Murray State University Athletics
Saturday, February 27
Reagan Field
12 p.m.
Murray State
4-2
15
vs
12
Northern Illinois
0-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Northern Illinois
1
3
2
5
0
1
0
0
0
12
16
2
Murray State
0
0
0
6
5
1
0
3
X
15
19
3
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racers Split Wild Doubleheader With NIU
2/27/2016 7:59:00 PM | Baseball
Offensive fireworks ruled the day at Johnny Reagan Field as the Murray State baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Northern Illinois. A total of 49 runs were scored and 66 hits were tallied up combined in the two games. The Racers came from behind to win game one, 15-12 before falling 12-10 in the nightcap.
Game one got off to a rough start for MSU (4-3) as the Racers fell behind 11-0 to the Huskies (1-6) to begin the day. NIU scored in each of the first four innings, including a three-run second and five-run fifth inning.
However, the Racer bats would come alive in the bottom of the fourth inning as a Jaron Robinson two-run home run got MSU on the board first and ignited the offense. After a Nick Moore RBI double scored Kipp Moore, Brandon Gutzler delivered a three-run shot to deep right center field to make it 11-6 after four innings.
In the fifth, MSU showed much of the same offensive explosion as the Racers scored five runs on six hits to tie the game. Jack Hranec started the inning with an RBI double that scored Caleb Hicks, two batters later Kipp Moore delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 11-9 in favor of the Huskies. Aaron Bence and Adam Bauer would also each deliver RBIs in the inning to tie the game at 11-11.
In the sixth, NIU briefly took the lead on a sacrifice fly before Bence's second RBI in as many innings tied the game right back up again. Gutzler delivered again in the bottom of the eighth, this time with a bases-clearing double to left center that scored Bauer, Bence and Kipp Moore to put the Racers up 15-12 before Cody Maerz was able to close things out on the hill for the win.
Maerz picked up his first win of the season after going a scoreless three innings and allowing one hit and striking out a pair of batters. Andrew Bramley got the game one start and allowed six runs, however just two of them were earned, on eight hits while recording four strikeouts. John Lollar also pitched three innings of relief in the win.
MSU pounded-out 19 hits in the game and committed three errors in the field while the Huskies had two errors and 16 hits to open the doubleheader.
Gutzler led the way with six RBIs in the win and went 2-for-4 at the plate. Hranec had a game-high four hits and also scored twice while Tyler Lawrence went 3-for-6. Bauer, Bence, Nick and Kipp Moore and Robinson all collected two hits each with Robinson and Kipp scoring three times apiece and Bence, Kipp and Robinson each with two ribbies.
Game two followed much of the same script as the Huskies again jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first. However, again the Racers would respond, this time with a seven-run bottom of the first, an inning which began with a grand slam from Lawrence, his first homer of the year. Ramsey Scott would score later in the inning and a Bence double to right center scored Tyler Dixon and Robinson to put MSU up 7-3.
 This time, it was NIU's time to rally as they climbed back into the game with two runs in the third and one each in the fourth and fifth to tie the contest at 7-7. The Racers looked to regain control in the bottom half of the inning as Gutzler again delivered an RBI hit, this time a double to right center that scored Bauer. Hicks delivered an RBI single two batters later and a sac fly RBI from Scott made it 10-7.
The Huskies were able to tie the game again the next half inning with three runs before taking a 12-10 lead in the seventh with a pair of scores. MSU failed to deliver in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs.
Gutzler, Lawrence and Scott led the way in the second game with three hits each while Lawrence collected a season-best four RBIs with his homer. Bence also delivered his second two-RBI game of the day in the loss.
Brandon Hicks took the loss in the second game. Hicks pitched five innings of relief for start Austin Dubsky, allowing six runs on nine hits. Dubsky went four innings and had six earned on eight hits before exiting the game.
The Racers and Huskies close their four-game series Sunday afternoon at Reagan Field. First Pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Â
Game one got off to a rough start for MSU (4-3) as the Racers fell behind 11-0 to the Huskies (1-6) to begin the day. NIU scored in each of the first four innings, including a three-run second and five-run fifth inning.
However, the Racer bats would come alive in the bottom of the fourth inning as a Jaron Robinson two-run home run got MSU on the board first and ignited the offense. After a Nick Moore RBI double scored Kipp Moore, Brandon Gutzler delivered a three-run shot to deep right center field to make it 11-6 after four innings.
