In a stunning midweek upset, Middle Tennessee State University (20-22) knocked off the 9th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores (30-12) by a score of 5-3 on Tuesday night at Hawkins Field in Nashville.
The Blue Raiders jumped out to an early lead when Eston Snider homered in the first inning and never relinquished it, adding single runs in the second and fourth innings before a pivotal two-run eighth inning secured the victory. Snider finished with an impressive night at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a home run, double, and an RBI.
Middle Tennessee’s bullpen was the story of the night, with Ethan Imbimbo earning his first win of the season after three solid innings of scoreless relief. The Blue Raiders’ pitching staff limited Vanderbilt’s potent offense to just eight hits and three runs, with only two earned.
Matt Wolfe contributed significantly for MTSU, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, while Hayden Miller drove in two critical RBIs. The Blue Raiders showed tremendous resilience after Vanderbilt had tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning, regaining momentum with the eighth-inning rally.
The victory marks a signature win for MTSU against their in-state SEC rival and should provide a major confidence boost as they return to conference play. The Blue Raiders capitalized on key opportunities throughout the game, including two wild pitches and a passed ball in the decisive eighth inning.
Vanderbilt’s Brennan Seiber took the loss, allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of relief. The Commodores stranded 11 runners on base, including two in the ninth inning as MTSU’s Imbimbo closed out the game by striking out Colin Barczi with runners on the corners.
The Blue Raiders return to action this weekend as they continue their Conference USA schedule.
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