Middle Tennessee Baseball (12-8, 2-1 CUSA) fell in a rematch with Murray State University (13-8) in a midweek matchup at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Trailing 5-3 In the bottom of the ninth inning, Owen Nowak stepped to the plate for the Blue Raiders with one runner on and two outs.

Nowak worked a full count before Murray State pitcher Ben Rosin delivered outside, drawing a walk, putting the tying run on base.

Catcher Dean O’Neill followed, but his pop-up to second base shut the door on Middle Tennessee’s late comeback attempt.

Murray State broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning, building a lead that the MTSU bats could not overcome in the late innings.

“We had one inning where we didn’t play damage control well enough,” MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers said. “… and that ended up being the difference.”

Bryant Beranek got the start on the mound for Middle Tennessee. The senior arm started strong, pitching three scoreless innings before running into trouble in the top of the fourth.

Two singles put runners on base, and a base hit by Kris Hokenson squeaked into left-field allowing MSU utility player Connor Chisolm to score from second, putting runners on the corners for the Racers.

A bunt on the ensuing at-bat got a runner out at home, but two runners remained. After a Beranek strikeout, a walk loaded the bases and prompted Meyers to call on right-handed pitcher Abel Albarran in an attempt to escape the traffic.

Albarran allowed a single into center field, allowing two Racers to score and advancing a runner to third to extend Murray State’s lead to 3-0.

Murray State infielder Anthony Perritano stole second before a double down the left-field line pushed MSU’s lead to 5-0 at the end of the fourth inning. Middle Tennessee was unable to respond in the bottom of the ninth inning. After the Racers’ five-run inning, relief pitching from John Michael Pickens and timely hitting helped the Blue Raiders chip away at the deficit.

Pickens provided 4 ⅔ scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing only two hits and two walks. The left-handed pitcher took 10 days off the mound, last pitching against the University of Alabama at Birmingham on March 7.

“Coming out of the pen late, you’ve got to realize you’ll see some guys more than once, ” Pickens said. “You have to bear down and actually use your stuff rather than just trying to blow it by them.”

Pickens’ scoreless innings shifted momentum in favor of MTSU. The Blue Raiders plated runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, including a home run into right field by second baseman Cooper Clapp.

Despite the middle-inning offensive surge, Middle Tennessee missed out on the tying run, securing the 5-3 victory for Murray State.

“We’ll play a really good Missouri State team, and we’re going to have to play our best baseball,” Meyers said.

On deck for Middle Tennessee is its first away Conference USA series against the Missouri State University Bears (12-7, 2-1 CUSA). First pitch in Springfield, Missouri, at Hammons Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT.