Conference USA play started on Friday, and the MTSU Blue Raiders were dealt a tough draw against the No. 15 DBU Patriots from Horner Ballpark. Middle had Trace Phillips back on the mound, but after a rough start and no run support, the Patriots run-ruled MTSU 11-0.

Trace Phillips started his outing strong by striking out the first two Patriots he faced, but Grant Jay collected a two-out single, and things would go downhill from there. Nathan Humphreys picked up a hit himself, then Chayton Krauss ripped a double off the left-field wall to plate a Patriot.

That would be followed by back-to-back walks to score another run. Phillips did get out of the inning with no other damage but had already thrown over 40 pitches.

Things didn’t get any better for Phillips in the second as he allowed the first four Pats to reach, including an RBI single by Jay. Humphreys and Krauss flew out, but with the bases loaded, they were sacrifice flies that scored two more.

Eston Snider collected a one-out base knock and stole second in the top of the third before Tyler Minnick hit a dribbler down the third base line that just stayed fair. That single would put runners at the corners for Middle Tennessee with two outs and Brett Vondohlen due up. He would fly out on a 2-1 count to strand two runners on base and keep the deficit at 5-0.

Phillips would be pulled after one batter in the bottom of the inning and finish his day by going 2 1/3 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, and walking four while striking out three.

Both offenses stalled in the third, fourth, and fifth due to great pitching from Burch and Dallas Baptist starter Micah Bucknam. The two combined for nine strikeouts and four base runners allowed.

But in the sixth inning, Jay and Humphreys collected consecutive hits, including an RBI single that scored a pair of runs to extend the lead to 7-0. Burch would be pulled for Jack Fortner after three innings of two-run baseball.

Humphreys would quickly come around to score on an RBI single by Joey Nerat that just squeaked by MTSU second baseman Cooper Clapp. A pitch would hit Jake Bennett to load the bases, and two batters later, Krauss would come into score from third courtesy of a passed ball. Luke Heefner would ground out to end the inning, but the damage had already been done.

Bucknam struck out the side in order in the top of the seventh to retire his 13th consecutive Blue Raider and record his 14th punchout of the game.

Michael Dattalo led off the bottom of that inning with a single. Tom Poole popped up for the first out of the frame, but Fortner hit a batter and was pulled for Garrett Sims, who also hit a batter in his first AB.

After his one opportunity to make something happen, Sims was relieved by Ethan Imbimbo. He took the mound with the bases loaded and one out but struck out the first batter. However, a hit up the middle by Nerat would end the game in a run rule, 10-0.

The Blue Raiders will be back on the diamond tomorrow at 3:05 p.m. from Horner Ballpark. Chandler Alderman is the likely starter on the mound for MTSU.