Racers Opener vs Lipscomb Moved To Hoover Metro Complex

Monday, February 22

Hoover, Ala.

12 p.m.

Murray State

Lipscomb

Racers Opener vs Lipscomb Moved To Hoover Metro Complex

2/21/2021 2:13:00 PM | Baseball

2021 Game Notes

Murray State will face Lipscomb in a doubleheader Monday in Hoover, Ala.

GAME 1 & 2
Murray State vs Lipscomb
February 22, 2021
First Pitch: Monday: 1 p.m. and ~ 3 p.m.
Series History: Lipscomb leads 11-6
Last Meeting: Apr. 14, 2015 (MSU Lost 3-6)
Stadium: Hoover Metropolitan Complex
Dimensions: 330 (LF) | 405 (CF) | 330 (RF)
Game 1: Live Stats | Live Video
Game 2: Live Stats | Live Video
Twitter In-Game: @RacersBaseball

Probable Starters
Game 1: Shane Burns (LHP) (2020, 1-2, 2.60 ERA) vs. Noah Thompson (RHP) (2019, 4-5, 4.39 ERA)
Game 2: Jacob Pennington (RHP) (2020, 1-0, 0.69 ERA) vs Max Habegger (RHP (2020, 2-0, 1.80 ERA)

First Pitch
The Racers will open up year three of the Dan Skirka era as they travel to Lipscomb. In his second year, Skirka led the Racers to a 10-7 overall record and 1-2 in conference before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inside the Series
The Racers and Bison meet this weekend once again in Nashville. Lipscomb took the previous matchup in 2015. The Racers have taken four of the last five dating back to 2008.

New Faces
The Racers welcome 15 new players to the team this year, including seven freshman and eight JUCO transfers.

Trio of Racers
MSU landed three on the preseason All-OVC team for the first time since 2017. Senior outfielder Brock Anderson, senior second baseman Jordan Cozart and sophomore left-hand pitcher Shane Burns.

Racers Picked Third
Murray State was picked third in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll as voted on by head coaches and SIDs. Belmont was selected to claim the top spot after receiving 14 first-place votes.

All-American Honors
Senior Jordan Cozart was named a 2020 Collegiate Baseball News Third-Team All-American and a 2021 Collegiate Baseball News Preseason Third-Team All-American.

Brock Star
Senior Brock Anderson was a repeat selection to the preseason All-OVC team. A year ago, Anderson led the team with 8 home runs and 23 runs batted in while hitting .274.

Burns To Open
For the first time in his career, Shane Burns will get the start on opening day. Last season, Burns led the Racers with 24 strikeouts. He also posted a 1-2 record with a 2.60 ERA in 17.1 innings pitched.

Home Sweet Home
The Racers will play a total of 25 contests inside the friendly confines of Reagan Field in 2021 including closing the season at home for five of six series.

Scouting Lipscomb
The Bison were tabbed to finish fourth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Polls. A season ago, Lipsomb led the ASUN in home runs (15) and was third in batting average (.261) and runs (99).

The Bison went 11-5 in the shortened 2020 season, starting out with a six-game win streak. They earned wins over Ohio State and nationally-ranked No. 25 Alabama.

Senior Haddon Adams returns for Lipscomb after tallying 21 hits with three home runs and three doubles in 2020. Sophmore Chaz Bertolani also come back, leading the Bison in batting average with .364.

Starting pitcher Max Habegger had the lowest ERA (1.80) on the team while being third in walks and hits per inning pitched with 1.15.

RP Tyler Guilfoil, C Chaz Bertolani, 2B Haddon Adams and OF Maddux Houghton were all named to the preseason All-Conference-ASUN team. Adams was voted ASUN Preseason Player of the Year.