Story by Tyler Lamb // Staff Writer
Photo by Brent Beerends // MT Athletic Communications
Middle Tennessee (4-2) hosted Western Michigan (0-5) on the second day of the Mule Mix Classic. Middle Tennessee outlasted the Broncos 3-2 behind the bat of Riley Delgado and the pitching of Tyler Troutt in the first ever meeting between the schools.
Troutt picked up his first win of the season, striking out four batters and allowing just six hits in six innings of work.
Troutt found himself with the bases loaded and nobody out. After a popup to Chaz Vesser, Troutt struck out the next two batters to retire the side.
“As soon as we got that popup, my catcher, who’s caught me since I was 12 years old, he just came up to me and was like ‘Were gonna get out of this,’” Troutt said. “And I don’t know, something just sparked in me and I knew we were getting out of that after that.”
The Blue Raiders scored just three runs, as the team struggled to string together hits with runners on-base.
The needed jump start came from Murfreesboro native and freshman Drew Huff when he recorded his first career double with one out in the second inning.
Batting .333 this season, Riley Delgado followed with a two out base hit, which punched in Huff for the Blue Raiders’ first run of the game.
“Offensively, we kind of go with [Delgado] right now,” head coach Jim McGuire said. “I know we’re not scoring a lot of runs, we’re not getting a lot of guys on base. But he’s been the most consistent guy, whether its getting a base hit or getting a walk, or whatever it might be.”
Delgado had another fine performance today, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and two walks.
On the other side, Western Michigan pitcher Tanner Allison walked five Blue Raiders, while allowing five hits in just 3 2/3 innings. More importantly, three of the five walks came during the 4th inning, in which Middle Tennessee scored two runs.
Garrett Ring was able to record his first save of the season, after allowing a two out walk in the top of the ninth to put two men on-base.
Middle Tennessee is back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. when they take on Miami (OH) to cap off the Mule Mix Classic.
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