Blue Raiders Explode in 18-7 Victory

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Marshall Nisbett had four hits, scored three times and had four RBIs, as Middle Tennessee scored five runs in the first and six more in the third en route to a 18-7 victory over Lipscomb at Dugan Field Tuesday afternoon.

The Blue Raiders won their fifth straight this season and had their highest run total of the year so far in the contest.

After loading the bases in the top of the first courtesy of three walks, Nisbett brought home a pair with a single to leftcenter. Brett Carroll continued his torrid hitting, blasting a three-run shot over the leftfield wall for an early 5-0 lead after half an inning.

The homestanding Bisons got a run in the bottom half of the frame and then loaded the bases with no one out. But Blue Raider starter Steven Kines got a strikeout and a doubleplay to end the inning with only one run scoring for Lipscomb.

The Blue Raiders scored six times in the third, including a grand slam from Justin Sims just inside the rightfield foul pole for an 11-1 lead. Freshman Chris Leguenec doubled past the bag at third in his first collegiate at-bat in the eighth, plating three runs for a 17-3 Middle Tennessee advantage.

Kines (1-0) picked up his first win of the season for the Blue Raiders, allowing three runs on eight hits in six innings with two strikeouts. Lipscomb starter Matt Edwards suffered the loss (0-4), giving up 11 runs on six hits in three innings.

Nate Jaggers scored four runs without a hit, Sims went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, and Carroll also had two hits and scored twice in the victory. Sims added four runs batted in, while Leguenec and Carroll all had three RBIs.

The two teams play the back end of the home-and-home series Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Reese Smith Field. The Blue Raiders play a home-and-home set with Tennessee Tech, traveling to Cookeville Saturday and taking on the Eagles at home Sunday at 2 p.m.

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