Murray State University Athletics
Breds Host Morehead State in Final Home Games of the Season
5/14/2010 7:01:00 PM | Baseball
GAMES 47-49
MURRAY STATE vs. MOREHEAD STATE
May 15-16, 2010 • Murray, Ky.
First Pitch
Saturday: 1 p.m.; Sunday: 1 p.m.
Series History: MUR leads 54-37
Last Meeting: MUR 8, MOR 5 (2009)
Stadium: Reagan Field (Capacity: 800)
Dimensions: 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
Live Stats: www.goracers.com
MURRAY STATE THOROUGHBREDS
Overall Record: 24-22
Conference Record: 11-5
Last 5/Last 10: 4-1/5-5
Streak: Lost 1
Website: www.GoRacers.com
Head Coach: Rob McDonald
Career Record: 157-214-1 (7th year)
Record at MSU: 157-214-1 (7th year)
MOREHEAD STATE EAGLES
Overall Record: 24-21
Conference Record: 6-8
Last 5/Last 10: 2-3/6-4
Streak: Win 1
Website: www.msueagles.com
Head Coach: Jay Sorg
Career Record: 62-86 (3rd year)
Record at MOR: 62-86 (3rd year)
FIRST PITCH
The Murray State baseball team closes out its 2010 home schedule as it plays host to Morehead State in a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Reagan Field on May 15-16. The series gets underway with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, and concludes with at 1 p.m. Sunday.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Breds and Eagles have met 91 times prior on the diamond with MUR holding a 54-37 advantage in the series. The Breds have won nine of the last 12 meetings with the Eagles. Last season, MUR won the series at MOR, and then defeated the Eagles, 8-5, in the OVC Tournament.
Probable Pitching Matchups
SATURDAY, MAY 15
Pitcher W-L ERA K/BB
Chris Craycraft (R) 6-3 4.36 58/27
Michael Bottoms (R) 4-3 6.64 32/21
SATURDAY, MAY 15
Pitcher W-L ERA K/BB
Jake Donze (L) 5-5 6.21 59/48
Matthew Robertson (R) 1-4 9.88 27/14
SUNDAY, MAY 16
Pitcher W-L ERA K/BB
Alex Love (R) 6-0 5.96 26/20
Tyler Hieneman (L) 1-2 8.65 25/16
13 Seniors Play Final Home Games
Thirteen members of the Murray State baseball team will play their final home games at Reagan Field this weekend. Chris Craycraft, Wes Cunningham, Marc Harmon, Daniel Hill, Cory Hodskins, Dan Huff, Jason Laws, Alex Love, Seth McFarlin, Matt McGaha, Bryan Propst, Brad Rowland and Kyle Tiernan.
Craycraft to Set Innings Record
Chris Craycraft needs just six more outs to become MSU's all-time leader in career innings pitched, passing former teammate Mike Perconte. He needs just two more starts to become the all-time leader in games started. He also ranks seventh on the all-time strikeouts list, and needs 12 strikeouts to become just the fourth Breds pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a career.
McGaha Shows Durability
Senior Matt McGaha has appeared in a team-high 22 games this season. More impressively, McGaha has appeared in 71 games in his career and ranks second on the all-time list at MSU.
Cunningham Continues to Set Records
Wes Cunningham continues to set records at Murray State as he is the single-season record holder for hits (82), home runs (18), RBIs (72), total bases (162) and slugging percentage (.857). He needs five runs to set that record.
Breds Sweep OVC Honors
Murray State swept the weekly OVC honors as Wes Cunningham (Hitter) and Chris Craycraft (Pitcher) were named Players of the Week. Cunningham went 7-for-11 (.636) with a double, triple, home run and 12 RBIs in the three-game sweep over Eastern Kentucky. Craycraft tossed a complete-game three hitter in the series opener.
Cunningham Named OVC HOTW
After homering in all three games last week, Wes Cuningham was a unanimous selection as the OVC Hitter of the Week. He finished the week by going 5-for-12 with three home runs and nine RBIs.
Tiernan Provides Extra-Inning Power
Senior Kyle Tiernan produced on of the biggest hits of his career in the series opener against SEMO as he belted a two-run home run to right field to break a 3-3 tie and give the Breds a 5-3 extra-inning victory. The homer was the second of the season and just the fifth of his career.
Cunningham vs. The SEC
Senior Wes Cunningham has enjoyed some success against the SEC this season. In two games, Cunningham is 4-for-10 with a pair of home runs and eight RBIs.
Another Grand Slam
The Breds have belted three grand slams in 2010, marking the first time since 2001 that MSU has hit three grand slams in a season. Wes Cunningham has hit two of the three, making him the only Bred in over a decade to have multiple grand slams in a season. Bryan Propst has the other.
High Scoring Innings
The Breds have had some high-scoring innings in 2010 as they have scored at least four runs in 30 innings this season. MSU has scored a season-high nine runs against Eastern Kentucky, jut one inning after scoring eight runs.
Tight OVC Race
The race for the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Championship is starting to tighten up as four separate first place and missing the OVC Tournament.
Cunningham Sets Career Triples Mark
Senior Wes Cunningham put his name atop the record books when he recorded his 13th career triple in the series finale against Eastern Kentucky. He broke the tie with Jack Perconte (1973-76) for the all-time mark.
Scouting Morehead State
The Eagles enter the weekend with an overall record of 24-21, and a 6-8 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference.
MOR currently sits in seventh place in the OVC standings, just one-half game behind Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky for the final spot in the OVC Tournament.
The Eagles lead the OVC with 419 runs scored and 92 home runs, while ranking second with a .342 team batting average.
MOR also leads the league in fewest strikeouts, 232, but leads the league in grounding into 42 double plays.
The Eagles feature a one-two punch at the top of their lineup in J.D. Ashbrook (.433, 17 HR, 50 RBI) and Drew Lee (.416, 15 HR, 64 RBI).
MOR ranks last in the conference on the bump as they own an 8.62 team ERA.
Aided by their home field, the staff has surrendered 89 home runs.
On Deck
The Breds play their final midweek game of the 2010 season as they welcome Kentucky to Brooks Stadium on May 18. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
