After snapping its seven-game losing streak on Sunday, MTSU could build even more momentum if they could beat the Belmont Bruins on Tuesday night. The Blue Raiders got three solid innings out of its starting pitcher, Bryant Beranek, but needed some run support. They got just that with all 11 runs coming in the later innings, as Middle Tennessee extended its winning streak to two games with an 11-2 win over Belmont.
Both lineups were ineffective for the first few innings, but Belmont went to work in the bottom of the third. Pete Daniel roped a standup double with one out, followed by a Charlie Davis four-pitch walk to put a pair of Bruins on. However, Beranek was unphased and retired back-to-back batters to strand a pair of runners in scoring position.
The Blue Raider bats tried to help Beranek out after they collected three straight singles from Keaton Ray, Matt Wolfe, and Brett Rogers to begin the top of the fourth. Jaxon Junnila struck out to bring Cooper Clapp to the dish but also recorded an out. Eston Snider came up to bat, trying not to squander a game-changing opportunity for his team. But he flew out to the right-field warning track to strand the bases loaded.
After that half-inning, Beranek’s day would come to a close as he tossed three scoreless innings. Right-handed hurler Matthew Driver would take his spot. Although he allowed a pair of Bruins to reach base, Junnila threw out Blake Barton at third base to end the inning and kept the game scoreless.
It was deja vu for MTSU the next inning as Clay Badylak doubled down the left field line, and Brett Vondohlen singled through the left side of the infield. A pitch hit Tyler Minnick to load the bases again, but Middle Tennessee wouldn’t repeat the same mistake as the previous try.
Ray blooped a single into left field to break the scoreless tie with the bases juiced. Wolfe was the next batter and laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt that scored a run for the Blue Raiders. Rogers kept the hit party going as he smacked a single into shallow left field, scoring Minnick and putting runners at the corners.
Junnila struck out, and Clapp flew out to deep right-center field to end the inning, but after a successful frame, Middle led 3-0. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Driver was pulled for Garrett Sims.
The southpaw had struggled most of the season, and it was the same today. He struck out a batter to begin his short outing but then gave up a single, threw a wild pitch, and walked Landon Godsey before getting pulled for Ethan Imbimbo. The new Blue Raider arm surrendered an RBI single by Ty Allen but forced a deep flyout to end the inning with Middle up 3-1.
Badylak picked up his third hit of the ballgame in the top of the sixth with a softly tapped ball to the Belmont pitcher. Minnick collected a two-out single through the left side of the infield to put runners at the corners before Ray loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch.
Wolfe battled hard against the Bruin hurler but came out on top with a payoff pitch walk to score Badylak from third. Rogers would pop up to shortstop to leave the bases loaded. MTSU, as a team, would strand 15 runners on the day.
Middle Tennessee patiently shellacked the Belmont pitching staff in the seventh inning, scoring five runs on only two hits. Junnila walked, and Snider singled to put two Blue Raiders on base. However, after a Badylak flyout, there were two outs.
That’s when the Blue Raiders showed excellent plate discipline as they strung together two walks to score a pair of runs before another would be plated after a pitch plunked Wolfe. Rogers clutched up with a two-run single up the middle to extend the MTSU lead to 9-1.
Belmont would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles, one being an RBI knock by Barton. That would be all they got as we headed into the eighth with the Blue Raiders leading 9-2.
Middle Tennessee would plate two more runs in the top of the ninth on a Ray sac-fly and Rogers infield single, bringing Belmont to its last three outs while down 11-2. Jack Fortner would come into the game as the sixth and final arm that MTSU used.
Fortner had a bit of trouble and walked the bases loaded at one point but was able to settle in and force a lineout to lock down a midweek victory for Middle, 11-2.
The Blue Raiders will hit the road tomorrow for a three-game set against the WKU Hilltoppers starting on Thursday. First pitch is at 6 pm. from Nick Denes Field.
