UNO Shuts Down MT 7-2

Middle Tennessee's potent offense had no answer for UNO starter Brandon Kling on Saturday afternoon as the Privateers evened the series at one game each with a 7-2 win.

Kling got the complete game victory, limiting the Blue Raiders to only four hits on the afternoon while his offense banged out 10 hits against MT pitcher Adam Larson.

Larson's record fell to 3-2 with the loss while Kling improved to 3-1. The Blue Raiders record now stands at 18-7 overall and 1-1 in the SBC while New Orleans is 16-11, 2-3 in the Sun Belt.

The Blue Raiders rallied for a run in the top of the third following a Joe Capone double down the left field line. Capone, who picked up his first hit of the season, moved around the bases and finally scored on an RBI groundout by Nate Jaggers.

The Blue Raiders would then surrender four runs in the bottom of the third inning, giving Kling all the cushion he would need. The junior college transfer picked up eight strikeouts in the contest while keeping the Blue Raiders guessing all afternoon.

The Blue Raiders would not score again until a Troy Harp line drive sailed over the fence in left in the top of the fifth inning.

The Privateers would get the lead back to five runs with a run in the bottom of the fifth.

The Blue Raiders got one hit each from Capone, Harp, Jason Howarth, and Brett Carroll. Gabe Trevizo paced UNO with a 3-for-4 effort that included two RBIs.

The two teams will square off again on Sunday afternoon at 1 PM to decide the series. Steven Kines will get the starting nod for Middle Tennessee in this crucial game while Mark Stander will get the start for the Privateers.

NOTES
The 6-7-8-9 spots in the batting order were responsible for all four of MT's hits in the game - Justin Sims, Marshall Nisbett, and Josh Archer saw hitting streaks of 13 and seven games respectively come to an end in the game - Joe Capone's double in the top of the third was his first-ever hit in a Blue Raider uniform - Adam Larson now has two complete games in as many outings - the Blue Raiders are now 6-3 in games played in the state of Louisiana since joining the Sun Belt Conference - the Blue Raiders' games in New Orleans will be the only ones played in the Pelican State this season.

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