| MT roundup: Baseball wins slugfest; tennis teams fall |
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Posted: Sunday, February 28, 2010 7:50 pm
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After only knocking out one home run in the first four games of the season, the Middle Tennessee baseball team put three out of the park in a 14-6 victory over the Ohio Bobcats.
The win sealed a three game sweep on the weekend and the first series win of the season for the Blue Raiders.
Tyler Burnett and Justin Guidry once again starred for Middle Tennessee in an offensive showcase. Burnett went 2-5 at the plate with a walk and a pair of RBIs, but he slugged out the first home run of the season at Reese Smith Jr. Field with a two-run blast in the fifth. Guidry, who went 3-5 at the plate, followed up with a homer in the very next at bat.
Robert Lawrence, who sat out last season with a redshirt, also knocked out a homer in his second career at bat for the Blue Raiders. The outburst saw contributions from both the starting line-up and the bench as ten players recorded hits on the day and five drove in at least two runs.
Junior Eric Gilley made his first career start as a Blue Raider and despite allowing four walks and seven hits, showed a penchant for getting out of jams. He only gave up one earned run on the day in five innings.
Joey McClung and Brandon Hall each made their first career appearance for the Blue Raiders while both Jud Stoltz and Marshall Mears made their first appearance of the season.
"In a game like this, you get to play a lot of people," said Coach Steve Peterson. "It's good to get those guys in because they'll be needed later in the season."
For the first time in the series, the Bobcats struck first. Bryan Barnes doubled down the right field line to open up the game. An error by Ford allowed Barnes to advance to third, and a Jerod Yakubik single scored the run.
Middle Tennessee took the lead in the third. Burnett started off the frame with a walk. The Murfreesboro native stole second, and Guidry singled to bring him home for the tying score. Brentz followed up with a double. McDade singled to right field to score Guidry with what would prove to be the game-winning RBI, and when the Ohio right fielder Robert Maddox overthrew the cut-off man it allowed Brentz to score and McDade to advance to second. A Jones single moved McDade to third, and a Skinner fly ball plated McDade. Miller doubled to left field to chase Ohio pitcher Bores. Acker grounded out to score Jones. Miller moved to third on a wild pitch, and Ford drew a walk. A second wild pitch allowed Miller to score the sixth run of the inning.
Ohio tacked on another run in the top of the fourth, but the inning was defined more by the inability to score. The Bobcats earned three walks and recorded a hit in the frame, but after Gauntlett Eldemire earned a two-out bases loaded walk, Gilley managed to get out of the inning allowing only a single run.
Middle Tennessee would put up another pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Guidry dropped down a bunt for a single, and Brentz earned a walk to open up the frame. McDade doubled to center to score Guidry. Skinner would fly out later in the inning to score Brentz and put the Blue Raiders up 8-2.
The Blue Raiders started off the fifth inning with a bang. After a Ford walk, Tyler Burnett slugged his first home run of the season over the right field wall. Not to be outdone, Guidry homered in the next at bat to increase the deficit to 11-2.
Joey McClung came in for Gilley at the start of the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases for Eldemire, who hit into a double play but plated a run for the Bobcats.
Ohio struck again in the top of the eighth for three runs. A Seth Streich triple opened up the inning, followed by C.J. Maszal earning a walk and Barnes getting hit by a pitch. Eldemire once again faced a bases-loaded situation and singled through the right side to score Streich. Following a pitching change, Yakubik singled and Maddox hit into a double play, each knocking in a run.
Middle Tennessee answered with a three-run inning in the bottom half. Dalton Henzman earned his first career hit with a double to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A Skinner single brought Henzman home, and Zach Hudson came in to pinch run. After were recorded by Miller and Acker, Robert Lawrence unleashed a powerful two-run shot over the left field wall.
The Blue Raiders outhit the Bobcats 17-12 on the day. Both teams combined to leave 21 runners stranded on the base paths. Middle Tennessee also converted on four double plays.
Middle Tennessee will look to extend their three-game win streak on Tuesday when they travel to Carbondale, Ill. for a two game series vs. Southern Illinois. Due to the Sun Belt Conference Championships and travel plans for the week Middle Tennessee's games with Southern Illinois and Jacksonville State will not be broadcast on the Blue Raider Network.
•••
Women second in indoor championship, men fourth
It was a weekend of individual highs for the Middle Tennessee track and field teams as five athletes won single events at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at Murphy Center. However, in the end the women's team finished second overall with the men's team placing fourth.