In the fifth, MSU showed much of the same offensive explosion as the Racers scored five runs on six hits to tie the game. Jack Hranec started the inning with an RBI double that scored Caleb Hicks, two batters later Kipp Moore delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 11-9 in favor of the Huskies. Aaron Bence and Adam Bauer would also each deliver RBIs in the inning to tie the game at 11-11.
In the sixth, NIU briefly took the lead on a sacrifice fly before Bence's second RBI in as many innings tied the game right back up again. Gutzler delivered again in the bottom of the eighth, this time with a bases-clearing double to left center that scored Bauer, Bence and Kipp Moore to put the Racers up 15-12 before Cody Maerz was able to close things out on the hill for the win.
Maerz picked up his first win of the season after going a scoreless three innings and allowing one hit and striking out a pair of batters. Andrew Bramley got the game one start and allowed six runs, however just two of them were earned, on eight hits while recording four strikeouts. John Lollar also pitched three innings of relief in the win.
MSU pounded-out 19 hits in the game and committed three errors in the field while the Huskies had two errors and 16 hits to open the doubleheader.
Gutzler led the way with six RBIs in the win and went 2-for-4 at the plate. Hranec had a game-high four hits and also scored twice while Tyler Lawrence went 3-for-6. Bauer, Bence, Nick and Kipp Moore and Robinson all collected two hits each with Robinson and Kipp scoring three times apiece and Bence, Kipp and Robinson each with two ribbies.
Game two followed much of the same script as the Huskies again jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first. However, again the Racers would respond, this time with a seven-run bottom of the first, an inning which began with a grand slam from Lawrence, his first homer of the year. Ramsey Scott would score later in the inning and a Bence double to right center scored Tyler Dixon and Robinson to put MSU up 7-3.
 This time, it was NIU's time to rally as they climbed back into the game with two runs in the third and one each in the fourth and fifth to tie the contest at 7-7. The Racers looked to regain control in the bottom half of the inning as Gutzler again delivered an RBI hit, this time a double to right center that scored Bauer. Hicks delivered an RBI single two batters later and a sac fly RBI from Scott made it 10-7.
The Huskies were able to tie the game again the next half inning with three runs before taking a 12-10 lead in the seventh with a pair of scores. MSU failed to deliver in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs.
Gutzler, Lawrence and Scott led the way in the second game with three hits each while Lawrence collected a season-best four RBIs with his homer. Bence also delivered his second two-RBI game of the day in the loss.
Brandon Hicks took the loss in the second game. Hicks pitched five innings of relief for start Austin Dubsky, allowing six runs on nine hits. Dubsky went four innings and had six earned on eight hits before exiting the game.
The Racers and Huskies close their four-game series Sunday afternoon at Reagan Field. First Pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Maerz, Cody (1-0)
L: HOFFMANN, Matthew (0-1)
Batting:
2B: FLETCHER, Justin 1 ; SISLER, Brian 1 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 1
RBI: FLETCHER, Justin 3 ; ZUBEK, Johnny 1 ; BRANDNER, Tony 1 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 1 ; RUSSELL, Carl 1 ; MALLDER, Brandon 2
SF: FLETCHER, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FLETCHER, Justin 2 ; SISLER, Brian 1 ; HOOK, Tommy 1 ; ZUBEK, Johnny 2 ; BRANDNER, Tony 1 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 3 ; RUSSELL, Carl 1 ; MALLDER, Brandon 1
SB: RUSSELL, Carl 1
CS: SISLER, Brian 1
HBP: BRANDNER, Tony 1
Batting:
2B: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Lawrence, Tyler 1 ; Hranec, Jack 1 ; Moore, Kipp 1 ; Moore, Nick 1
HR: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
RBI: Bence, Aaron 2 ; Bauer, Adam 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 6 ; Hranec, Jack 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 2 ; Moore, Kipp 2 ; Moore, Nick 1
SH: Moore, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bence, Aaron 2 ; Bauer, Adam 2 ; Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Hicks, Caleb 1 ; Hranec, Jack 2 ; Robinson, Jaron 3 ; Moore, Kipp 3 ; Moore, Nick 1
SB: Bence, Aaron 2 ; Hicks, Caleb 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
HBP: Bauer, Adam 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
1
AB
6
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF/INF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball1B/LHP
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ BaseballHead Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football | 10/20 Press Conference
Tuesday, October 21
Head Coach Ryan Miller | Racer Mens Basketball | 10/20 Press Conference
Monday, October 20
KJ Tenner & Brayden Shorter | Racer Mens Basketball | 10/20 Press Conference
Monday, October 20
Head Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football Post Game Press Conference | 10/18
Monday, October 20
