Murray State
1-4
Miami (OH)
3-2
Racers Split Home-Opening Doubleheader with RedHawks
2/24/2019 10:09:00 PM | Baseball
The Murray State baseball team opened their 2019 home slate, Sunday with a doubleheader against Miami (OH) and earned a split. The RedHawks won the first game 14-4 while the Racers rebounded for a 7-5 comeback victory in game two.
It was definitely nice to see our guys come back after an ugly game one and get a win. It was gut check time and they responded," said head coach Dan Skirka. "Early this year we've let a few innings get away and let things snowball. Our bullpen did a great job of not letting that happen in game two today. We got a great start from Shane Burns and some great at-bats and efforts from our whole lineup. When we are battling and really competing at the plate, we will have success and you can see our guys getting more and more comfortable every game."
In game one, Miami scored five runs in the first two innings and never looked back as cruised to victory. All four Murray State runs came on solo home runs from Tyler Duke, Brock Anderson, Ryan Perkins, and CJ Bush.
The second game looked to be a pitcher's duel through four innings as the game remained scoreless. The RedHawks scored one run in the fifth off of Shane Burns but that was all the freshman surrendered. In five innings pitched, Burns allowed just the one run on two hits with seven strikeouts.
Miami added two runs in the sixth, but the Racers tied up the game in the bottom half of the inning. Duke led off with his second home run of the day to get the Racers on the board which was followed by Anderson hitting a single and Bush reaching on an error to set up first and third, no outs for MSU. Jake Slunder then drove in the second run of the inning with an infield single to shortstop allowing Anderson to score and sending Bush to third who then came in to tie the game at three when the Miami pitcher balked.
After the RedHawks retook the lead in the seventh, the Racers responded with two runs in the bottom half when Slunder delivered a clutch two-run single through the left side of the infield after Miami had walked the bases loaded.
Peyton Hayes went out to the mound for the eighth and kept the RedHawks off the board with two strikeouts in the inning.
The Racers added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on a play you do not see every day. Bryan Chilton singled and Jordan Holly walked and, after advancing a base on a wild pitch, both came into score on a sacrifice fly to the warning track from Perkins.
Hayes came back out for the ninth looking for the save but got himself into trouble by loading the bases with no outs. Skirka stuck with him and it proved to be the right choice as Hayes got a strikeout, a fielder's choice, and a flyout to right to end the game and give the Racers a 7-5 win.
Slunder finished the game with two hits and three RBI while Perkins had two RBI and a run scored. Duke also a hit, RBI, and two runs scored.
Murray State and Miami (OH) will close out their series tomorrow. First pitch at Reagan Field is scheduled for noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MARTIN, Bailey (1-1)
L: McMurray, Trevor (0-1)
S: BOSMA, Tyler (1)
Batting:
2B: TEJADA, Cristian 1 ; HARRIGAN, Charlie 1
HR: WINKLER, Kyle 1 ; ANDREWS, Cole 2
RBI: TEJADA, Cristian 1 ; STEPHENS, Landon 1 ; HARRIGAN, Charlie 1 ; MASSMAN, Parker 1 ; VOGELGESANG, Will 2 ; ELVERS, Cal 1 ; WINKLER, Kyle 2 ; ANDREWS, Cole 4
SF: STEPHENS, Landon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: TEJADA, Cristian 2 ; STEPHENS, Landon 2 ; HARRIGAN, Charlie 2 ; ELVERS, Cal 2 ; WINKLER, Kyle 2 ; ANDREWS, Cole 3 ; STEPHENS, Jordan 1
SB: STEPHENS, Landon 1
PO: MASSMAN, Parker 1
Batting:
2B: Perkins, Ryan 1
HR: Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Bush, CJ 1 ; Duke, Tyler 1 ; Anderson, Brock 1
RBI: Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Bush, CJ 1 ; Duke, Tyler 1 ; Anderson, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Bush, CJ 1 ; Duke, Tyler 1 ; Anderson, Brock 1
PO: Slunder, Jake 1
