Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Middle Tennessee
Boster Pitches @HerdBaseball to 11-1 Win at Middle Tennessee
4/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Senior Chase Boster led the Marshall baseball (22-17, 11-8 Conference USA) over Middle Tennessee (17-26, 4-15 C-USA) by tossing an impressive seven innings, allowing no runs in the 11-1 victory at Reese Smith Jr. Field on Friday night.
Boster picked up his fourth win of the season and is now 4-2 overall. The Stafford, Va., native allowed eight hits while striking out five. With the win, Boster improves to 16 career wins for the Herd and is now tied for sixth all-time with former Major Leaguer Jeff Montgomery (1981-83).
The Thundering Herd offense was able to help out Boster in the top of the first by pushing across four runs on three hits. Tommy Lane (Pendleton, Ore.) got things started with a double down the left field line that scored Corey Bird (Elkview, W.Va.) and DJ Gee (Seattle). Two batters later, Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) hit a towering two-run home run to left field.
Marshall went on to add three more runs in the fifth inning on three hits. With runners on the corners and one out, Aaron Bossi (St. Louis) hit a high-chopping single to the third baseman, which allowed Gee to score. In the next at-bat, Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) doubled to left field to score Lane and Bossi.
The odd innings continued to favor the Herd as it tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Bossi hit the first pitch he saw to deep left field for a two-run home run, his fourth of the season. Later in the inning, Robert Fajardo (Miami) hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Ratliff.
The Herd scored its 11th run of the game in the eighth inning off a Billy Sager (Kenova, W.Va.) sacrifice fly to center field that scored Andrew Zban (Huntington, W.Va.). Middle Tennessee added a run in bottom half of the inning with sac-fly to center field.
Making their first relief appearances of the season was Keanu Ramos (Lubbock, Texas) and Nicholas Newton (Powell, Ohio). Ramos tossed one inning with two strikeouts and one run allowed. Newton pitched a hit-less ninth inning with one strikeout for the Herd.
Tommy Lane had his 10th multi-RBI game of the season on Friday night as he was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Bossi led the Herd with three RBIs and was 3-for-5. Dean and Ratliff each had two RBIs. Corey Bird has improved his hitting streak to 10 games.
Middle Tennessee was led offensively by left fielder Blake Benefield. Benefield went 3-for-4 with a double. Tyler Troutt (1-9) was credited with the loss after allowed six runs through 4.1 innings.
COACH'S CORNER
Quotes from Head Coach Jeff Waggoner
On Chase Boster's performanceââ'¬Â¦
"Chase was really great tonight. Chase came out and dominated the strike zone. He pitched to contact and went deep into the game. That's all you can ask for from a Friday night guy. He was out till the seventh inning and he gave us a chance to win the game."
On the Offense helping Boster settle in earlyââ'¬Â¦
"We talked about coming into the series and jumping out to an early lead. Tyler Ratliff had a big hit in the first inning to put us up, 4-0. Anytime a starter can get four runs to start a game off, it helps him settle in and it did with Chase."
UP NEXT
The Thundering Herd and Blue Raiders will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. (ET). Sunday's game was pushed up to Saturday due to rain in the forecast.
