Middle Tennessee baseball (24-25, 11-14 CUSA) captured an 11-9 victory over Florida International University (15-34, 6-19 CUSA) in game one of their away series. Outfielder Nathan Brewer carried the Blue Raiders with a Conference USA and MTSU single-game record of four home runs.
Following a scoreless first inning, Brewer put the first run on the scoreboard with a solo home run to right field off senior FIU pitcher Preston Prince. This opened a flood of runs from the Blue Raiders in the second inning.
“I was really seeing it well up there,” Brewer said on ESPN+. “I think I saw a beach ball in every at-bat, it was just the right pitches at the right at-bats.”
Prince exited the game after allowing four runs and walking four batters in just 1 1/3 innings. The bats remained hot for the Blue Raiders even after the pitching change, with Brewer hitting his second home run of the inning with a three-run shot this time to left field, giving MTSU an 8-0 lead after the top of the second inning.
FIU red-shirt junior first baseman Aidan Cohall led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo homer of his own, and the Panthers plated another run, ending the inning down 8-2.
In the top of the fourth inning, Brewer slammed his third home run of the night with a solo shot to center field, putting the Blue Raiders up 9-2 and matching teammate Brett Vondohlen and several others for the CUSA single-game home run record.
MTSU starting pitcher David Horn Jr. began to struggle in the bottom of the inning, walking one batter, allowing three consecutive RBI singles and four total runs. At the end of the fourth, FIU cut the deficit to 9-6.
The Panthers continued to grind away at the lead, and following a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning from junior infielder Mario Trivella, FIU trailed just 10-9 heading into the ninth inning.
Leading off the final frame, Brewer continued to shine, blasting a solo home run over the center field wall for his fourth home run of the game. The solo shot put the Blue Raiders ahead 11-9 and staked his claim to the CUSA single-game home run record.
MTSU junior pitcher John Michael Pickens closed out the bottom half of the inning, forcing three groundouts to give the Blue Raiders the win.
Brewer’s historic evening lifted MTSU to just its second road win in CUSA play this season and gave the Blue Raiders a 1-0 series lead in a pivotal series in terms of their postseason aspirations.
Brewer went five-for-five at the plate, adding a single to his four home runs and driving in six runs. MTSU continues its road series against the Panthers at the FIU Baseball Stadium on Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT.
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