2020 Year in Review: Racer Baseball

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

3/31/2020 12:05:00 PM | Baseball

The 2020 baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that does not mean that the season was short of highlights. The Racers ended the season with a 10-7 overall record which included a 7-0 record at Reagan Field and a series win at Austin Peay.

After finishing fifth in the OVC in 2019, the Racers were picked sixth in the 2020 Preseason Coaches and SID poll. Brock Anderson was also named to the All-OVC Preseason team after being named to the second team a year ago.

The season started 2020 against some stiff competition as they traveled to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to take on perennial national power Southern Miss. Even though MSU was swept by the Golden Eagles, Ryan Perkins and Anderson each got their first taste of the season they were going to have as they both hit their first home runs of the season. Perkins also added three more hits and four RBI as he showed out in the first three games.

The Racers followed that series with a close loss to Western Kentucky on the road but got back on track against Saint Peter's on the weekend. They swept a four-game series from the Peacocks while outscoring them 46-7. Perkins continued his torrid start as he hit .450 with six runs scored, a double, triple, two home runs, one walk, two stolen bases, 11 RBI, a .900 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage en route to being named OVC Player of the Week.

After another close loss to Southern Illinois the following week, the Racers returned home for the weekend where they swept their second straight series, this time against the Falcons of Bowling Green. The pitching was the story for the Racers in the first two games as they allowed just one run in 18 innings.

A big highlight on the mound was Trevor McMurray as he threw seven scoreless innings to open the series while striking out five. Through three games at this point for the senior, he had yet to allow a run in 19.0 innings of work.

The offense reclaimed the headlines in the final game as they exploded for 25 runs. Anderson led the way with two home runs, including a grand slam, and nine RBI. Perkins also added a home run, a double, and two RBI while Jordan Cozart drove in four runs while scoring three of his own.

After a tough walk-off loss at Kentucky, the Racers opened OVC play the following weekend when they traveled to Austin Peay. McMurray again shined as he threw 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts. His scoreless innings streak ended at 25.1innings but still finished the season with a minuscule 0.35 ERA. Connor Holden closed the game with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings to earn his first career save.

The Racers dropped a back-and-forth battle on Saturday, but in the rubber game, the offense showed their strength once more as they won 20-2. This time, MSU was led by Cozart, who went 5-for-6 with three home runs and nine RBI. This effort combined with his performance in the first two games earned him OVC Player of the Week. Jake Slunder would have been the star had it not been for Cozart as he had three hits and five RBI in the series finale. Sam Gardner quietly did his part on the mound as well as he struck out nine in six innings, earning his third win of the season.

Not to be forgotten as well is Bryson Bloomer, who recorded hits in 12 straight at-bats during that week against UK and Austin Peay, two shy of an NCAA record set over 40 years ago.

Murray State ended the season on a high note as they traveled to North Alabama where they defeated the Lions, 8-5, in what turned out to be the final game of the season. The Racers fell behind early, but home runs by Sean Darmafall and Anderson ignited the Racer comeback while strong relief pitching by Jacob Pennington and Jase Carvell secured the win.

The Racers finished the season near the top of the OVC and NCAA in many statistical categories.
Italics = led OVC

Offensive Categories	2020 Total	NCAA Rank	OVC Rank
Hits	186	8th	2nd
Doubles	37	21st	2nd
Doubles per Game	2.18	30th	3rd
Home Runs	24	T-5th	1st
Home Runs per Game	1.41	T-9th	1st
Runs	143	12th	1st
Runs per Game	8.4	16th	1st
RBI	130	(No Rankings)	1st
Batting Average	0.313	13th	3rd
Slugging Percentage	0.513	7th	1st
On-Base Percentage	0.384	70th	3rd
Total Bases	305	(No Rankings)	1st

Pitching Categories	2020 Total	NCAA Rank	OVC Rank
Earned Run Average	3.53	80th	2nd
Opponent Batting Average	.212	(No Rankings)	1st
Strikeouts	149	(No Rankings)	3rd
Hits Allowed	113	(No Rankings)	3rd
Earned Runs Allowed	56	(No Rankings)	2nd
Home Runs Allowed	4	(No Rankings)	1st

Statistical Category	Individual	2020 Total	NCAA Rank	OVC Rank
Batting Average	Bryson Bloomer	0.429	36th	3rd
Batting Average	Jordan Cozart	0.417	52nd	4th
Slugging Percentage	Jordan Cozart	0.750	T-28th	5th
Slugging Percentage	Brock Anderson	0.742	34th	6th
Hits	Jordan Cozart	25	T-49th	T-5th
Hits	Bryson Bloomer	24	T-74th	T-7th
Home Runs	Brock Anderson	8	T-3rd	2nd
Home Runs	Ryan Perkins	6	T-19th	T-3rd
Home Runs	Jordan Cozart	5	T-36th	5th
Runs Batted In	Brock Anderson	23	11th	2nd
Runs Batted In	Ryan Perkins	21	T-25th	T-3rd
Runs Batted In	Jordan Cozart	19	T-47th	T-5th
Earned Run Average	Trevor McMurray	0.35	11th	1st
Opponent Batting Average	Trevor McMurray	0.167	(No Rankings)	1st