Middle Tennessee Preview

Belmont (23-13, 9-3 OVC) vs. Middle Tennessee (18-16, 9-6 Conference USA)

Tuesday, April 19 | 6 p.m.

CUSA.TV | Bruin Sports Network | Live Stats

Reese Smith Jr. Field | Murfreesboro, Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Coming off a thrilling road series win over Morehead State on Easter weekend, the Belmont University baseball team will make the short drive to Murfreesboro on Tuesday for a midweek matchup with Middle Tennessee State University. 

Earlier this season on Feb. 27, Belmont took down Middle Tennessee, 11-1, at E.S. Rose Park to give head coach Dave Jarvis his 1,000th career win. 

The game will be streamed on CUSA.TV, and live audio play-by-play will be broadcast on the Bruin Sports Network. Live stats can be found on BelmontBruins.com, and in-game Twitter updates will be posted to @BelmontBaseball. 

What's Bruin 

• Belmont has won each of their first four Ohio Valley Conference series, the first time the Bruins have accomplished that since 2013, their first year in the league 

• That season, Belmont started conference play 14-2, winning their first five conference series on the way to a program-best 38 regular season wins 

• Belmont fell in the series opener to Morehead State on the road on Thursday, 12-7, before winning on Friday, 15-5, and clinching the series with a 4-2 victory on Saturday 

• Junior designated hitter Tommy Crider has homered in three straight games, and has a team-high eight home runs on the season 

• Belmont hit five home runs in their 15-5 win over Morehead State on Friday, the most home runs the Bruins have hit in a game since 2016 

• Junior second baseman Jack Capobianco hit his first career home run in Friday's win. The London, Ky., native had played in 135 games for the Bruins prior to hitting his first career homer in the seventh inning 

• Belmont is currently 5th in the country in fielding percentage (.984) and 17th in stolen bases (70) 

• Jordan Zuger is the projected starter on the mound on Tuesday for the Bruins. In seven prior midweek starts this season, the freshman right-hander from Hendersonville, Tenn., is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA 

• The game on Tuesday marks the fifth game in a nine-game road stretch for the Bruins, who will travel to Purdue for a three-game series next weekend before heading to Evansville next Tuesday to wrap up the longest string of road contests this season 

• Sophomore center fielder Guy Lipscomb is currently 2nd in the OVC in batting average (.378), 4th in runs scored (35), and 5th in on-base percentage (.467). The native of Franklin, Tenn., is also 2nd in the country in stolen bases (28), and is two stolen bases shy of tying Matt Reynolds for the most stolen bases in a single season in program history (30, 2005). 

• Graduate closer Kyle Brennan is currently 3rd in the country in saves (11). The native of Franklin, Tenn., became the program's all-time career saves leader with his 27th save on March 27 in a win over Austin Peay. Brennan currently owns 28 career saves. 

• Sophomore first baseman Brodey Heaton has hit five of his seven home runs in 12 OVC games this season 

• In 12 OVC games, junior outfielder John Behrends is second in the conference in batting average (.442) with two home runs, 13 RBIs, and 12 walks 

• Belmont is 7-5 on the road this year 

• The Bruins won each of their first four midweek games (Middle Tennessee, Lipscomb, Evansville, WKU), but have lost their last three (No. 4 Vanderbilt, WKU, No. 24 Alabama) 

About the Blue Raiders 

• Middle Tennessee is currently No. 63 in RPI, 11 spots above Belmont, who checks in at No. 74 

• The Blue Raiders are 18-16, and 9-6 in Conference USA play. Middle Tennessee was picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll, but is currently tied for 4th  

• Middle Tennessee is 6-5 at home this year 

• The Blue Raiders do not walk a ton. They have drawn 90 bases on balls this year, ranked 286th out of 293 Division I programs 

• Middle Tennessee has won five of their last six games 

Series History  

• Belmont beat Middle Tennessee, 11-1, on Feb. 27 at E.S. Rose Park. Grayson Taylor went 3-for-4 with a career-high 4 RBIs to help power the Bruins to a rain-shortened eight-inning win over the Blue Raiders. Jordan Zuger tossed three innings in his first career start, allowing one run. Lane Lamberth picked up his first win of the season by throwing two scoreless innings in relief 

• Middle Tennessee and Belmont have met 33 times since the Bruins became a Division I program in 1998, with the Blue Raiders leading the series 24-9  

• All-time, Middle Tennessee and Belmont have clashed 68 times, with the Blue Raiders leading the series 49-19