Cozart Walks Off Racers Against EKU

Friday, April 26

Murray, Ky.

5:30 p.m.

Murray State

17-21, 11-8

Eastern Kentucky

23-19, 10-9

Eastern Kentucky

Murray St.

Jordan Cozart

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

4/26/2019 11:38:00 PM | Baseball

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The Murray State baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak, Friday evening, as Jordan Cozart laced a walk-off single over the center fielder's head in the ninth to give the Racers a 6-5 win over Eastern Kentucky at Reagan Field.

Cozart was one three Racers with multiple hits along with Jaron Robinson, who hit his first home run of the season, and Jordan Holly.

The Murray State bullpen rebounded from a tough weekend at Belmont with one of their best performances of the season as they allowed just one run in six innings, led by Peyton Hayes who threw 3.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Braydon Cook earned the win by pitching the final 1.2 innings with four strikeouts.

"Peyton Hayes came up huge, put up multiple zeroes and attacked the zone, allowing us to come back at the end. Everybody is playing hard and I'm proud of them," said head coach Dan Skirka.

Eastern Kentucky jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first, but the Racers answered in the home half as Jake Slunder singled, stole second, advanced to third on a fly ball, and came into score on a wild pitch.

The Racers took the lead in the second on Robinson's opposite-field home run, but EKU responded in the third with three runs to take a 4-2 lead. MSU was able to get one run back in the bottom of the inning as Cozart drew a bases-loaded walk.

After Hayes pitched kept the Colonels off the board the next two innings, Murray State tied the game in the fifth on a single by Sean Darmafall, scoring Wes Schad who had walked earlier in the inning.

Hayes pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth allowing the Racers to take the lead in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by Jake Slunder to drive in Cole Womack.

EKU threatened to tie the game in the seventh but Connor Holden came out of the pen to get out of a bases-loaded jam.

However, the Racers were unable to keep Eastern Kentucky from tying the game in the eighth as they scored a run without a hit, drawing three walks and scoring on a wild pitch. They had a chance to take the lead with a runner on third and less than two outs, but Cook struck out the next two hitters.

In the bottom of the ninth, facing a pitcher who had given up just one run in 35 innings pitched this season, the Racers were able to mount a rally. Brock Anderson singled to lead off the inning before advancing all the way to third on a wild pitch that bounced high against the net behind home plate. Needing just a fly ball to win the game, Cozart did just that, nearly hitting a home run to dead center to win the game for the Racers.

The two teams will continue their series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. with Shane Burns on the mound for the Racers.