Racers Win Game One - Game Two Suspended at EIU - Murray State University Athletics

Friday, March 24

Charleston, Ill.

Noon

Murray State

13-8, 4-3

Eastern Illinois

2-18, 1-3

Murray State

Eastern Illinois

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Racers Win Game One - Game Two Suspended at EIU

3/24/2017 7:34:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Results

The Murray State baseball team opened its three-game series at Eastern Illinois with a wild day at the park Friday. The Racers scored five runs in the sixth and ninth innings in game one of the day and scored 10 unanswered on their way to a 10-8, come-from-behind victory in the opener.

Game two of the day, which ended up being suspended due to darkness heading into the eighth inning, saw the Racers trailing 10-9. The second game will resume at noon Saturday, weather permitting, with the series finale beginning right after the conclusion of the second game.

In the finished game today, EIU (2-18, 1-3 OVC) was able to jump out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom half of the first inning. In the third, the Panthers were able to string together a six-run inning on eight base hits.

The Racers (13-8, 4-3 OVC) however were able to begin their rally later on in the game and cut the deficit to 7-5 with five runs in the sixth. A two-run double from Tyler Lawrence got MSU on the board for the first time and was followed with RBI singles from Kipp Moore and Jack Hranec to make it 7-4. A Jaron Robinson sacrifice fly later in the inning scored Davis Sims and it was 7-5.

Brandon Gutzler was able to begin the rally for the Racers with a two-out double to right center that brought home Reed Thompson and cut the deficit to 7-6. MSU then strung together three consecutive walks to tie the game at 7-7 as Moore drew the bases loaded free pass to tie the contest. Sims then delivered the game-winning blow as he hit a bases-clearing double to left field to put the Racers out front 10-7.

The Panthers were able to get a run back in the bottom of the ninth but John Lollar eventually shut the door on the comeback and picked up his first win of the year. Lollar pitched two innings of relief of starter Ryan Dills to pick up the victory. Dills tied a season-high by going seven innings and allowed seven runs while striking out six batters.

Gutzler led the Racers at the plate with a 4-for-5 day and also scored two runs. Hranec, Moore and Sims all tallied multi-hit games with two hits each in the win. Moore was able to score twice and Sims led the team with those three ribbies in the ninth. Lawrence also had a two RBI day.

Game two was an inverse of the first game as MSU was the one to jump out to the early lead, scoring four runs in the third and a run each in the fourth and fifth. This time, EIU was the one that was able to get a pair of five-run innings as the Panthers scored five each in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 10-9 lead before the game was called.

After EIU cut the Racer lead down to 6-5 after the fifth, the Racers were able to score three in the top of the sixth before EIU rallied to take the lead in the sixth.

Gutzler was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a deep homer to left center field, his team-leading seventh of the year, before the game was called while Hranec and Sims were also 2-of-4 at the dish and Moore was 2-for-3.

Austin Dubsky got the start in the game and pitched 4.1 innings and allowed five runs while striking out five. Luke Brown, Chance Carner and Chad Gendron have all pitched in relief so far in the contest.

The two teams look to close out the series Saturday at Coaches Field with the final two innings of game two. Gutzler will be "leading off" the day for the Racers in the top of the eighth with Gendron on the mound. Right now, there is rain in the forecast tomorrow for Charleston, which would move the contests to Sunday.