT has won five of the previous six season-opening contests, and 11 of the last 15 home openers.

Middle Tennessee starts up the season on Friday afternoon against Big XII foe Kansas, marking the second time the Jayhawks have played an early season game in Murfreesboro. The last time around, Kansas came in with a No. 17 national ranking, but left with a 6-5 loss behind a 4-for-4 day from former Blue Raider Nate Jaggers.

On Saturday, MT and Saint Louis will play in their first0ever meeting. It will mark just the sixth game between Middle Tennessee and an Atlantic-10 opponent, with the Blue and White holding an overall 4-1 record.

Immediately following MT's meeting with Saint Louis, the Billikens will play a second game at Reese Smith Jr. Field, taking on Bowling Green of the Mid-American Conference.

The Blue Raiders are set to close out the weekend with Evansville. MT is 4-5 all-time against the Purple Aces, last winning in 7-3 fashion in 1997. Since 1974, Middle Tennessee is 59-20-4 against Missouri Valley Conference opponents.

Hunter Adkins is slated to start Friday's game against Kansas, and first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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