Baseball Prepares for Middle Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont (16-22) and Middle Tennessee (16-20) prepare for their second meeting of the season Tuesday. First pitch from E.S. Rose Park is set for 4 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ or listen to Belmont Bruins Radio with Rich Tiner.
 
Bruin Bullets

• Pete Daniel leads and ranks third in the MVC with a .385 batting average. The shortstop is tied with Illinois State's Daniel Pacella for the most hits in the conference, with 55.
• Belmont leads the conference with 76 stolen bases. Daniel and Charlie Davis are two of the top base stealers in the MVC. Daniel leads Belmont with 18 and Davis is second with 17 on the season.
• Michael Lareau has been red hot at the plate. In the last five games, Lareau leads Belmont with a .563 batting average and six RBIs. The center fielder is 9-for-16 during that stretch, with two doubles and four stolen bases.
• Joe Ruzicka was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week for April 14. Joe Ruzicka improved to 3-1 and 2-0 in MVC play. Ruzicka struck out eight Braves, just one off his career-high tied in his last start against Indiana State on April 5. The right-hander faced 25 batters and issued just two walks and one hit. Ruzicka has thrown 14 scoreless innings in his last two starts, with 17 strikeouts, and has allowed just three hits. The junior right-handed pitcher leads the MVC in opponent batting average (.199), ranks fifth in ERA (3.65), sixth in innings pitched (44.1) and tenth in strikeouts (43).
• Belmont pitchers have recorded 91 strikeouts in the last ten games, with 11 strikeouts in three of the last four games.  

Scouting Report: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

• Middle Tennessee lost a series to Louisiana Tech in C-USA action over the weekend.  
• Eston Snider leads the team with a .370 batting average, 54 hits and 12 doubles.
• Cole Torbett's 4.64 ERA is the lowest among Middle Tennessee relief pitchers. 

Matchup History

• Tuesday marks the 72nd meeting all-time between Belmont and Middle Tennessee, and the 37th since Belmont turned NCAA Division I in 1998.
• Middle Tennessee leads the all-time series, 51-20, and leads the series since 1998, 26-10.
• Middle Tennessee was Belmont's second-ever opponent in baseball. Belmont traveled to Murfreesboro on April 3, 1953, and lost to their local opponent, 19-3.

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