Anderson's Walk-Off Gives Racers Split with Redbirds

Friday, March 1

Murray, Ky.

1 p.m.

Murray State

2-7

Illinois State

6-2

Illinois State

Murray St.

Photo by: Curt Hart

3/1/2019 8:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) Game 1 Box Score (PDF) Game 2 Terry Swinnen First Pitch

Brock Anderson played hero Friday evening as he delivered a two-run walk-off double against Illinois State in game two of a doubleheader at Reagan Field. The 5-4 win came after the Redbirds took the first game, 4-3.

The Racers had to come back twice in game two as they were down 3-2 in the eighth but tied it up when an errant throw by the Illinois State third baseman allowed Sean Darmafall to score all the way from first.

ISU retook the lead in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, but in the home half, the Racers rallied back once again. Jordan Holly singled to lead off the inning and promptly stole second. After a Ryan Perkins walk and a Jaron Robinson sacrifice bunt, Tyler Duke came back from down 0-2 in the count to work a walk and set up bases loaded for Anderson. The junior got ahead in the count 2-0 before ripping a liner over the right fielder's head to drive in the winning runs.

"The team had a great energy today and battled," said head coach Dan Skirka. "It was a long, cold, wet day, but they played hard. I think we were right there in the first game and then we made plays in the second game."

The Racers got the scoring started in the second inning as Jake Slunder came all the way around from first base on a single by Jonah Brannon to give MSU the early lead. The Redbirds answered in the third with a three-run home run to take the lead that they would hold until the eighth.

Earlier in the day in game one, the Racers tried to come back as well as they were down 3-0 after four innings of play. Murray State got within one as they scored two runs in the fifth on a groundout by Bryan Chilton and a single from Holly. ISU added an insurance run in the seventh that proved big as the Racers answered in the eighth on an RBI single from Duke, but that was as close as MSU would get as they went down in order in the ninth.

The Murray State pitching staff shined all day, putting on their best performance of the season, allowing just six earned runs in 18 innings pitched. Trevor McMurray started game one and threw six innings, striking out six. Alec Whaley followed him by pitching the final three innings, allowing no earned runs while striking out two.

In game two, Braydon Cook got his first start of the season and threw 2.2 innings with a couple of strikeouts. Jordan Cozart had the best performance on the mound for the Racers as he followed Cook with 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball while striking out five, including the first four batters he faced. Blake Clynes and Connor Holden each put in an inning of hitless baseball before Peyton Hayes came in the ninth. While he allowed the go-ahead run, he earned the win, just the second of his career.

Coach Skirka hopes today's pitching performance will give the Racers momentum moving forward.

"It all starts with the pitching, they really attacked today and threw strikes. I think we can definitely build off it, but that's what we expected from those guys. We really thought our pitching would be a strength of our team, so hopefully, they are settling into some roles and getting more comfortable on the mound early in the season."

The Racers and Redbirds will wrap up their series tomorrow with first pitch at Reagan Field scheduled for 1 p.m.