With a 9-1 loss to Vanderbilt University in the rearview, Middle Tennessee baseball enters the final month of the regular season with 11 games remaining to shape its postseason fate.
The Blue Raiders enter the final Conference USA stretch with three conference weekend series and two midweek tuneups before the CUSA tournament on May 20-24 in Kennesaw, Georgia.
“You try to play good competition and play as well as you can,” MTSU head coach Jerry Meyers said.
Middle Tennessee opens its remaining schedule with the renewal of the annual 100 Miles of Hate rivalry series against Western Kentucky University at Reese Smith Jr. Field. Entering the weekend against the Hilltoppers, MTSU slots in with a 9-12 mark in conference play. Middle Tennessee sits in the middle of the CUSA standings, tied with Western Kentucky and Sam Houston State University.
The Blue Raiders have shown flashes on both sides of the diamond as conference play unfolds. Inconsistency, however, especially on the road, has burned MTSU. When the offense is rolling, players like Dean O’Neill and Owen Nowak are hard to slow down. However, Middle Tennessee continues to navigate the absence of pitcher Drew Horn as the regular season winds down.
Outside of the headliners on offense, fifth-year shortstop Clay Badylak was the lone bright spot for MTSU in the loss to Vanderbilt. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native launched a home run and has put together a solid week in the batter’s box dating back to the series against the Bearkats.
“My first priority is defense,” Badylak said. “Anything I do at the plate is just extra to help the team. Whether it’s a walk, working a count, or just quality at-bats. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help us win.”
Despite the tight standings, WKU comes into the series with the Blue Raiders as one of the more balanced teams in CUSA. The Hilltoppers rank among the top five in both batting average and overall ERA in CUSA.
At the center of WKU’s offense is infielder Lane Arroyos, the former New Mexico JUCO prospect, who continues to be a force in the batter’s box for the ‘Tops. Arroyos backs up his resume as one of the conference’s most dangerous hitters as he leads CUSA in batting average (.382), slugging (.648) and on-base percentage (.495).
Austin Haller is another name to watch for WKU, with five hits and four RBI in a weekend series win over Kennesaw State University. Outside of Arroyos and Haller, the Hilltoppers have a host of solid options in the lineup with five batters hitting over .300 on the season.
For Middle Tennessee, limiting the top of the lineup and avoiding walks will be the deciding factor in a series decided by a rubber match a year ago.
Following the bout against Western Kentucky, the Blue Raiders close the regular season with two CUSA weekend series and two midweek tuneups before postseason play begins.
On May 8-10, MTSU travels to Miami for a series against Florida International University. The Panthers sit at 6-15 in CUSA play, putting them near the bottom of the conference standings, only ahead of the University of Delaware, which holds a 2-19 conference record.
FIU ranks bottom in the CUSA in batting average (.240), hits (354) and runs scored (250). Despite the favorable matchup on paper, Middle Tennessee has struggled on the road this season, going 1-11 in CUSA road games.
The Blue Raiders return to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, May 14-16 to face Liberty University in the regular season finale. The Flames hold a 15-6 record in CUSA play and currently hold the No. 2 spot in the conference standings.
Liberty’s strength lies on the mound, with LU boasting the second-best rotation statistically in CUSA. The Flames’ staff carries a 4.58 ERA and allows the fewest walks among CUSA pitching corps.
Despite Liberty’s strong season, MTSU has thrived at home, posting an 8-1 mark. The home-field advantage could prove critical in a series that may ultimately determine postseason seeding.
With the last three conference series on the horizon, the Blue Raiders sit in a comfortable spot to make the postseason for the first time since 2023. With a three-game lead over FIU, Middle Tennessee’s postseason hopes will rest on taking care of business in Miami and continuing strong play in front of the home crowd.
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