Murray State
0-4
Western Kentucky
3-1
Racers Come up Just Short at Western Kentucky
2/19/2020 5:47:00 PM | Baseball
The Murray State baseball team fell on the road to Western Kentucky, 7-6, Wednesday afternoon at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green.
Ryan Perkins stayed hot to begin the season as he went 3-5 with two RBI and run scored. Jake Slunder, Trey Woosley, and Jordan Cozart also added multiple hits.
The Racers got off to a fast start as Perkins drove in a run with a single before Woosley knocked him in with a double in the top of the first inning..
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Hilltoppers answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. They added a sixth run in the fourth inning to take a four-run lead after four innings.
MSU got a run back in the seventh as Slunder hit an RBI double that one-hopped the wall in right to drive in David Hudleson.
The Racers got even closer in the eighth with two more runs. Cozart singled to lead off the inning followed by a double from Woosely to set up second and third. They both ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly by Bryson Bloomer and a single by Hudleson.
Western Kentucky scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-5 heading into the ninth.
As was the case in the previous two games for the Racers, MSU had a rally come up just short in the ninth. After Brock Anderson led off the inning with a double, he came around to score on a single by Perkins. Jordan Holly came into pinch run and reached third base with two outs, but was stranded there as the Racers fell just short.
"We got to find a way to start winning those one-run games," said head coach Dan Skirka. "Moral victories are done, it's time to start winning some games."
Murray State will make their 2020 home debut this weekend as they take on Saint Peter's. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dalton Shoemake (2-0)
L: Ivey, Joe (0-1)
S: Bailey Sutton (1)
Batting:
2B: Anderson, Brock 1 ; Slunder, Jake 1 ; Woosley, Trey 2
RBI: Slunder, Jake 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 2 ; Woosley, Trey 1 ; Bloomer, Bryson 1 ; Hudleson, David 1
SH: Darmafall, Sean 1
SF: Bloomer, Bryson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Anderson, Brock 1 ; Slunder, Jake 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Cozart, Jordan 1 ; Woosley, Trey 1 ; Hudleson, David 1
SB: Slunder, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Jack Wilson 1 ; Jackson Swiney 1 ; Matt Phipps 1
HR: Ray Zuberer III 1
RBI: Jack Wilson 1 ; Ray Zuberer III 1 ; Davis Sims 1 ; Jackson Swiney 1 ; Matt Phipps 1 ; Sam McElreath 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Richard Constantine 1 ; Ray Zuberer III 2 ; Davis Sims 1 ; Jackson Swiney 1 ; Matt Phipps 1 ; Kevin Lambert 1
