Kirby-Jones ties his own school record with his
20th home run of the season
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee State launched four
home runs Tuesday night in Bush Stadium, including a grand slam by
Justin Miller in a six-run seventh inning on the way to a 13-9
non-conference victory over Tennessee Tech.
The top fielding team in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Golden
Eagles committed three errors in the contest and all three led to
Blue Raider runs. Only five of the 13 runs scored by Middle
Tennessee (30-18) were earned.
Tech (23-22 overall) now turns its undivided attention to a
crucial OVC series this weekend at UT Martin, with a twinbill
Saturday and a single game Sunday.
Blake McDade reached bas six times in the game, including a
4-for-5 hitting performance that featured two doubles and a home
run. Will Skinner was 3-for-4 with a home run and leadoff hitter
Zach Hunter also collected three of Middle's 15 hits.
A.J.
Kirby-Jones had a double and a home run, his 20th of
the season to tie his own school single-season record. Cassanova
Donaldson was 3-for-4, while Ben Burgess and Chad Hayes also
had two hits apiece.
MTSU scored two in the third and Tech matched in the bottom of the
frame on Kirby-Jones' home run, the first hit of the contest for
Tech.
Solo home runs by McDade and Tyler Burnett put the Blue Raiders on
top 4-2 in the top of the fifth and, once again, the Golden Eagles
responded. This time Tech scored five runs to take a 7-4 lead.
Tate
McMillan walked and Kirby-Jones doubled to start the rally.
Oberacker's sacrifice bunt scored McMillan, and Burgess laced an
RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 4-4.
Donaldson singled and Devin Rivers was hit
by a pitch, setting the stage for Chad Hayes' two-run double. A
sacrifice fly by Frankie Beech scored
the fifth run of the frame.
After cutting the deficit to 7-6 with a pair of runs in the
sixth, MTSU broke the game open with six runs in the seventh. A
two-out error prolonged the inning, bringing Miller to the plate
with the bases loaded. The leading home run hitter in the Sun Belt
Conference, he blasted his 17th home run over the center
field fence for a 12-7 lead.
Tech trimmed it to 12-9 in the bottom of the seventh. Burgess and
Donaldson singled, and Rivers poked an RBI single to make it 12-8.
A fielder's choice groundout allowed Donaldson to score, but that
was all Tech could muster.
A solo home run by Skinner in the eight accounted for the final
score.
Oberacker (1-3) was tagged with the loss in relief. He pitched 1
2/3 innings and allowed six runs on four hits, only one of which
was earned. He walked two and struck out three.
Tech used five pitchers in the game. Nick Price tossed the
first four innings, walked three and struck out three, allowing two
runs and five hits. Matthew Shepherd,
Stephen
Pryor and Wade Bilbrey also logged time on the hill.
For MTSU, Hunter Dawson (5-0) was credited with the win. The
middle of five pitchers, Dawson worked 2 2/3 innings. MSTU starter
Hunter Adkins worked from behind in the count for much of his four
innings. He threw 83 pitches through his four innings, 41 for
strikes, while walking six.