March 15, 2003
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Purdue baseball could not fight through the early barrage by Middle Tennessee State, falling 8-5 to the Blue Riaders at Reese Smith Field in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The loss drops Purdue to 5-4 on the season, and improves MTSU's record to 6-8.
Early offensive fireworks by the Blue Raiders spotted MTSU to a 7-0 lead, one too big for the Boilermakers to overcome. The first nine hits of the game for the Raiders went for extra bases, which included six double, a triple and two home runs.
The Blue Raiders jumped on Purdue starter Scott Byrnes in the first inning for three runs on two hits. With two outs, Marcus Taylor drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch and was followed by a Jerry Knox double into the left field corner. Brett Carroll connected for his team-leading fifth home run of the season, a shot to left-center field that bounced off the top of the wall at the 365-foot mark, to give MTSU a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, MTSU threatened to add to its lead when Taylor tripled to right-center field with one out. However, with the infield drawn in, Byrnes coaxed Knox to ground out to second and Carroll watched the third strike to end the inning, stranding a runner at third.
In the Boilermaker half of the fourth, Brad Kriner laced a leadoff double to left-center and moved to third one out later on a basehit up the middle by Daniel Underwood. Chad Reeves drilled a shot down the first base line that found the MTSU first baseman on the bag, where he fielded the ball and tagged Underwood for an unassisted double play.
The bottom of the fourth began with a double off the bat of Chris LeGuenec for the Blue Raiders. LeGuenec scored two batters later on a two-base hit by Jeff Beacham and was followed by home run to left by Troy Harp, his first of the year. Chad Cooper's double chased Byrnes from the mound in favor of Jason Driscoll, who was greeted by a groundball double down the right field line by Chuck Akers, driving home Cooper and increasing MTSU's lead to 7-0.
With one down in the top of the fifth, Matt Bush blooped a single over the shortstop's head and went on to second base on a single to center by Nick McIntyre. One out later, Mitch Koester lofted a home run deep over the left field wall to score Bush and McIntyre and draw the Boilermakers within four, 7-3. The blast was Koester's first of the season and second of his career.
MTSU added a lone run in the seventh to extended its lead to five runs, 8-3. Knox was hit by a pitch from Driscoll to start the inning and was replaced at first for a pinch runner, Jarrett England. Carroll singled to give the Blue Raiders two base runners before Matt Skripsky entered the game for Purdue, the third pitcher for the Boilermakers. After an intentional walk of Shane Kemp, Jeff Beacham flew out to center, driving in England from third.
In the visitor's half of the ninth, Purdue put the first two runners on as Reeves singled through the left side of the infield and Simon Klink walked. John Hunter singled in the hole between first and second to load the bases. McIntyre flew out to deep center to advance every base runner, scoring Reeves from third base and making the score 8-4. Koester singled on the infield to score Klink and draw the Boilermakers to within three runs with two outs. However, a fielder's choice forced Koester out at second to end the game.
Scott Byrnes was hit with the loss, dropping his season record to 0-2. Steve Kline was the winner for MTSU, moving his record to 2-1.
Mitch Koester was the offensive star for the Boilermakers, going 2-4 with a run and four RBI. Nick McIntyre was 2-3 at the plate and Daniel Underwood was 2-4.
The Boilermakers and Blue Raiders meet on the diamond at Reese Smith Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the rubber game. Through two games, Purdue is out-scoring MYSU, 12-8, and out-hitting the Blue Raiders, 22-17.