Racers Come Out Swinging Early, Fall To Top-Ranked Arkansas 11-6

Saturday, March 6

Fayetteville, AR

1 p.m.

Murray State

5-5

Arkansas

9-0

Murray State

Arkansas

Photo by: Darren Dedman

Racers Come Out Swinging Early, Fall To Top-Ranked Arkansas 11-6

3/6/2021 6:19:00 PM | Baseball

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The Murray State Baseball team (5-5) dropped game two of the three-game series to the undefeated No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks (9-0) on Saturday at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The Murray State Racers built a 4-0 lead against the top-ranked Arkansas, but came up short, falling 11-6.

Trey Woosley hit his second home run in as many days and Jake Slunder did it on both sides of the ball, driving in two runs and making highlight-worthy catches in the outfield.

The Racers chased the Razorbacks starting pitcher, Caleb Bolden, early in the game, putting up a four-spot in the second inning.Bryson Bloomer reached on an error by the second baseman and next batter, Woosley, scorched his second home run of the series, to almost the exact same spot as the previous day. Three extra base hits from Alex Crump, Jake Slunder and Ryan Perkins, each painting the foul lines had the Racers lead to four.

But, Arkansas always had an answer when the Racers scored, using three homeruns and a three-run double to plate their eleven runs.

In the fourth, Brennan McCullough reached on a leadoff single to left center and came around to score on a RBI single to right field by Slunder.

Murray State saw its lead evaporate in the bottom half of the inning as the Razorbacks struck for three runs. Christian Franklin's two-out RBI double with the bases loaded plated all three Razorbacks.

Arkansas added two runs in the sixth thanks to a solo shot to right and an RBI single from Franklin, his fourth RBI of the day.

The Racers' leadoff batter reached in six of nine innings including the seventh when a leadoff walk by Perkins came all the way around to score on an RBI single from Bloomer.

In the bottom half, Murray State got out of a bases loaded, nobody-out jam, with only one run coming across on a fielder's choice.

Courtesy of the long ball, the Razorbacks broke the game open with two more runs in the eighth to bring it to a final score of 11-6.

Sam Gardner (0-2) took the loss for the Racers going 3.1 innings, striking out four. Jake Jones came in in relief and pitched 2.1 innings. Jordyn Naranjo threw 1.1 innings, punching out one with Cade Vernon coming in to throw one complete.

Murray State and Arkansas conclude their three-game series tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 p.m., CT.