Racers Drop Twinbill to JSU

Friday, March 30

Birmingham, Ala.

1 p.m.

Murray State

14-12, 5-5

Jacksonville State

13-9, 4-3

Murray State

Jacksonville State

3/30/2018 8:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Murray State lost a pair of games Friday afternoon in Birmingham, Ala., as Jacksonville State defeated the Racers 5-3 and 21-3 in doubleheader conference action.

In game one, MSU's comeback bid fell short as they had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the ninth trailing 5-3, before a fly out and line out ended the Racer threat.

The Racers (14-13, 5-6 OVC) scored a run in three of the final four innings in game one to make things interesting after the Gamecocks (14-9, 5-3 OVC) scored the first five runs of the game, including at least a run in each of the first four innings to jump out to the 5-0 lead.

Trevor McMurray was solid out of the bullpen in the first game for the Racers as he held JSU scoreless over the final four innings and allowed just one run on three hits in 5.2 innings of work. Blake Clynes took the loss in the start as he pitched 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on six hits.

Gavin Wehby led MSU with three hits at the plate in the game one loss, as he went 3-for-5. Four other Racers had two hits in the game as Mike Farnell and Ramsey Scott both went 2-for-4 while Brandon Gutzler and Davis Sims were each 2-of-5. Farnell, Gutzler and Scott each had RBI hits in the loss.

In game two, nothing went the Racers way as JSU pounded out 21 hits and scored multiple runs in six innings. MSU was held to seven hits in the nightcap. Caleb Hicks got a two-run, two-out double to left center in the seventh and Dylan Letellier got an RBI groundout in the ninth to provide the offense for MSU in the second game. Letellier got his first career hit earlier in the contest.

Grant Wood led the Racers with two hits in the second loss. CJ Bush, Hicks, Letellier, Scott and Cole Womack also had hits.

Peyton Hayes got the start and the loss in game two as he went two innings and allowed eight runs on seven hits. MSU used five relief pitchers in the second game.

The series finale between the two schools is at 1 p.m., Saturday as the Racers look to avoid the sweep in Birmingham.