#2 Racers To Open OVC Tournament Against #3 Morehead State

Murray State (30-23, 18-12 OVC) vs Morehead State Eagles (240-21, 13-11 OVC)

2021 OVC Tournament
Dates: May 27-29, 2021
First Pitch: Thursday: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Jackson, Tenn.
Stadium: The Ballpark at Jackson (7,000)
Series History: Murray State leads 67-57-1
Last Meeting: Lost series 3-1, Apr. 30-May 1, 2021 in Morehead, Kentucky

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Murray State Game Notes

First Pitch
The Racers have won eight of their last 11 games while the Eagles have lost five of six. Murray State comes in as the #2 seed, finishing 18-12 in conference. Morehead State is the #3 seed, finishing 13-11, winning the final game of the regular season to earn the last spot in the OVC Tournament.

Inside the Matchup
The Racers and Eagles have met 122 times on the diamond before with Murray State holding a 67-57-1 series lead. The Eagles won the series, 2-1, taking the opening day doubleheader before the Racers won the series finale, 13-3 in seven innings. The two programs played a non-conference matchup which Morehead State took 11-6.

Probable Starters
Shane Burns (LHP) (1-2, 6.14 ERA) vs Jason Goe (RHP) (3-5, 4.32 ERA)

A Look at the Racers:
Murray State was the first team to officially clinch a berth in the 2021 OVC Tournament and is their fourth straight tournament appearance. The Racers clinched the #2 seed with one win against Austin Peay, falling just short of their first regular season title since 1991. Murray State is ready for a rematch with #3 seed Morehead State after falling in three of four games to the Eagles this season.

Shane Burns will get the start against the Eagles. The left-hander owns a record of 1-2 with an ERA of 6.14 in 55.2 innings pitched. Burns also started game one in the 2019 OVC Tournament in Marion, Illinois. He went 4.0 innings, striking out two in the 8-1 loss to Belmont.

In the Racers series with the Eagles earlier in the season, Jake Slunder had a career weekend, hitting .421 (8-for-19) with eight runs scored, one double, seven RBIs and four home runs, including three in one game finishing a grand slam shy of the home run cycle. Brock Anderson also drove in seven runs in the four-game series with the Eagles, hitting .438 (7-for-16) and slugging 1.125 with one double, two triples and two home runs. He also boasted an on base percentage of .500. Brennan McCullough and Jacob Pennington hit their first career home runs in the Morehead State series.

On the mound, Shane Burns started game two going 4.0 innings, allowing one run while striking out five to take a no-decision. In game three, Sam Gardner threw a seven-inning complete game in the team's 13-3 win.

Murray State has won two OVC Tournament Championships since 1979 when the first tournament format was held. The Racers won the inaugural year in 1979 and then again in 2003. In the 2003 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional, the Racers fell to Baylor, 7-6 in the opening game at Pete Taylor Park and then to Southern Mississippi, 18-0 in the elimination game.

Murray State's 30 victories on the season are the most since 2009, which was also the last time the team had a winning record in a full season. The Racers were the only OVC team to reach 30 wins which ties for sixth most wins in program history.

The Racers racked up seven all-conference honors this season, the most of any team in the OVC. The seven selections are the most for Murray State since the awards went to a first team, second team and freshman team format in 2006. Their previous high was six selections in 2009.

In conference play, Murray State led in six offensive categories: runs (212), RBIs (190), doubles (69), triples (8), home runs (52) and total bases (533).

The Racers has shown all year long that they are capable of the long ball. Their 77 home runs are second most in program history, behind 2017's mark of 84. This season, the Racers broke the program's single game home run record when they hit seven against Eastern Illinois, Mar. 13th, in the rubber match game against the Panther, winning 15-5. The Racers have hit home runs in 40 of 53 games and the team's 77 home runs tops the OVC and is tied for ninth in the nation. Brock Anderson is the 2021 OVC home run champion belting 17 long balls.

Jordan Cozart is the first Racer to reach 50 RBIs this season and the first since 2018. He leads the team with 13 multi-RBI games. Cozart went 4-for-6 with three RBIs including the walk-off winner in the eleventh against SIU. At SIUE, Cozart opened the series collecting three hits, scoring three runs and drove in two on a two-run homer. In the rubber match, Cozart had his third multi-hit game of the week. He gave the Racers a 3-2 lead in the fourth on his 15th home run of the season and then tied the game at six in the 7th with a two-out double.

With his 80th career appearance on the mound, Alec Whaley tied Murray State's all-time appearance record. He tossed three scoreless innings, only allowing one hit while striking out four. Whaley came on with no-outs and the bases loaded in the seventh and got the Racers out of the inning unscathed.

Connor Holden tied another pitching record for the Racers this season. He has tallied eight saves on the season which is tied for the Racers single season save record with four previous Racers between 1994 and 2017.

In night games, the Racers are 4-1, including two extra-innings wins. Murray State will open the 2021 OVC Tournament against Morehead State in the #2/#3 seed game at 6 p.m.

Scouting Morehead State
After winning the final game of the regular season to snap a five-game losing streak, Morehead State (24-21, 13-11 OVC) qualified for its seventh-straight tournament, the longest stretch in program history.

The Eagles have won two of the past five OVC Tournaments (2015, 2018) and four crowns overall. The team did miss six Conference games this year due to COVID protocols.

Morehead State has a 5-5 record all-time in OVC Tournament games at the Ballpark at Jackson, winning the event in 2015.

Jackson Feltner was named OVC Freshman of the Year after leading the Eagles offensively. Two of his Eagles teammates also garnered honors. Ryley Preece and Luke Helton both landed on the All-Freshman team.

Feltner hit .397 with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, 42 RBIs while slugging .673 and currently holds a 26-game hitting streak and a 35-game on-base streak, both bests in the OVC.

The Eagle pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, the 13th double-digit K game this year and tied for the second-highest single-game total in 2021.

#2 Racers To Open OVC Tournament Against #3 Morehead State

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Players Mentioned

Brock Anderson

Shane Burns

Jordan Cozart

Sam Gardner

Connor Holden

Brennan McCullough

Jacob Pennington

Jake Slunder

Alec Whaley

Murray State University