Middle Tennessee wins Sun Belt championship

TROY — Top-seeded Middle Tennessee had its best starter and top closer rested and ready for the Sun Belt Conference championship game.

Ken Roberts and Coty Woods shut down seventh-seeded Louisiana-Monroe’s unlikely bid to grab an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by holding the Warhawks to six hits in the Blue Raiders’ 3-1 victory Sunday at Riddle-Pace Field.

Middle Tennessee (43-16) had already done enough to clinch an at-large bid to a regional. The regular season co-champions became just the second No. 1 seed to win the conference tournament since 1996. Troy won the title in 2006 as the other top seed.

“It was a great championship game,” Middle Tennessee coach Steve Peterson said. “You knew that Monroe was going to make a run at us. Kenny had to pitch outstanding early in the game. (Catcher) Drew Robertson called a magnificent game. The second time around he made adjustments that were very important.”

Roberts (10-1) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He pitched a complete game (shortened to seven innings) in the Blue Raiders’ opening victory over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday. He worked six innings of four-hit ball against ULM (31-27). Combined, the junior left-hander gave up three runs and 11 hits in 13 innings of the tournament.

“I felt good. I didn’t feel like I was on short rest or anything,” Roberts said. “My trainer did a good job getting me back. I felt perfectly fine.”

“Ken, I can’t say enough about him,” Woods said. “He’s helped us all year. Without him, I don’t know if we could have done it.”
Middle Tennessee’s vaunted offense bunched its runs in the top of the third off ULM starter Jordy Poche (2-7). With one out, Poche issued back-to-back walks. Nathan Hines delivered an RBI single. Bryce Brentz, the league’s Player of the Year who is hitting .486 with 28 home runs, followed with a run-scoring single off an 0-2 pitch. After a fly ball for the second out, Zach Dean singled to right to drive in Hines and make it 3-0.

Few thought that would be enough.

“Coach Pete kept telling us we can’t lay down,” Hines said. “They’re good or they wouldn’t be here.”

Middle Tennessee again threatened in the fourth inning. Taylor Dennis singled, went to second on a fielder’s choice and to third on a balk by Poche. Rawley Bishop then walked and ULM coach Jeff Schexnaider lifted Poche for Josh Miller.

Miller was outstanding, going 4 1/3 innings and holding the Raiders to two hits.

“He did a great job against a great hitting team like Middle,” Schexnaider said. “He held that three-run lead and gave us a chance.”
“I was just trying to throw as many strikes as I could, trying to keep us in it,” Miller said. “They had great pitching over there and they can really swing it. To hold that team to three runs usually you’re going to win.”

But Roberts was sharp. He faced second-and-third with one out after an error and Ben Soignier’s double in the ULM first inning. He got out of the inning with consecutive strikeouts.

“We had some opportunities, but when you play a team like that in the championship game you can’t miss on them,” Schexnaider said. “We had some baserunners with less than two outs and couldn’t plate them. He (Roberts) had a lot to do with it. They’re one of the top teams in the country and I know they’ll represent the conference well in the regional.”

Roberts picked off Ryan McMillan from second base after he reached on a two-base throwing error. He also worked out of a jam in the sixth, when ULM scored its only run.

Perry Smith doubled to lead off the inning. He went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Jon Prevost’s single to center.

Prevost was forced out at second on Soignier’s ground ball. Matt Collins then roped a ball to the short wall in right field. Zach Hudson made a strong throw to nail Collins at second, ending the inning.

That also ended Roberts’ day. Woods, who didn’t have to pitch as Middle defeated Louisiana on Saturday, came on to start the seventh inning.

Woods ran into trouble in the ULM eighth. A walk, a single and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs. But he got Collins to ground out sharply to second base. Woods gave up a leadoff single in the ninth but finished with six strikeouts in his three innings. He recorded his 14th save of the season.

“I give all the credit to Ken and Coty to shut them down,” said Hines, who went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. “Ken is our best on the mound. He came out here and did what he was supposed to do. Coty came in and shut the door.”

Schexnaider said his team worked hard to get the league’s automatic bid.

“We came up two runs short,” he said. “To play the last day in this conference you’ve had a great year.”

Peterson, who has been at Middle Tennessee for 22 seasons, won his ninth conference tournament title.

“I want to thank Troy University and Bobby Pierce and his coaching staff,” Peterson said. “This has been a very, very difficult tournament to run with the weather. If it had been anywhere else, I don’t know what would have happened. Troy was a great host.”