MTSU Baseball vs. Lipscomb Preview: Blue Raiders look to rebound in key midweek matchup
MTSU Baseball vs. Lipscomb Preview: Blue Raiders look to rebound in key midweek matchup
MTSU baseball enters a crucial midweek matchup against Lipscomb after dropping a Conference USA series to WKU, falling to 23-25 on the season with just two weeks remaining. The Blue Raiders will look to regroup on the road as they face the Bisons in the second and final meeting between the in-state programs during the 2026 college baseball season.
Both MTSU and Lipscomb come into this midweek game sitting two games below .500 and searching for momentum down the stretch.
Their first meeting was a tightly contested battle, with the Blue Raiders pulling away late thanks to a three-run eighth inning in a 5-3 win. With both teams aiming to build confidence heading into the final weeks, this matchup has the makings of another competitive in-state clash.
Scouting Report
Looking at Lipscomb’s offense, it’s decent, but nothing crazy. Despite having a team batting average of .291 and a .377 on-base percentage, the Bisons don’t capitalize on their opportunities. They’re tied for No. 211 nationally in scoring, averaging just 6.13 runs per game.
While they are not impressive as a team, there are a few bats in this lineup who can be dangerous.
Cam Pruitt is their best hitter and has been extremely productive this season. In 43 games, he’s slashing .327/.359/.467 with two home runs, 15 extra-base hits and 39 RBI, while stealing 15 bases.
The infielder is a terrific player, but Brady Miller is another quality bat to talk about in the lineup. He’s played 42 games this season, posting a .329 batting average, a .451 on-base percentage, two home runs, 30 RBI and an .858 OPS.
On the pitching side of things, Lipscomb’s team ERA is 6.92, with a lackluster staff and few quality arms. The starting rotation, including midweek starters, has not been good this season. But there are a couple of solid relievers that Middle Tennessee could see tomorrow night.
Former Blue Raider Adam Jamison has been effective out of the bullpen, making 14 appearances with one start. As their top reliever, the Murfreesboro native owns a 3.40 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 35 strikeouts to 18 walks in 39 2/3 innings pitched.
Another guy to watch is Kaleb Kantola, who’s been a solid option for Jeff Forehand’s squad. In eight appearances out of the pen, he owns a 2.25 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 20 innings.
What To Look For
Time is ticking for a Middle Tennessee baseball team trying to stay alive in the CUSA tournament race. While this is not a league game, I want to see how they respond after a tough home series loss.
Not only can MTSU build some confidence and momentum heading into a weekend series against Florida International, but it also sets the tone for the final stretch of the regular season. Tuesday’s game will show a lot about this team’s character and how they can respond to adversity.
Obviously, we’ve been shown that throughout the 2026 campaign, and they prevailed more times than not. But it’s different when you’re in the spot that they are. Can they weather the storm and start playing well at the right time, starting tomorrow?
Three Keys To Victory
· Get Length From Your Starter
It’s always nice for a starting pitcher to come in and set the tone. That can happen in multiple ways, including being efficient and delivering several quality innings. Middle Tennessee’s lineup has an opportunity to jump on Lipscomb early, but they also need help from their arms.
Whoever is starting for Jerry Meyers’ squad tomorrow night needs to give him good length to avoid digging into the bullpen early and keeping arms fresh ahead of a road trip to Miami this weekend.
Not only will it help against Lipscomb, but it should also pay dividends in the future.
· Make Lipscomb Work At The Plate
The Bisons are a team that can hit the ball but do not get on base at a very high clip, which partly explains their lack of scoring. Against a team that does not walk a lot or create opportunities for themselves, don’t do it for them.
The Blue Raiders need to pound the strike zone, force them to put balls into play and allow the defense to do its job. If they do that effectively and attack Lipscomb’s bats, it will likely end in a win for the road team.
· Capitalize On Mistakes
The last time these two teams played, Lipscomb made a couple of disastrous errors that led to a three-run eighth inning. It was enough for Middle Tennessee to escape with the win, despite playing poorly.
LU will make mistakes along the way; it’s just a matter of whether MT can capitalize on those blunders. Neither team has been good as of late, so it will come down to who can make fewer mistakes and leverage those in their favor.
First pitch from Dugan Field tomorrow is at 6:00 p.m. The game will be on ESPN+ and the Blue Raider Radio Network. The pitching matchup has not been announced yet.