Middle Tennessee baseball (10-7) rolled to a 17-0 run-rule victory against Eastern Kentucky University (5-12) at Reese Smith Jr. Field on Tuesday, bouncing back from two walk-off losses to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
After a winless weekend against the Blazers, the Blue Raiders plated 17 runs, including a three-double performance from first baseman Tyler Minnick.
“We’re not just trying to win one game, we’re trying to understand who we are as a team and play our best baseball in all three phases, every single day,” MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers said.”
In the midweek matchup, Minnick led the Blue Raiders to their fifth run-rule victory of the season. Minnick became the first Middle Tennessee batter since 2016 to notch three doubles in a game.
The last Blue Raider to hit three doubles in a game was outfielder Austin Dennis against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in a 12-11 extra-inning victory for MTSU.
“I had no idea I was the first guy since 2016 to hit three doubles in a game until they told me,” Minnick said. “It feels great to have that accomplishment, but it’s not something I’m trying to focus on too much.”
The senior catcher and first baseman drove in four runs, leading a Blue Raiders offense that recorded 15 hits without a home run in a shutout win. Minnick started the scoring with an RBI in the bottom of the first inning, driving in center fielder Owen Nowak.
Middle Tennessee scored four runs in the second and two in the third before the bats erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning. Tyler Minnick started the fifth with his second double of the game, driving in Nowak and shortstop Clay Badylak.
The runs continued to snowball as a single by outfielder Brett Rogers allowed catcher Dean O’Neill to score from third. EKU pitcher Anthony Scarpino threw a wild pitch, bringing Minnick home to extend the MTSU lead to 13-0.
Middle Tennessee bats scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, building the MTSU advantage to 17-0 after five frames.
With the offense picking up from last weekend, the Blue Raiders’ pitching staff rebounded after a rough weekend in Birmingham.
Right-handed pitcher Bryant Beranek got his first start of the season. The Spring Hill, Tennessee, native threw for 4 ⅓ innings, marking his longest outing of the season. The senior arm struck out four batters while allowing three hits.
Beranek reached a career milestone in the top of the first inning, recording his 100th career inning pitched after a strikeout.
“It’s a blessing,” Beranek said. “I love baseball and want to play this game as long as I can. I’m just here to pitch whenever the team needs me, whether it’s starting or coming out of the bullpen.”
Following a pitch that hit Colonel infielder Ricco Longo, Meyers turned to Landon Sexton on the mound. Sexton threw for ⅔ of an inning, facing three batters. The rest of the MTSU bullpen combined for two innings of no-run ball in the shortened outing, striking out two batters.
After the strong showing, the Blue Raiders turn their attention to their first weekend of Conference USA play.
“The midweeks can oftentimes be a good way to tune things up, work things out, and get ready for the next weekend,” Minnick said. “Which I think is a case in point of what we did tonight, getting ready for Kennesaw State.”
Following the midweek win, MTSU faces Kennesaw State University (7-6) in the CUSA opener on March 13-15 in Murfreesboro. First pitch on Friday is set for 4 p.m. CDT at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
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