Racers Explode For 17 Runs to Open Series

Friday, February 26

Reagan Field

3 p.m.

Murray State

3-2

Northern Illinois

0-5

Northern Illinois

Murray State

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

2/26/2016 7:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Brandon Gutzler went 3-for-5 and collected seven RBIs and as a squad, the Murray State baseball team racked-up 18 hits and drove in 16 on its way to a 17-4 series-opening victory over Northern Illinois Friday at Reagan Field.

Caleb Hicks and Ramsey Scott also had multi-RBI games with four and two respectively in the victory and Adam Bauer, Gutzler, Hicks and Tyler Lawrence all tallied three hits on the day with Bauer and Aaron Bence leading the way with three runs scored each.

MSU (3-2) got off to a hot start immediately with a five-run first inning. Gutzler's RBI single to right that scored Bence got things started, followed by Gutzler scoring two batters later on NIU's (0-5) lone error of the game. The very next batter, Hicks would drill a three-run home run to center field to put the Racers up 5-0 after one. It was 7-0 MSU after Gutzler's two-RBI double down the left field line plated Bauer and Bence in the second.

After a run in the fourth, the Racers blew the game wide open with a six-run fifth inning. An RBI single from Bauer brought home Kipp Moore to make it 9-0 before Gutzler struck again, this time with a three-run blast to left field to push the MSU advantage to 12-0. Back-to-back hits later in the inning from Hicks and Thompson made it 14-0 after five complete.

The Huskies got on the board in the sixth with four runs to make it 14-4, but the Racers responded with three more in the bottom half of the inning to push its margin back up to 13 runs. A Jaron Robinson single to right scored Nick Moore with one out and a Ramsey Scott single to left center brought home Cody Gilbert and Tyler Dixon.

For the game, the Racers collected eight extra-base hits with four doubles, two triples and those two home runs. MSU also drew five walks in the win.

Jack Hranec picked up his second win of the season in as many starts. Hranec pitched 5.1 innings and allowed just two earned on four hits while recording three strikeouts. Blake Clynes came on in relief and pitched 3.2 innings of shutout baseball and struck-out three. Clynes also received the save in the contest by pitching more than three innings.

The Racers and Huskies get back at it Saturday as they will play a doubleheader beginning at noon at Reagan Field.

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Friday, August 29

Next Event

Northern Illinois

W, 15-12

Feb 27 (Sat)

12 p.m.

Box Score Recap Box Score (.pdf)Preview Live stats History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Hranec, Jack (2-0)

L: HAWKS, Joe (0-2)

S: Clynes, Blake (1)

Northern Illinois

Batting:

2B: FLETCHER, Justin 3

RBI: ZUBEK, Johnny 2 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 1 ; YAPP, Luke 1

Base Running:

RUNS: SISLER, Brian 1 ; HOOK, Tommy 1 ; LETZ, Stephen 1 ; YAPP, Luke 1

HBP: RUSSELL, Carl 1

Murray State

Batting:

2B: Bauer, Adam 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Lawrence, Tyler 1 ; Hicks, Caleb 1

3B: Bence, Aaron 1 ; Bauer, Adam 1

HR: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Hicks, Caleb 1

RBI: Bauer, Adam 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 7 ; Robinson, Jaron 1 ; Scott, Ramsey 2 ; Hicks, Caleb 4 ; Thompson, Reed 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Bence, Aaron 3 ; Dixon, Tyler 1 ; Bauer, Adam 3 ; Gilbert, Cody 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 2 ; Lawrence, Tyler 1 ; Scott, Ramsey 2 ; Hicks, Caleb 2 ; Moore, Kipp 1 ; Moore, Nick 1