Photo by Delaney Dickey / MTSU Sidelines
Coming off an unusual series that saw the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (20-17-1) win, lose and tie a game each to the Rice Owls, the Blue Raiders looked to get back on track against Lipscomb (15-20). In a one-sided affair, the Raiders walked away with a 12-6 victory.
They saw contributions from all aspects of the team and never trailed after the fourth inning.
Pitching performs well in Huff’s return
Sophomore right-hander Scheldon Paulk got the nod to start on the mound for the Raiders. He was solid in his time in the game, going for five innings and giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two strikeouts.
Junior right-hander Carter Bair relieved Paulk and in a short one-inning stint, he allowed two runs on five hits and two strikeouts before being relieved by junior Drew Huff.
This was Huff’s first game back from injury and he was the best pitcher on the rotation for the night. Huff went for two innings, gave up no hits and struck out four batters.
Freshman right-hander Brycen Thomas was the final pitcher on the night and in his inning, he allowed one run on one hit.
Offense provides a spark that leads to the season sweep
While the pitching did a good job in limiting the offensive production for Lipscomb, the Blue Raider offense did its part in giving the staff the support it needed.
Senior Austin Dennis was one such stand-out, as he went 3-4 and scored two runs. Dennis also reached base for the 27th consecutive game in a row.
Freshman Myles Christian, junior Brett Stratinksy and senior Ryan Kemp all hit home runs in the game, as Christian and Kemp each crushed three-run homers to lead the offense in the victory.
What’s next?
The Raiders will look to carry the momentum of the win into the weekend, as they will travel to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in a conference series.
To contact Sports Editor Rusty Ellis, email sports@mtsusidelines.com.
For more sports stories, follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on Twitter and Periscope at @Sidelines_Sport
