Gardner Claims OVC Pitcher of the Week Honors

Photo by: Darren Dedman

4/19/2021 11:50:00 AM | Baseball

Gardner earns first honors of career after throwing first career complete game shutout.

After throwing his first career complete game shutout, Murray State baseball's Sam Gardner has been named OVC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career.

Gardner threw the first nine-inning complete game shutout for Murray State since 2013 in a 2-0 victory over Belmont Sunday.

The graduate student scattered five hits and struck out nine without walking a batter in picking up his second win of the season.

He threw 115 total pitches, allowing four singles and a double, with the hits coming in the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. He faced only 30 batters, three over the minimum.

Gardner only allowed one base runner to reach second base on the day as Belmont went down in order in six of the nine innings. He retired eight of the final nine batters of the game, four of which came by strikeout.

Gardner and the rest of the Racers return to action tomorrow as they take on Bellarmine in Louisville, Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.