Thin Blue Raider rosters could not compete with the Western Kentucky depth in the men's and women's championships. As head coach Dean Hayes and Blue Raiders have had to battle through injury all throughout the season that would prove costly when it mattered the most. The Lady Toppers would defeat the Blue Raiders 179.33 to 110 while the Middle Tennessee men placed fourth with 87 team points behind Louisiana, North Texas and Western Kentucky.
Hayes commented, "It was just one of those screwy things where you have athletes win a lot of individual championships, but our lack of depth from injury hurt us in the end."
In Sunday's action, Senior Brittany completed the sweep of the women's throwing events taking gold in today's weight throw competition. Yesterday, she stole victory in shot put contest giving her the sweep. Her throw of 61-11 (18.78m) in the weight throw breaks a Sun Belt championships record in the event and earned the Antioch native Most Outstanding Field Athlete for the weekend.
"When I got hurt two weeks ago, I was nervous if I was going to be able to compete to the level in which I did this weekend," said Cox. "I told myself I would just have to man up and take care of my business. I did and I am proud."
Cox will compete in two weeks at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. in the shot put and weight throw.
In the triple jump, Nyeisha Wright took third place, leaping 39-8.5 (12.10m) with teammate Cherice Robertson placing sixth with a jump of 38-6.25 (11.74m). Kortney Thurman placed eighth recording a mark of 38-4.75 (11.7m). Wright would go down to injury in the event and not compete in the 55 and 200 meter dash finals which she was qualified.
Robertson also placed second in today's 55 meter hurdles, running a spectacular time of 7.77 setting a personal best and earning an NCAA Provisional time. The 11 points she scored today combined with the 16 scored yesterday made the Memphis native Top Meet Scorer for the championships.
In the distance events, Marla Bailey finished third in the 5,000 meters taking the bronze medal in a time of 17:52.10 with teammate Jackie Serem placing sixth in 18:09.48. Zamzam Sangau finished sixth in the mile run in 5:03.47. Sangau would not compete beyond the mile going down to injury in race. She was qualified in the finals of the 400 and 800 meters. Stephanie Smith placed ninth in the mile run with Alissa Ruggle coming in 12th winning the second heat of the event.
The men's mile run highlighted the team's track events on the second day of competition. Festus Chemaoi took the event, defending his 2008 and 2009 crown, clocking a time of 4:10.18. David Emery took the bronze medal in the race, finishing third in a time of 4:12.45. Isaac Biwott placed fifth in 4:14.89. Chemaoi would complete his trifecta later in the evening winning the 800 meters in 1:52.08, scoring 30 total points for the men's team and earning Men's Top Meet Scorer.
Hurdler DeRay Sloss placed third in the 55 meter hurdles. The senior competed in a lightning quick race winning the first finals heat in 7.46 to take third overall in the event. Roscoe Payne, the 2009 Sun Belt Indoor Champion 55 meter hurdles champion, would not repeat placing fourth.
The men's mile relay took six points placing third. Payne, running the second leg, brought the team back from almost ten meters behind evening the race with leader North Texas at the halfway point. Justin Chambers kept the team in the race, but a botched handoff between Chambers and Curtis King made victory unattainable. King sprinted hard and took the bronze for the team.
"We had athletes compete very hard for us. Festus and Brittany won five events between the two of them, and help us tremendously. Going into the outdoor season we will get some athletes back that can help us in the outdoor championships.
Stay tuned to GoBlueRaiders.com and follow as Middle Tennessee's best athletes will compete in the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships in two weeks in Fayetteville, Ark.
•••
Vandy wins, but Peers extends win streak
The Blue Raiders fell to No. 39 Vanderbilt 5-2 on Sunday with a number of Blue Raiders performing well in the match.
The Blue Raiders opened play with doubles with Vanderbilt taking the point after sweeping the matches. Middle Tennessee’s doubles teams played well overall with juniors John Peers and Kyle Wishing facing Adam Baker and Alex Zotov falling 8-6. Vijay Paul and Alex DiValerio faced a battle with sophomore Richard Cowden and freshman Shaun Waters but pulled out the win 8-7 (10).
