MURFREESBORO, Tenn.?Middle
Tennessee capitalized on late runs as it swept a doubleheader from ULM on
Saturday at Reese Smith Field to complete a three-game Sun Belt Conference
sweep. The Blue Raiders won game one 8-6 and took the nightcap 5-4 to improve
to 19-3 at home on the season.
The Blue Raiders (27-10, 16-5
Sun Belt) scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings in the opener
and got a walk-off single by Drew Robertson in the bottom of the ninth inning
of game two.
ULM (22-16, 11-10), who has
now lost four straight since defeating No. 5 Arkansas on Tuesday, had
opportunities in both games, but left a combined 18 runners on base.
Ben Soignier gave the Warhawks
a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one with his sixth home run of the
season, he tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly in the second. Soignier
finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
Middle Tennessee, as they did
all weekend, answered with one in the first and second innings to pull within
3-2. The Blue Raiders scored a run in 18 of the 25 innings on the weekend.
After another run in the
fourth gave MTSU a 5-3 lead, the Warhawks stormed back with three in the sixth
to take a 6-5 lead. Ryan McMillan started the two-out rally with a home run and
then Jon Prevost and Soignier followed with RBI singles.
The Blue Raiders fought back
with single runs over the final three innings of the game to pull out the
victory. Coty Woods picked up his eighth save of the season in game one and
earned the win in game two ? combined Woods tossed three innings striking out
five and did not allow a hit.
ULM jumped in front for the
third straight game of the series and fourth straight game overall with a solo
homer from Prevost in the first inning of game two.
Bryce Brentz, who finished the
day 5-for-7 with two home runs, answered with a solo blast of his own in the
bottom of the frame. Robertson doubled in the second, moved to third on a wild
pitch and scored on a passed ball to give MTSU a 2-1 lead.
Tyler Burnett and Rawley
Bishop followed with solo blasts to give MTSU a 4-1 advantage. Bishop's homer
was the 45th of his career making him the all-time home run leader
in Blue Raider history.
ULM starter Jordy Poche
settled down after that retiring 14 of the next 16 batters he faced with six strikeouts
in that period.
The Warhawk batters responded
to his work on the mound tying the game with runs in the fifth, sixth and
eighth innings. Perry Smith led off the fifth with a solo home run, Poche
helped out his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth and Matt Collins tied
the game with a towering home run in the eighth.
After Brentz led off the ninth
with a double off the wall in right-center field and Bishop was intentionally
walked, Roberts flared a single into left field for the game winner.
Poche (2-3) went the distance
for the Warhawks allowing five runs ? four earned ? on seven hits. He struck
out seven batters and only issued the one intentional walk.
The Warhawks return home for
five games at the friendly confines on Warhawk Field next week beginning
with McNeese State on Tuesday night. ULM is 14-4 at home this season and plays
10 of its final 15 games of the season in Monroe.
