Baseball To Clash with Tennessee Tech on Easter Weekend

Murray State (12-11, 4-2) at Tennessee Tech (9-9, 4-5)

GAME 24-26
Dates: April 1-2, 2021
First Pitch: Thursday: 4 p.m. ; Friday Game 1: 10:30 a.m. ; Saturday Game 2: ~2:00 p.m.
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Stadium: Bush Stadium at Averitt Express Baseball Complex (1,100)
Dimensions: 329 (LL), 365 (LC), 405 (CF), 360 (RC), 330 (RL)
Series History: Tennessee Tech leads 76-95-1
Last Meeting: Apr. 6, 2019 (Murray State Won 14-7)

Follow The Racers:
Live Video: Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Live Stats: Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Twitter In-Game: @RacersBaseball
Murray State Baseball Notes (PDF)

First Pitch
MSU has won three-straight series against Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State, and Memphis. They took two-of-three from the Tigers, winning 9-5 and 4-2. Tennessee Tech was swept by JSU over the weekend, being shut out twice including getting no-hitter in game two on Saturday.

Inside the Matchup
The Racers and Golden Eagles have met 172 times on the diamond with TTU holding a 95-76-1 advantage. In the previous two meetings, Tech and Murray State have split. In 2018, the Golden Eagles swept the Racers and MSU took two-of-three in 2019.

Weekend Recap
The Racers started the week at Arkansas State, falling 3-1 to split the series with the Red Wolves. Runs were at a premium on Tuesday and the Racers were held to five hits, with Jordan Cozart going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Murray State traveled to Memphis, Tennessee for a three-game series to take on the Tigers. The Racers took two of three to earn their third-straight series victory. MSU hit first-inning home runs in all three games, Ryan Perkins in a two-run blast in the opener and Jordan Cozart cracked two on Sunday.

A Look at the Racers:
In the weekend series, Cozart hit .300 with a pair of home runs, three runs scored and four RBIs. Jake Slunder was 3-for-4 in the opener on Friday with three runs scored.

Murray State moved into first place in the OVC standing with a 12-11 overall record and a 4-2 conference record with series wins over Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State.

The Racers are also leading the OVC in multiple offensive categories including doubles (44), home runs (31), total bases (338), slugging percentage (.438), walks (111), and strikeouts (219) The Racers are top three in at-bats, hits, runs, and RBIs.

On the mound, the Racers will hand the ball to redshirt sophomore Shane Burns and freshman Jack Wenninger. Wenninger and Burns are both 1-0 in conference play with Wenninger has one complete game shutout against Jacksonville State with a 1.64 ERA through 11.0 innings. Burns has thrown 14.2 innings with a 2.45 ERA.

Four Racers had hit multiple home runs in conference play. Brock Anderson, Jordan Cozart, and Bryson Bloomer have all hit three long balls and Tanner Booth has a pair of homers.

Jordan Cozart leds the team in on-base and slugging percentage with a .500 obp and .800 slg. He has 12 of his team-leading 26 RBIs against OVC teams.

Scouting Tennessee Tech
The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles were swept by Jacksonville State over the weekend to drop them to .500 (9-9). TTU was held to just three runs, being shutout in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles sit in 7th place in conference, winning series against Austin Peay and Eastern Illinois and taking a midweek non-conference game from Belmont.

Sophomore Ed Johnson has emerged as Tech's offensive leader, batting .358 with 17 RBI and three home runs. Freshman Brett Roberts follows closely behind with a .351 average and 13 RBI, team-high nine doubles and nine steals.

Johnson took home OVC Player of the Week honors two weeks ago after posting a .500 average, 1.000 slugging and .550 on-base percentage. He scored eight runs and drove in 11.

As a team, the Golden Eagles are hitting .261 with 22 home runs and a .431 slugging % and .364 on-base %.

Tech is fourth in the OVC in home runs behind Murray State, UT Martin and Eastern Kentucky.

Baseball To Clash with Tennessee Tech on Easter Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Brock Anderson

Bryson Bloomer

Tanner Booth

Shane Burns

Jordan Cozart

Ryan Perkins

Jake Slunder

Jack Wenninger

Murray State University