“The message to the team for the remainder of the season is we have to keep competing and fighting both as a team and individually. We are showing this and continuing to get better but it will take everyone doing it individually,” head coach David McNamara said. “It was there to be won today and in two other matches against teams in the top 40 and all because of a point here and there that went the other way. We have to use the opportunities when they come up and not let them get away.”
Vanderbilt extended its lead to two after No. 94 Zotov defeated senior Alex McCann 6-2, 6-4.
Peers continued his impressive string of wins as he defeated No. 39 Ryan Lipman 6-2, 6-3 to cut the lead to one, 2-1.
Cowden won his first set 6-3 over Paul but lost the next two, 6-4, 6-0 as the Commodores closed to within one for the win. Baker then clinched the match for Vanderbilt with his 6-3, 6-2 win over Waters.
Melo and sophomore Matthew Langley rounded out play for the Blue Raiders. Melo won his first set 6-4 over Bryant Salcedo but lost the match after falling 6-4, 6-2 in the final two sets. Langley defeated DiValerio 6-1, 7-6 (4) to add another point for the Blue Raiders.
“We are very close and I feel positive and optimistic about where the team is headed. We have to keep believing, fighting and gutting it out,” McNamara said. “We have a big weekend coming up at Corpus Christi in the HEB Invitational. In the last seven matches, the team has won the doubles point in five so things are going in right direction and we just have to keep putting in the effort and working hard.”
The Blue Raiders will be back in action Friday and Saturday March 5-6 when they participates in the HEB Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas. When information is available on match times and opponents for the tournament it will be posted on goblueraiders.com.
•••
Women's team falls at Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 75-ranked Middle Tennessee women's tennis team fought hard but could not come away with any points in dropping a 7-0 decision at No. 26 Mississippi Sunday afternoon in Oxford, Miss.
The Blue Raiders were swept in all three doubles matches and each of the six singles contests in falling to the higher-ranked Rebels.
The most games won by a doubles pairing came at the No. 1 spot, where Natalie Araya and Marietta Bigus of Middle Tennessee (5-2) fell to Gabby Rangel and Connor Vogel, 8-4.
Mississippi (5-1) continued to roll throughout the singles matches, clinching each in straight sets. Taylor Coffey managed to win four games in her matchup at the No. 5 spot against Rangel.
The Blue Raiders will look to bounce back when they travel to Miami, Fla., to face FIU at 11 a.m. Saturday.
#26 Mississippi 7, #75 Middle Tennessee 0
Singles
No. 1 Karen Njiseen (MISS) def. Carla Nava (MT) 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 Abby Guthrie (MISS) def. Natalie Araya (MT) 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 Connor Vogel (MISS) def. Yuiri Nomoto (MT) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 Laura van de Stroet (MISS) def. Marietta Bigus (MT) 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 Gabby Rangel (MISS) def. Taylor Coffey (MT) 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 Soledad Poplipnik (MISS) def. Alex Dachos (MT) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 Rangel/Vogel (MISS) def. Araya/Bigus (MT) 8-4
No. 2 Guthrie/van de Stroet (MISS) def. Nava/Nomoto (MT) 8-3
No. 3 Pippa Reakes/Njissen (MISS) def. Coffey/Dachos (MT) 8-1
•••
Five Raiders win first in indoor competition
It was a day of early highs for the Middle Tennessee track and field teams Saturday as they opened competition hosting the 2010 Sun Belt Indoor Championships. Five of teams' athletes finish with first place in their respective events.
Three first place finishes on the women's side have put the team second behind the Western Kentucky while the two men's victories have the team in third position.
Senior Brittany Cox scored first for the Blue Raiders taking gold in the morning's shot put competition. The Antioch, Tenn. native won the event throwing 48-11.5 (14.92m) on her second toss of the preliminary round. This is the second time in which she has won the event, taking the crown at the 2007 meet. Teammate MeLyn Thompson took fourth in the competition with a throw of 46-6 (14.17m).
In the women's long jump, Nyeisha Wright took first with a leap of 20-6.5 (6.26m) with teammate Cherice Robertson placing third jumping 19-4.75 (5.91m). Wright becomes the first woman since Kim Freeman in 2003 to take the Sun Belt Indoor Long Jump title. Kortney Thurman finished sixth with a mark of 18-11.75 (5.78m).
Robertson would continue to perform well taking the women's high jump competition jumping 5-6 (1.68m).
Robertson commented, "I just wanted to score in the long jump, but I ended up getting a good one and placing third. I felt confident going into the high jump as I held the top conference seed. I went out and competed well."
