Racers Sharp in Win at Brooks

Tuesday, April 25

Brooks Stadium

6 p.m.

Murray State

19-21

Evansville

13-26

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Evansville	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	9	0
Murray State	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	4	X	8	11	1

4/25/2017 9:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Jack Hranec pitched a career-high 6.1 innings and struck-out a career-best eight batters while the Murray State offense pounded out 11 hits and a pair of solo home runs on its way to an 8-1 victory Tuesday night over Evansville at Brooks Stadium in Paducah.

After both teams struggled to find their footing offensively through the first five and a half innings, a Brandon Gutzler solo home run to left center in the bottom of the sixth broke a scoreless tie. It was Gutzler's team-leading 10^th homer of the season and began a three-run inning for the Racers (19-21).

Later in the sixth, a Caleb Hicks RBI single to right field brought home Tyler Lawrence and extended the lead to 2-0. The very next at-bat, Jaron Robinson got an RBI single up the middle as Kipp Moore scored from third and MSU led 3-0 after six complete.

Evansville (13-26) responded in the top of the seventh with a solo home run to make it 3-1, but that was as close as the Purple Aces would get on the night as in the bottom half of the inning, Lawrence recorded his 56^th career double and brought home Gutzler from first. Lawrence's double breaks a tie atop the program record books along with Tyler Pittman for career doubles at MSU.

In the eighth, the Racers busted the game open with four runs in the inning. The first came off the bat of Davis Sims as he hit a solo blast to left field his fourth of the year came in front of his hometown fans. Four batters later, Aaron Bence brought home Moore with a sacrifice fly to center field. Gutzler then recorded his second and third ribbies of the night later in the inning with a single to center field.
Gutzler, Hicks and Robinson all led the Racers with two hits each in the win while Gutzler' three RBIs led the way. Lawrence went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks as well.

Hranec picked up his third win of the season with the start while Chad Gendron's sixth save of the year is now tied for the fifth-most in a single season in program history. Gendron pitched 1.2 innings of hitless baseball and struck-out two batters. Derrik Watson also made an appearance out of the bullpen.

The Racers and Purple Aces turn right around Wednesday for another game as MSU travels up to Evansville for a 6 p.m., game.