Box Score MURFREESBORO, Tenn. ? The Arkansas-Little Rock baseball team (17-10, 0-1 Sun Belt) dropped its conference opener on Friday evening, as Middle Tennessee plated five runs in the bottom of the sixth en route to an 11-4 victory. The Trojans outhit the Blue Raiders (8-10, 1-0) 9-to-8, but issued 12 free passes in the loss.
MT took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second behind a two-run single by Jeff Beachum, who went 3-for-6 on the night. The Blue Raiders extended their lead to 4-0 in the third, as Todd Martin scored from third on a wild pitch before Grant Nickell plated Michael McKendry with a RBI groundout.
The Trojans got in to the scoring column in the top of the fifth, manufacturing three runs to cut their deficit to a run, 4-3. Freshmen Tyler Mason pushed across UALR's first run with a run-scoring single, plating junior Brett Lawler. Junior Ryan Gotcher followed with a two-run single to bring the Trojans within one.
With their lead shrinking, the Blue Raiders answered with two runs in the bottom half, compliments of a RBI double by Adam Warren and a run-scoring single by Josh Horn, to go ahead 6-3.
MT then added five runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Chase Eakes accounted for the majority of the damage with a bases-clearing three-run double. UALR added a run in the top of the ninth compliments of a RBI single by senior Jacob Stover, but could not rally against the Blue Raider pitchers.
Matt Scott improved to 3-1 on the year by going 7.0 strong innings with six strikeouts and three runs allowed (two earned) off three walks and six hits. Matt Bates (1-2) took the loss for the Trojans after surrendering eight runs off seven hits and six walks over 5.0 innings.
The two teams return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Murfreesboro.
