Featured Photo by Emily Cole/MTSU Athletics
Story by Conner Smith
The Blue Raiders started the 2023 season rolling Friday morning with an emphatic 14-8 win over VCU. Middle Tennessee played game one of the “Baseball at The Beach” tournament in Conway, SC and started impressing early.
Brett Coker got his team going early with an early hit in the first inning, followed by a home run the next inning. That was followed by two more runs bringing the lead to 4-0. Coker again delivered as a VCU error plated the fifth run of the ballgame for the Blue Raiders.
Although Coker had a great day, he wasn’t the only guy contributing. Eston Snider showed his elite baseball IQ by scoring from third on a fielder’s choice. Going into the sixth inning it was all MTSU, it held an 8-0 lead thanks to a great day on the bump from Jaden Hamm. On the day he had six strikeouts through 5.1 innings and no runs allowed.
In the sixth inning, DJ Wright hit a towering 422-foot home run to make it 10-0. Wright was playing in his first game back since Tommy John Surgery, he had a great day with two RBIs and three hits. Entering the top of the ninth, the Blue Raiders led 12-2.
Coker launched a two-run homer giving the Blue Raiders their most runs in an opening game since 2009. VCU started a rally in the ninth but MTSU finally got it under control and won the game 14-8.
“It felt good out there today,” Coker said. “I stuck to my approach. Coach Nichols has been talking about the approach a lot this spring. It’s my last season in college so it was good to get the ball rolling.”
Jaden Hamm ended last year on a roll, which is why it was no surprise when he was named to the preseason all-conference team. He completely shut down the Ram’s offense.
“My approach was to attack that lineup,” Hamm said. “They can hit, so I didn’t want to fall behind too many guys in the count. It’s super good to get that first win around the belt. This opening day win is big for me and the team.”
It was a great day for the whole program of Middle Tennessee Baseball. They will open up the second game of the weekend tournament with powerhouse Coastal Carolina tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT. Junior righty Eriq Swan will be on the mound.
“Our guys came out ready to play,” MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers said. “I’m really pleased with the effort, our at-bats were outstanding through the first five or six innings and then we continued to tack on a little bit. It was a great day all the way around.”
Conner Smith is a sports reporter for MTSU Sidelines. If you have information for a story, you can contact him at cws4t@mtmail.mtsu.edu.