Robertson also finished with the a top time in the 55 meter hurdles this evening as well qualifying for tomorrow's final with a time of 7.91.
The women's distance medley relay team scored took second play. Run by Stephanie Smith, Amber Jackson, Alissa Ruggle and Zamzam Sangau, the team was just beaten by leaders Western Kentucky.
Marla Bailey and Jackie Serem were the other Blue Raider scorers taking sixth and seventh in the 3,000 meters for five total points.
The lone Middle Tennessee men's field competitor was Stanley Gbagbeke in the long jump. The Nigeria native won the long jump with a leap of 25-4.25 (7.73). This marks the 17th time a Blue Raider athlete has won a conference indoor long jump crown. His jump was a Sun Belt Conference Championship record.
Festus Chemaoi won the men's 3,000 meter crown in dramatic fashion continuing to prove himself as the top distance runner in the Sun Belt Conference. His time of 8:15.54 is a personal best.
"I felt confident with the pace we were running in the early portion of the race," said Chemaoi. "When we hit the second to last lap I knew I was going to win."
Teammate William Songock scored three points for the team placing sixth in the race.
Many of the other Blue Raider athletes competed in the preliminary track races of the competition. Overall the teams did well and many of the athletes will run in final race tomorrow.
Head coach Dean Hayes commented on the day's performance, "The women have a shot to win tomorrow. We have most of our athletes who should be in the finals, qualify. Now they have to go get a place."
•••
Women's tennis team drops first match of season
NASHVILLE - The No. 75-ranked Middle Tennessee women's tennis team fell 5-1 Saturday to visiting Marshall, ranked No. 34 in the latest Campbell's/Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, at the Nashboro Village Indoor Courts in Nashville, Tenn.
The Blue Raiders captured the doubles point by winning two of the three contests but could not muster a victory in singles action in losing their first of six matches this season.
Middle Tennessee (5-1) earned its first doubles win at No. 2, as Carla Nava and Yuiri Nomoto combined for an 8-2 triumph over the Thundering Herd's Kara Kucin and Isabell Raich.
The point would be decided during the No. 3 match and the see-saw affair would land in the Blue Raiders' favor after going to a tiebreaker. Anna Djananova and Taylor Coffey knocked off Deanna Bailey and Thaddea Lock 9-8 (8-6) to clinch the point.
"Our girls fought their tails off for the doubles point and we beat them," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "I thought going in that if we would win the doubles point, we could win the match, and unfortunately it did not turn out that way."
Singles action saw Marshall (11-0) earn victories in all five matches which were finished, as it sealed the win.
At the No. 2 spot, Natalie Araya went to a tiebreaker against Dominika Zaprazna before falling 6-2, 7-6 (8-6). The other four matchups were decided in straight sets.
Coffey's singles match at No. 6 versus Kristina Koprcina did not finish with the Thundering Herd sophomore ahead 7-6 in the first set.
Marshall's squad featured nationally-ranked foes, including Michaela Kissell at No. 42 in singles playing at the No. 1 position. Kissell and Zaprazna paired to form the top doubles tandem and entered the match ranked No. 23.
"We believe in each other, so doubles is always possible. We do not yet believe in ourselves individually to win singles matches.
"Give credit to Marshall, though, as they are a very good team. I would not be surprised if they go on to finish in the Top 15 or 20 in the country at the end of the season."
#34 Marshall 5, #75 Middle Tennessee 1
Singles
No. 1 #42 Michaela Kissell (MARS) def. Carla Nava (MT) 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 Dominika Zaprazna (MARS) def. Natalie Araya (MT) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
No. 3 Isabell Raich (MARS) def. Yuiri Nomoto (MT) 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 Catherine Kellner (MARS) def. Anna Djananova (MT) 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Deanna Bailey (MARS) def. Marietta Bigus (MT) 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 Taylor Coffey (MT) vs. Kristina Koprcina (MARS) 6-7, unfinished
Doubles
No. 1 #23 Michaela Kissell/Dominika Zaprazna (MARS) def. Natalie Araya/Marietta Bigus (MT) 8-2
No. 2 Carla Nava/Yuiri Nomoto (MT) def. Kara Kucin/Isabell Raich (MARS) 8-2
No. 3 Taylor Coffey/Anna Djananova (MT) def. Deanna Bailey/Thaddea Lock (MARS) 9-8 (8-6)
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