Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
24-25, 12-13
Morehead State
31-18, 15-9
Late Rally Comes Up Short at Morehead
5/12/2017 11:28:00 PM | Baseball
The Racers (24-25, 12-13 OVC) got out to an early lead in the contest as they scored the first three runs of the game. A two-out RBI single from Jack Hranec in the top of the first brought home Aaron Bence who reached on a bunt single to open the game. MSU then went up 3-0 behind the strength of back-to-back home runs from Hranec and Davis Sims to open the fourth inning. The homers were the ninth and seventh, respectively for the duo.
After the Eagles (31-18, 15-9 OVC) tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, Brandon Gutzler broke the tie with his 13th long ball of the year. However, the lead didn't last long for the Racers as Morehead was able to take the lead in the bottom half of the fifth with another three-run inning.
The Eagles were able to push the lead to 14-4 with their sixth inning before the MSU was able to cut into the deficit with three runs in the eighth. Sims delivered a pair of ribbies with a single down the right field line and later in the inning, a Jaron Robinson single brought in Hranec and it was 14-7. Morehead would add another insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 15-7.
MSU would refuse to quit as it got a four-run ninth inning, as Hranec would make it 15-8 after a sacrifice fly to left field. In the next at-bat, Sims would belt his second homer of the game - a two-run shot that made it 15-10. Caleb Hicks would then come on to hit a solo homer as a pinch hitter before a strikeout would end the Racer rally.
Sims led the Racers' offense with a perfect 4-for-4 night at the plate with five RBIs. Hranec went 3-of-4 with the three ribbies and Jaron Robinson went 2-for-5 at the dish. Gutzler led the team with three runs as he drew a pair of walks in the loss as well.
Ryan Dills got the loss as he went five innings and allowed six earned runs while striking out seven. Chance Carner, Blake Clynes and John Lollar all appeared in relief in the loss.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at Allen Field. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m., central time.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LEASHER, Aaron (7-3)
L: Dills, Ryan (4-3)
Batting:
HR: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Hranec, Jack 1 ; Sims, Davis 2 ; Hicks, Caleb 1
RBI: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Hranec, Jack 3 ; Sims, Davis 5 ; Hicks, Caleb 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
SF: Hranec, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bence, Aaron 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 3 ; Lawrence, Tyler 2 ; Hranec, Jack 2 ; Sims, Davis 2 ; Hicks, Caleb 1
HBP: Lawrence, Tyler 1
Batting:
2B: LEONARD, Reid 1 ; HULSIZER, Niko 1 ; SCHNEIDER, Will 1 ; BOGGESS, Eli 1 ; MORRIS, Braxton 1
3B: SCHNEIDER, Will 1
HR: SNYDER, Trevor 1 ; FAIN, Hunter 1
RBI: LEONARD, Reid 1 ; HULSIZER, Niko 1 ; SCHNEIDER, Will 2 ; MORRIS, Braxton 1 ; SNYDER, Trevor 5 ; FAIN, Hunter 3 ; KENT, Ryan 2
SH: NIEMANN, Tyler 1
SF: SNYDER, Trevor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LEONARD, Reid 1 ; HULSIZER, Niko 1 ; SCHNEIDER, Will 1 ; BOGGESS, Eli 2 ; MORRIS, Braxton 3 ; NIEMANN, Tyler 4 ; SNYDER, Trevor 1 ; FAIN, Hunter 1 ; KENT, Ryan 1
SB: NIEMANN, Tyler 1 ; KENT, Ryan 1
HBP: LEONARD, Reid 1
