Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – St. Bonaventure held its own with Middle Tennessee in an Opening Day doubleheader Friday afternoon, but a couple of tough innings sent the Blue Raiders past the Bonnies in a sweep for MTSU at Reese Smith Field.

Thomas Grilli and Adam Rankie each had four hits on the day for the Bonnies while Jayce Tharnish had three.

Game 1 – Middle Tennessee 16, St. Bonaventure 3
The Bonnies started fast in their first trip to the plate of the 2023 season, scoring twice for an early lead.

A Blue Raiders error set the table and Jack Putney singled home the first run of the year, scoring Jayce Tharnish. One batter later, Thomas Grilli plated Adam Rankie with an RBI single for a 2-0 edge.

That advantage would only last a few minutes, though, as MTSU immediately tied the game in the home half of the frame with two of its own.

The Blue Raiders grabbed a lead with a run in the second, but Grilli knotted up the score with his second RBI of the day and a 3-3 tie in the third.

MTSU scored what would ultimately be the winning run on a balk in the fourth, but a 4-3 score remained until the seventh when the hosts played long ball to blow the game open.

Middle Tennessee plated 12 runs between the seventh and eighth innings, highlighted by a three-run homer off the bat of Gabe Jennings and a second bomb from Eston Snider.

Middle Tennessee starter Jaden Hamm earned the win with nine strikeouts over his 7.2 innings of work as he allowed just two runs and did not walk a batter.

Rankie went 4-for-4 with a run scored in his first Division I game.

Bryce Hediger started on the hill, working four innings while allowing three earned runs. Kyle Caringi also had a scoreless inning of relief.
 
Game 2 – Middle Tennessee 6, St. Bonaventure 2
Just like in the opener, the Bonnies scored first, pushing across a run on a ground out from Rankie to plate Artin Biageyian in the third.

And like game one, the lead would not last long.

Middle Tennessee responded with three runs in the home half of the third inning on just two hits thanks in large part to three walks.

The Blue Raiders picked up insurance with two runs in the sixth and another tally in the seventh to pull away.

Bona's got one back in the eighth as a double by Putney followed by a single by Grilli scored the second run of the game for the Brown and White.

Gabe Watts had a solid start on the mound, tossing five innings of three-run ball while striking out five.

The two teams are back in action Saturday at noon Central, 1 p.m. Eastern.

GAME NOTES

• The games were the first for the Bonnies under new head coach Jason Rathbun.
• The Blue Raiders coaching staff includes assistant coach Kevin Nichols, who coached Rathbun while serving as head coach at Erksine College where Rathbun played from 2002-03.
• MTSU opened the season last weekend with a 14-8 win vs. VCU.
• MTSU won 29 games last season and went 17-13 in Conference USA play.

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