Hranec's Walkoff Home Run Gives MSU Comeback Victory

Friday, April 21

Reagan Field

1 p.m.

Murray State

17-20, 7-9

Southeast Missouri

20-16, 10-9

Southeast Missouri

Murray State

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

4/21/2017 6:55:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Game Notes (.pdf)Live Coverage Links

Jack Hranec belted a two-run walk off home run in the bottom of the 10^th inning Friday in the rain at Reagan Field as Murray State rallied for a 9-7 victory over Southeast Missouri in the series opener between the two. The homer was Hranec's second two-run shot of the game.

Hranec led the Racers with a career-high four-hit day as he also notched a career-best five RBIs and scored three runs in the victory. Adam Bauer was 3-for-5 at the plate in the contest while Aaron Bence was the other Racer with multiple hits in the game as he went 2-for-4. Tyler Lawrence went 1-for-2 at the dish and scored four runs as he also drew a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch.

Southeast Missouri (20-16, 10-9 OVC) struck first in the contest with an early pair of runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. MSU (17-20, 7-9 OVC) was able to cut the deficit in half in the second on a Hranec single to right field. Lawrence would come around to score on the play as the Redhawks' right fielder made an error and allowed the ball to scoot to the wall.

The Redhawks would answer back though with a three-run fourth inning to make it 5-1 before Hranec answered with his first blast of the ball game in the bottom half of the inning, making the score 5-3. Before the fifth inning could begin, the two teams were stuck in a near-two hour rain delay before resuming play.

After resumption, the Racers were able to strike with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-5 lead. Hranec began the scoring with an RBI single to right center that brought home Brandon Gutzler and made it 5-4. In the next at-bat, Davis Sims hit a two-run double down the left field line and the Racers had their first lead of the game, 6-5. Sims would later go on to score on a passed ball in the inning.

SEMO wouldn't go away quietly however, as the Redhawks were able to score two runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 7-7 and eventually force extra innings. In the bottom of the 10^th, Lawrence led off with a hit-by-pitch and Hranec was able to take the 1-2 pitch over the right field wall for the victory.

Derrik Watson picked up his first win of the season as he pitched a scoreless 10^th for MSU and struck-out two batters. Ryan Dills got the start and pitched the four innings prior to the weather delay. Dills allowed five runs on four hits while recording three strikeouts.

Game two of the series is tentatively scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m., weather permitting.