Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Baseball Picked Second in Preseason Poll, Land Two on All-OVC Team
2/10/2022 10:44:00 AM | Baseball
Jake Slunder and Jacob Pennington Represent the Racers on Preseason All-OVC Team
The Murray State baseball team has been picked to finish second in the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll, as announced by the OVC on Thursday. The predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors, selected defending champion Southeast Missouri to claim the top spot after receiving eight first-place votes while the Racers drew four first-place votes.
The Racers had a memorable season in 2021, going 33-28 overall last season before the year ended in the OVC Championship game for the first time since 2003. The Racers won a program record 18 OVC games last season. MSU returns four positional starters from a season ago to the 2022 squad.
In addition to the preseason poll, the Racers land two on the preseason All-OVC Team. Outfielder Jake Slunder is a repeat selection, landing on the All-OVC list following last season. He is joined by Redshirt Sophomore pitcher Jacob Pennington who was named to the All-OVC Freshman team in 2021.
Slunder, a Cabot, Arkansas native played in 51 games in 2021, starting 50 of them in centerfield during his redshirt junior season. Batting .292 a season ago, he also drove in 34 runs, stole 25 bases, and scored 57 runs of his own.
Pennington was a staple in the Racers pitching staff last season with a 5-2 record and a 3.38 ERA in 19 appearances. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native logged 61.1 innings on the hill for the Racers while striking out 65 and allowing opponents to hit just .223 against him. Â
The complete OVC Preseason poll and Preseason All-OVC Baseball Team can be found below.
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2022 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish (Selected by OVC Head Baseball Coaches and Communications Directors):
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Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (8 first-place votes) 114
2. Murray State (4) 104
3. Morehead State 93
4. Austin Peay (2) 87
5. Belmont (2) 86
6. SIUE (2) 55
7. Eastern Illinois 50
8. Tennessee Tech 43
9. UT Martin 16
2022 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Team:
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Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Tyler Wilber (SS), Southeast Missouri
Preseason OVC Pitcher of the Year: Cameron Doherty (RHP), Eastern Illinois
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POS. NAME, SCHOOL HT. WT. CL. HOMETOWN KEY STATS FROM 2021
C Jack Alexander, Austin Peay 6-0 212 Sr. Belton, Mo. .281, 52 hits, 17 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBI
1B Jackson Feltner, Morehead State 6-3 220 So. Louisa, Ky. .390, 64 hits, 10 2B, 11 HR, .652 slug%
2B Will Smith, UT Martin 6-3 180 So. Prattville, Ala. .250, 38 hits, 29 runs, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB
SS Tyler Wilber, Southeast Missouri 6-3 225 Sr. Los Alamitos, Calif. .378, 76 hits, 11 2B, 49 RBI, .542 slug%
3B Logan Jarvis, Belmont 6-3 230 Sr. Franklin, Tenn. .346, 62 hits, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 10 SB
OF John Behrends, Belmont 6-2 210 Jr. Chattanooga, Tenn. .332, 64 hits, 15 2B, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 13 SB
OF Jake Slunder, Murray State 6-1 180 Grad. Cabot, Ark. .292, 68 hits, 57 runs, 34 RBI, 25 SB
OF Brett Johnson, SIUE 5-11 195 Jr. Joliet, Ill. .305, 58 hits, 46 runs, 10 HR, 33 RBI
DH Brady Bunten, SIUE 6-0 185 R-So. Cedar Rapids, Iowa .280, 49 hits, 12 2B, 13 HR, .606 slug%
UT Logan Eickhoff , Eastern Illinois 6-0 185 Jr. Omaha, Neb. .423, 47 hits, 30 runs, 23 RBI, 13 SB
UT Jevon Mason, Southeast Missouri 5-11 202 Jr. West Des Moines, Iowa .350, 56 hits, 35 runs, 14 2B, 22 RBI
SP Andy Bean, Belmont 6-0 180 So. Fisherville, Tenn. 5-2, 4.10 ERA, 74.2 IP, 62 K's, .234 OBA
SP Cameron Doherty, Eastern Illinois 6-1 195 Sr. Scottsdale, Ariz. 3-2, 3.45 ERA, 75.2 IP, 71 K's, .257 OBA SP Drew McIllwain, Austin Peay 6-0 205 R-Jr. Waverly, Tenn. 2-3, 4.05 ERA, 60.0 IP, 54 K's, .229 OBA
SP Joshua South, Belmont 6-3 225 Jr. Cookeville, Tenn. 4-6, 4.69 ERA, 1 SHO, 78.2 IP, 62 K's
RP Jacob Pennington, Murray State 6-3 200 R-So. Murfreesboro, Tenn. 5-2, 3.38 ERA, 61.1 IP, 65 K's, .223 OBA
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The Racers had a memorable season in 2021, going 33-28 overall last season before the year ended in the OVC Championship game for the first time since 2003. The Racers won a program record 18 OVC games last season. MSU returns four positional starters from a season ago to the 2022 squad.
