Middle Tennessee baseball’s (9-7) offense produced runs in bunches over the weekend, but late-inning pitching struggles against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (10-6) sealed a winless weekend for MTSU at Young Memorial Field.
MTSU scored 24 runs across the three-game set, including 22 during Saturday’s doubleheaders. But two walk-off hits by the Blazers sealed the series victory for UAB.
“We’re trying to do the same thing we do every weekend, go out there and win,” infielder Brett Vondohlen said.
Bullpen collapses prove costly late
The Blue Raiders appeared to be in control of the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, leading 8-1 heading into the middle of the eighth inning.
MTSU allowed eight straight runs over two innings with a walk-off single into right field, allowing two runners to score to clinch a 9-8 win for UAB.
On the second leg on Saturday, Middle Tennessee rallied after being behind 12-9 in the bottom of the eighth, storming back in the top of the ninth, plating five runs to pull in front 14-12.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Raiders’ closer, Landen Burch, stepped onto the mound for the second time in the series. The senior arm relieved John Michael Pickens after a double by UAB infielder Alex Dupuy trickled down the right field line.
Burch’s outing on the bump started with an intentional walk, then a groundout, allowing the Blazers to get runners on second and third. Another walk loaded the bases for UAB.
Infielder Brady Waugh stepped into the batter’s box and mashed a grand slam home run into right field, lifting the Blazers to a 16-14 walk-off victory.
Out of three weekend starters, the standout pitcher was leftie Chandler Alderman, who started on the bump in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader. The junior pitched for seven innings, striking out seven batters.
“I got to attack the hitters as much as possible and then let myself play as much as possible,” Alderman said.
Alderman faced 28 batters, allowing two earned runs and six hits. Following a solo-shot home run in the top of the eighth, MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers brought in Mason Dobbs in relief.
Dobbs, along with the MTSU bullpen, struggled in the weekend series against the Blazers. After the starter relinquished the mound, among nine pitchers, Middle Tennessee allowed 24 earned runs.
Two late collapses on the defensive side overshadowed a strong weekend for Middle Tennessee’s batters.
Offense stays hot
Despite the weekend sweep, the Blue Raiders rebounded from a weak-hitting performance in game one of the series.
In the Friday opener, Middle Tennessee stumbled at the plate, notching only two runs on five hits. The Blue Raiders’ bats flipped the script in the rest of the series, scoring 22 runs on 25 hits.
Among the batting lineup, the standout performer was Vondohlen. The slugger launched 17 home runs last season, bounced back on Saturday after a slow start in the power-hitting department.
Vondohlen launched three home runs in Saturday’s doubleheader. The third baseman drove in seven runs alongside the three long balls.
“I was just thinking about what I’ve been doing results-wise and how things have been feeling in the box,” Vondohlen said. “I felt like I was just kind of spinning off on stuff. So, I thought I would add a step to get a little bit of direction through the middle of the field.”
Catcher Tyler Minnick continued a strong start to the season with a three-hit performance on the first leg of the doubleheader. Alongside Minnick, redshirt freshman Layne Akers continues to show value in the designated hitter spot. Akers totaled four hits on Saturday with a home run and four RBIs.
Following the losing weekend, Middle Tennessee returns to Reese Smith Jr. Field in a midweek matchup with Eastern Kentucky University (5-11) on Tuesday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
After the midweek matchup, MTSU faces Kennesaw State University (7-6) in the Conference USA opener on March 13-15 in Murfreesboro.
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