Featured photo by Ryan Loftis
Story by Conner Smith
Middle Tennessee baseball got back to its winning ways on Wednesday with an 11-3 win over The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Reese Smith Jr. Field. The Blue Raiders were powered by some big hits and clutch pitching.
The contest started out slow with nobody scoring until MTSU broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning. Gabe Jennings drove in two with a one-out single. A bases-loaded walk plated another run.
Jennings once again, let Tennessee Tech feel his presence as he drove in two more in the fifth. The Golden Eagles finally got on the board in the sixth with a single that drove in one.
JT Mabry came across to score after Jeremiah Boyd earned a bases-loaded walk. The Blue Raiders couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity but did score a run to strengthen their lead 6-1.
Tennessee Tech wasn’t going away without a fight; It scored two in the top of the seventh to cut the Blue Raider lead to three. Jennings got one of those runs back for the Blue Raiders as he launched a solo shot to dead centerfield to extend the lead to 7-3.
Jackson Galloway continued the scoring barrage with a fielder’s choice to score another run. Jared Vetetoe wanted in on the action as well, he drove in two on a one-out double. Jennings followed that with a double of his own to drive in his sixth RBI of the game.
James Sells delivered with two scoreless innings, earning him the save, and earning the Blue Raiders the 11-3 win.
Jennings had himself a game with four hits, six RBIs, and a home run to top it all off.
“I was really seeing the ball well, the last few games I’ve just been barely off on some pitches, and I didn’t make that mistake today,” Jennings said. “The team’s been struggling to plate runs, and the coaches all talked to us about our approach and waiting for our pitch, we definitely did that today.”
Coach Jerry Meyers was proud of the way his guys came back to have a great game right before the weekend series.
“The last few games it’s not been a hit problem, it’s been a timely hit problem,” Meyers said. “Today we went out there prepared to be patient, wait for our pitch, and not miss it when we got it. Really liked the way our players hit today, they were very locked in. [James] Sells did a good job today, really liked how efficient he was with his pitch count and some of the good at-bats he had, he was awesome for us today.”
The Blue Raiders are back on the diamond Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT against rival Western Kentucky to open Conference USA play.
Conner Smith is a sports reporter for MTSU Sidelines. If you have information for a story, you can contact him at [email protected].
