Final Score:  Lipscomb: 3, Middle Tennessee: 0
Location:  Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Reese Smith Jr. Field)
Records:  Lipscomb: 3-3, Middle Tennessee: 3-5

THE SHORT STORY:  Lipscomb Baseball came out on the winning end of a midweek pitchers dual Tuesday at Middle Tennessee. Three late inning runs sealed the deal as the Bisons pitching allowed no runs, gave up four hits and walked only two. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
 
After the Bisons were retired in order to start the first inning, Michael Dunkelberger made his first start of the season. He started with two quick outs before giving up a base hit up the middle, but a ground ball to the next batter got Lipscomb out of the inning scoreless after the first. 
 
Lipscomb's first base runner came in the top of the second when John Shields reached when he was hit by a pitch. He stole second but was ultimately stranded as the game stayed scoreless. Dunkelberger continued to work efficiently in the bottom of the inning retiring the Blue Raiders in order. 
 
Ethan Stamps got things going in the top of the third with a single up the middle and got to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but a couple of strikeouts end the inning with the Bisons still scoreless. 
 
After keeping MTSU at bay in the bottom of the third, Lipscomb threatened in the top of the fourth when Rudy Maxwell put a two-out double to deep center field, but the Bisons were unable to move him around as the game remained scoreless heading into the home half of the fourth. Dunkelberger kept rolling through the bottom of the inning with another three up, three down inning. 
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, Middle Tennessee had its best chance to score in the bottom of the sixth with two runners in scoring position, but Chandler Giles got the final out with a big swinging strikeout to keep things scoreless heading into the seventh. 
 
Malik Williams started the seventh inning off strong with a single up the middle. Shields later worked a one-out walk for runners on first and second, but they were ultimately stranded as the scoreless pitchers dual continued. Noah Thompson took over the mound in the bottom of the seventh and almost retired the Blue Raiders in order, but the third batter reached on a dropped third strike to keep the inning alive. The runner stole second to put pressure on Thompson, but he forced a ground ball to get out of the inning unscathed.  
 
Caleb Ketchup put himself in scoring position quickly in the top of the eighth. He singled to left field and then advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt and stole third, finding himself 90-feet from home plate with no outs. The Bisons found themselves with runners on the corners and no outs soon after when Chaz Bertolani drew a walk. Maddux Houghton was next up to the plate and put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Bertolani to second. The MTSU first baseman then bobbled the ball and Ketchup took off and scored from third on the error for a 1-0 Lipscomb lead. Lipscomb continued to add to its run total when Trace Willhoite delivered a sacrifice fly to center field that Bertolani scored on for a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. 
 
Thompson and Mathew Maldonado combined for the three outs needed in the bottom of the eighth to keep Lipscomb's two-run lead. 
 
Maxwell started the top of the ninth by delivering his second double of the game to right center. He eventually advanced to third and took advantage of a sacrifice fly to give the Bisons a 3-0 cushion heading to the bottom of the ninth. 
 
Trey Nordmann was called upon to try and close the game out for Lipscomb on the mound. He got the job done for his first save of the season as the Bisons defeated Middle Tennessee 3-0. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Maxwell notched two hits, both for extra bases. 
• Malik, Stamps and Ketchup also connected for a hit a piece. 
• Dunkelberger threw five innings surrendering just two hits and one walk. 
• Thompson picked up the win going an inning and a third, allowing just one hit. 
• Chandler Giles and Maldonado combined for one and two thirds scoreless innings. 

 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will return to Dugan Field to take on Belmont in the first instillation of the 2022 Battle of the Boulevard. First pitch on March 2 is slated for 3 p.m. CT.