MURFREESBORO, Tenn. --- The hits were few and far between Tuesday evening as Tennessee Tech took the 3-1 loss to Middle Tennessee.

TTU and MTSU combined for just four runs on 11 hits as both pitching staffs proved difficult to overcome.

TTU starter Garret Baugh took the hill, as he made his second start of the season for the Golden Eagles. Through six innings, Baugh limited the Blue Raiders to one run, on five hits, while issuing three walks. His lone blemish came in the third inning as Ethan Williams drove in Dain McNabb on a fielder's choice.

While Baugh kept the Blue Raiders in check, the Golden Eagle batters were finding it equally difficult to get anything going against the MTSU pitching staff.

Austin Wulf led off the first with a triple against MTSU starter Daniel Palo and was driven in on Zephan Guyear's sacrifice fly to put Tech up 1-0.

Wulf's run turned out to be the only run Tech could muster as MTSU's Palo, Nick Montgomery, Joey McClung and Paul Mittura kept the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard through the remainder of the game.

Tied at one in the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Raiders put together a two-out rally as they posted two runs off RBI-doubles from Johnny Thomas and Hank LaRue against TTU reliever David Hess to give MTSU the 3-1 lead.    

McClung earned the victory for MTSU as he improved to 2-0 on the season, while throwing three shutout innings with four strikeouts. Paul Mittura came in at the top of the ninth and set TTU down in order for his second save of the season.

Hess (1-2) took the loss as he gave up two runs in two innings, while posting one strikeout.

The Golden Eagles begin conference play this weekend as they travel to UT Martin for a three-game series. The opening game is set for Friday at 6 p.m.