Murray State University Athletics
Racers Win Third Straight With Comeback Win Over Kentucky State
3/12/2019 9:15:00 PM | Baseball
Back on the field just a day after wrapping up its series with Austin Peay, the Murray State baseball team extended their winning streak to three games as they defeated Kentucky State, 12-8, at Reagan Field.
The Racers improve to 6-9 on the season while Kentucky State drops to 10-3-1.
It was not easy for the Racers, Tuesday afternoon, as the Thorobreds tallied 16 hits on the day and had the lead late in the game, but a six-run eighth inning for Murray State propelled the Racers to victory.
"We finally started executing at the end," said head coach Dan Skirka. "They were a good club. You can't take anything away from their offense, but we finally got something going, put some pressure on them on the bases with our speed so it was good to see."
The starting outfield of Tyler Duke, Jake Slunder, and Brock Anderson played a big role in setting the table at the top of the lineup as they combined for five hits, five walks, seven runs scored, and two runs batted in.
"Early in the season, you have to figure out who's going to fit in where, but those guys have really stepped up lately," said Skirka. "They've played great in the outfield and obviously been producing at the plate and I couldn't be happier with those three."
Wes Schad and Jordan Cozart were the benefactors of those three players getting on base as they each had three RBI in the game.
Peyton Hayes started the game on the mound and threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Jase Carvell also threw a scoreless inning and Justin Thomas wrapped up the game with three scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.
Neither team could get anything going offensively in the first two innings, but the Racers broke through for two runs in the third. Slunder and Anderson both walked and eventually came around to score on a single by Schad and a sacrifice fly from Jaron Robinson.
After the Thorobreds tied the game in the fourth on a two-run home run, the Racers answered right back in the home half as Anderson drove in two runs with a double down the right-field line to give him seven RBI in the last three games.
The lead was short-lived, however, as KSU responded with five runs in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. The Racers got a run back in the bottom on an RBI double from Joe McMahon, but the Thorobreds answered with a run in the sixth to maintain a three-run lead.
Murray State started their comeback in the seventh as Jordan Cozart hit a double that one-hopped the wall in left allowing Sean Darmafall to score from first and cut the KSU lead to 8-6.
The comeback was finalized in the eighth as Duke and Slunder both singled before Anderson walked to set up a bases-loaded no-out situation for Schad, who promptly doubled down the third-base line to tie the game. After a groundout to second and a strikeout, it looked like Kentucky State would get out of the inning still tied as Cozart lifted a fly ball to left, but the left fielder lost the ball in the lights allowing two runs to score and Cozart to get to third for a go-ahead triple. A squeeze bunt by Perkins and a wild pitch added two more insurance runs to give the Racers a four-run lead.
Now in position for the win, Thomas went back out to the mound for the ninth. He got the first two outs easily, but two singles and a walk brought the tying run to the plate for KSU. The junior buckled down and struck out the Thorobred batter on three pitches to secure the victory for Murray State.
The Racers will get a couple of days off before hosting Eastern Illinois for a three-game set this weekend. This series was originally scheduled to be played in Charleston, but field conditions forced the games to Reagan Field, meaning Murray State will be the visiting team for the three games. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thomas, Justin (1-0)
L: Brandon Mason (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Adren Thompson 1 ; Chance Egnor 1
HR: Josh Graves 1
RBI: Jay Poullard 1 ; Adren Thompson 2 ; Chance Egnor 1 ; Josh Graves 2 ; Kevin Givhan II 1
SF: Chance Egnor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dom Lawson 2 ; Cameron Starks 1 ; Jordan Ransom 1 ; Jay Poullard 1 ; Adren Thompson 1 ; Chance Egnor 1 ; Josh Graves 1
SB: Kevin Givhan II 1
HBP: Adren Thompson 1

Batting:
2B: Anderson, Brock 1 ; Schad, Wes 1 ; Cozart, Jordan 1 ; McMahon, Joe 1
3B: Cozart, Jordan 1
RBI: Anderson, Brock 2 ; Schad, Wes 3 ; Robinson, Jaron 1 ; Cozart, Jordan 3 ; McMahon, Joe 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 1
SF: Robinson, Jaron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Duke, Tyler 2 ; Slunder, Jake 3 ; Anderson, Brock 2 ; Schad, Wes 1 ; Darmafall, Sean 1 ; Cozart, Jordan 2 ; Holly, Jordan 1
SB: Duke, Tyler 1 ; Slunder, Jake 1 ; Anderson, Brock 2
CS: Cozart, Jordan 1
HBP: Letellier, Dylan 1