Box Score MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Hunter Adkins and Joey McClung combined on a four-hit shutout to lead Middle Tennessee (18-12, 6-4) to a 4-0 victory over UALR (16-14, 3-7) on Friday night at Reese Smith Jr. Field. The Trojans managed just four hits in the loss, with Adkins racking up seven strikeouts over 7.1 innings to improve to 4-3 on the year.
UALR junior Chance Cleveland (6-2) suffered his second loss of the season, despite holding the Blue Raiders to seven hits and four runs (three earned) over 8.0 innings. The Sun Belt's strikeout leader, Cleveland fanned four Blue Raiders while issuing just one walk. He and Adkins matched zeroes for the first four innings before MT got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Robert Lawrence plated Jordan Rorex with a RBI single through the left side.
The Blue Raiders tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth after Johnny Thomas was hit by a pitch to start the inning off. Thomas moved into scoring position by stealing second, one of four stolen bases in the game by MT, and scored on a run-scoring single by Hank LaRue. Rorex reached on a fielder's choice in the next at-bat, and scored moments later on a fielding error in right field on a single by Ryan Stephens.
Leading 3-0 in the top of the eighth, MT went to the bullpen after Adkins surrendered a one-out single to senior Cameron Bentley. McClung walked the first batter he faced to bring the potential tying run to the plate, but the left-handed reliever retired the next five Trojans he faced in-order to pick up his third save of the year. MT capped off its scoring in the bottom half as Trent Miller delivered a solo homer to left - his eighth of the year.
UALR and Middle Tennessee return to action tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. The game will be televised by CSS/CST and can also be viewed at ESPN3.com.
