Racers Hit Their Way to a Win in Home Opener

Tuesday, February 23

Reagan Field

2 p.m.

Murray State

2-2

Harris-Stowe State

4-3

Harris-Stowe

Murray State

2/23/2016 5:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The Murray State baseball team slugged its way to a home-opening victory on Tuesday afternoon at Reagan Field, defeating Harris-Stowe 13-4.

After getting off to a sluggish start to the game, trailing 2-0 after the top of the first and 3-1 after the top of the second, the MSU (2-2) bats came alive in the bottom of the second inning as a four-run frame pushed the Racers in front 5-3 and they wouldn't look back from there, adding two more in both the third and fifth innings and capping with another four-run frame in the sixth.

After a two-run home run by the Hornets in the first, an Adam Bauer sacrifice fly to right field scored Aaron Bence to make it 2-1 in favor of HSSU. After the Hornets got that run back in the top of the second, MSU made its run. A Jaron Robinson single through the right side that scored Nick Moore made it 3-2 and then a single from Bauer later in the inning allowed Bence to score from third and Robinson to come home on a throwing error, putting MSU up 4-3. A Brandon Gutzler RBI single put the Racers up 5-3.

Bauer did it again in the third with a two-RBI double to left center that scored both Bence and Moore and pushed the Racer advantage to 7-3. Robinson scored on a fielding error by the Hornets to begin the fifth and a Gutzler RBI made it 9-3 Racers.

In the sixth, Robinson delivered again for MSU with a single that scored Kipp Moore and a Tyler Dixon two-run double pushed the edge to 12-3. Tyler Lawrence's RBI later in the inning made it 13-3 and the Hornets closed the game with a run in the top of the ninth on a passed ball.

For the game, MSU collected 15 hits while Harris-Stowe had six, but only two the final seven innings. The Racers also went clean defensively for the most part, committing no errors while HSSU had four allowed five unearned runs.

Bauer led the way offensively for the Racers with four RBIs and went 2-for-3 from the plate. Dixon and Gutzler both had a pair of ribbies in the win while Robinson was 2-of-4, had two RBIs and scored three runs. Nick Moore went 2-for-3 and scored three times while Bence was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish and scored four runs in the victory. Lawrence also collected three hits on the day.

It was pitcher by committee on the day for the Racers as they used a total of seven arms in the win. Blake Clynes got the start and pitched the first inning. John Lollar and Chad Gendron each went two strong innings with Lollar picking up the win and striking-out four batters. Tyler Anderson, Sheldon Baxter, Cody Maerz and Robinson all got an inning of relief as well.

MSU returns to Reagan Field Friday as it begins a four-game set with Northern Illinois. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Friday with a doubleheader being played Saturday and the finale on Sunday.