Racers Can't Hold on at Middle Tennessee, Fall in 13

Tuesday, April 2

Mufreesboro, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Murray State

11-14

Middle Tennessee

10-18

Murray State

Middle Tennessee

Jaron Robinson

4/2/2019 10:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Murray State baseball team played for the first time in nearly a week at Middle Tennessee, Tuesday evening, falling to the Blue Raiders 8-5 in 13 innings.

The Racers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in before MTSU came to bat, but could only manage one run the rest of the way as the home team mounted their comeback.

"We showed a little rust from being off over the weekend. It's been six days since we've seen live pitching," said head coach Dan Skirka. "They did a good job, tip your cap to them, but we got to get better offensively"

Ryan Perkins, Jordan Cozart, and Jordan Holly each had two hits and Sean Darmafall had three runs batted in to lead the Racer offense.

Joe Ivey started the game on the mound and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out four. Gray Dorsey pitched 3.2 innings after MTSU tied the game in the ninth and kept the game tied until Peyton Wigginton ended the game with a walk-off three-run home run in the 13^th.

Tyler Duke led off with a double on the first pitch of the game to start the Racers big first inning. After a hit batter and a walk, Jaron Robinson gave the Racers the early lead with an run-scoring groundout. Darmafall then delivered the big hit of the inning as he laced a two-run double to left-center. Cozart followed with an RBI single to wrap up the four-run inning.

The Blue Raiders got a run back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run but Ivey settled down by allowing just one baserunner from the second to fifth inning.

The Racers added a run in the sixth when Robinson led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to third when the throw to first sailed and went down the line. Darmafall followed by driving in his third run of the night with a sacrifice fly.

Middle Tennessee cut their deficit to one run in the bottom of the sixth with three runs before Connor Holden came in to shut down the rally.

Justin Thomas came out of the pen for the Racers and pitched two scoreless innings, but the Blue Raiders tied the game in the ninth off Peyton Hayes with a leadoff double followed by an RBI single.

The Racers had a good chance to score in the 13^th, but a failed squeeze play halted the scoring opportunity.

Dorsey got out of a runner on third, less than two out situation in the 12^th and looked like he was about to do it again in the thirteenth, but Wigginton had other ideas as sent everybody home with a home run to right field.

The Racers have a quick turnaround as they will host Missouri State tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.