MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Middle Tennessee left-hander Kenneth Roberts tossed a complete-game shutout, and All-America outfielder Bryce Brentz hit a grand slam, as the Blue Raiders rolled to an 8-0 win over visiting New Orleans on Friday evening.
Brentz went 3-for-5, and Justin Miller went 2-for-4 with a two-run shot, as the Blue Raiders (31-19, 15-10 Sun Belt Conference) won for the fifth time in their last six outings.
Roberts (4-4) scattered nine hits and struck out five and was the beneficiary of a 14-hit night for the MT offense. Blake McDade went 3-for-5 with a run scored, and nine-hole hitter Ryan Ford was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Joe Zimmermann (0-7) took the loss for UNO (12-35, 2-24). The sophomore right-hander, who had put together solid outings in his last two starts, gave up 13 hits and eight runs in seven innings.
Ryan Eden and
Nick Schwaner each went 2-for-4 to pace the UNO offense.
The Blue Raiders scored two runs in both the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. UNO's best scoring chance came in the fifth, as
Tyler Sanford and
Craig Schnell led off the frame with back-to-back singles.
Johnny Thomas moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, but Roberts escaped the jam by getting a lineout and a groundout without a runner crossing the plate.
Brentz put the game away in the sixth with a grand slam to cap a two-out rally.
The two teams will continue the three-game series at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
