Murray State University Athletics
Breds Host Wildcats at Brooks Stadium
5/18/2010 3:08:00 PM | Baseball
GAME 49
MURRAY STATE vs. KENTUCKY
May 18, 2010 • Paducah, Ky.
First Pitch
Tuesday: 6 p.m.
Series History: UK leads 10-5
Last Meeting: MUR 7, UK 5 (2010)
Stadium: Brooks Stadium (Capacity: 1,500)
Dimensions: 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
Live Stats: www.goracers.com
MURRAY STATE THOROUGHBREDS
Overall Record: 25-22-1
Conference Record: 12-5-1
Last 5/Last 10: 3-1-1/6-3-1
Streak: Tie 1
Website: www.GoRacers.com
Head Coach: Rob McDonald
Career Record: 158-214-2 (7th year)
Record at MSU: 158-214-2 (7th year)
KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Overall Record: 29-23
Conference Record: 12-15
Last 5/Last 10: 3-2/5-5
Streak: Win 3
Website: www.ukathletics.com
Head Coach: Gary Henderson
Career Record: 57-49 (2nd year)
Record at UK: 57-49 (2nd year)
FIRST PITCH
The Murray State baseball team closes out its non-conference season as the Breds play host to Kentucky. The game will be begin at 6 p.m. at Brooks Stadium in Paducah. The meeting marks the second time in the last three seasons the teams will meet in Paducah.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Breds and Wildcats are meeting for just the 16th time on the diamond. UK holds a 10-5 advantage in the series, but the Breds won the earlier meeting this season, 7-5, in Lexington. The two teams met in Paducah in 2008 with the Wildcats rallying for a 4-3 10-inning victory.
Probable Pitching Matchups
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Pitcher W-L ERA K/BB
Dan Huff (R) 1-3 7.99 28/22
Joe Devine (R) 0-1 9.00 3/2
Next Up: Career Hits Record
Wes Cunningham is about to set another career record at Murray State as he needs just one hit to tie Tyler Pittman for the all-time hits list with 228. The senior has already set nine single-season or career records this season.
Extra-Inning Baseball at Brooks
Nine innings have not been enough to settle things the last two times Murray State played at Brook Stadium. Last season, Southern Illinois handed the Breds a 10-inning defeat, while Kentucky rallied for a 3-2 10-inning victory in 2008.
Murray State and LSU Ties
Tuesday's game against Kentucky marks the second time in last three weeks that the Breds will play a team from the SEC that is coming off a series sweep over defending national champion LSU. On April 27, MSU faced Ole Miss after they swept the Tigers. The Breds rallied from a 10-1 deficit in the seventh, before falling 11-10 in 10 innings.
Championship Quest
Murray State enters the final weekend of the regular season atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings, and are in search of their first regular-season championship since 1991.
Winner-Take-All Series
The OVC could not have asked for a better scenario on the final week of the regular season. Murray State and Tennessee Tech face off in Cookeville, Tenn. in what may amount to a winner-take-all series for the regular-season championship. The Breds enter the weekend with a one-game lead over the Golden Eagles. SEMO can play spoiler as they head to Eastern Illinois.
Seventh-Inning Cycle
Murray State hit for the natural cycle with the first four hitters in lineup to push across four runs in the 7-5 victory over Morehead State. Trailing 5-3 to start the inning, Zach Noonan singled through the right side and scored on Brandon Elliotts's double to left center. Wes Cunningham followed with a triple down the right-field line, and Bryan Propst delivered the game-winning two-run homer run to left.
Breds Punch Postseason Ticket
Murray State secured a spot in the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with their 7-5 victory over Morehead State in the series opener.
Craycraft Sets Innings Record
Chris Craycraft tossed six innings against Morehead State to become Murray State's all-time leader in career innings pitched. In just three years, the Lexington native has thrown 268.2 innings. He will also become the Breds all-time leader in games started when he takes the hill against Tennessee Tech on Friday.
McGaha Shows Durability
Senior Matt McGaha has appeared in a team-high 23 games this season. More impressively, McGaha has appeared in 72 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 (85), triples (6), home runs (18), RBIs (74), total bases (168) and slugging percentage (.862). He needs four runs to set that record.
Scouting Kentucky
The Wildcats enter the contest with an overall record of 29-23 and a 12-15 mark in the SEC.
UK swept a weekend series from #20 LSU last weekend, after taking two-of-three against #4 South Carolina the weekend prior.
The Cats dropped a pair of midweek games last week at Indiana (18-17) and against Lipscomb (10-8).
UK has shown their power this season as they have hit 80 home runs. Five players are in double figures, with Gunner Glad and Andy Burns leading the way with 11 each. Lance Ray, Marcus Nidiffer and Taylor Black each have 10.
Joe Devine will get the start for the second-straight Tuesday. Last week, he allowed five runs, two earned, on seven hits over three innings. On the season, Devine is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in six appearances.
On Deck
The Breds close out the 2010 regular season as they travel to Tennessee Tech on May 21-22. The series gets underway with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, and concludes with a 1 p.m. first pitch Saturday.