In addition to the preseason poll, the Racers land two on the preseason All-OVC Team. Outfielder Jake Slunder is a repeat selection, landing on the All-OVC list following last season. He is joined by Redshirt Sophomore pitcher Jacob Pennington who was named to the All-OVC Freshman team in 2021.
Slunder, a Cabot, Arkansas native played in 51 games in 2021, starting 50 of them in centerfield during his redshirt junior season. Batting .292 a season ago, he also drove in 34 runs, stole 25 bases, and scored 57 runs of his own.
Pennington was a staple in the Racers pitching staff last season with a 5-2 record and a 3.38 ERA in 19 appearances. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native logged 61.1 innings on the hill for the Racers while striking out 65 and allowing opponents to hit just .223 against him. Â
The complete OVC Preseason poll and Preseason All-OVC Baseball Team can be found below.
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2022 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish (Selected by OVC Head Baseball Coaches and Communications Directors):
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Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (8 first-place votes) 114
2. Murray State (4) 104
3. Morehead State 93
4. Austin Peay (2) 87
5. Belmont (2) 86
6. SIUE (2) 55
7. Eastern Illinois 50
8. Tennessee Tech 43
9. UT Martin 16
2022 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Team:
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Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Tyler Wilber (SS), Southeast Missouri
Preseason OVC Pitcher of the Year: Cameron Doherty (RHP), Eastern Illinois
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POS. NAME, SCHOOL HT. WT. CL. HOMETOWN KEY STATS FROM 2021
C Jack Alexander, Austin Peay 6-0 212 Sr. Belton, Mo. .281, 52 hits, 17 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBI
1B Jackson Feltner, Morehead State 6-3 220 So. Louisa, Ky. .390, 64 hits, 10 2B, 11 HR, .652 slug%
2B Will Smith, UT Martin 6-3 180 So. Prattville, Ala. .250, 38 hits, 29 runs, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB
SS Tyler Wilber, Southeast Missouri 6-3 225 Sr. Los Alamitos, Calif. .378, 76 hits, 11 2B, 49 RBI, .542 slug%
3B Logan Jarvis, Belmont 6-3 230 Sr. Franklin, Tenn. .346, 62 hits, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 10 SB
OF John Behrends, Belmont 6-2 210 Jr. Chattanooga, Tenn. .332, 64 hits, 15 2B, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 13 SB
OF Jake Slunder, Murray State 6-1 180 Grad. Cabot, Ark. .292, 68 hits, 57 runs, 34 RBI, 25 SB
OF Brett Johnson, SIUE 5-11 195 Jr. Joliet, Ill. .305, 58 hits, 46 runs, 10 HR, 33 RBI
DH Brady Bunten, SIUE 6-0 185 R-So. Cedar Rapids, Iowa .280, 49 hits, 12 2B, 13 HR, .606 slug%
UT Logan Eickhoff , Eastern Illinois 6-0 185 Jr. Omaha, Neb. .423, 47 hits, 30 runs, 23 RBI, 13 SB
UT Jevon Mason, Southeast Missouri 5-11 202 Jr. West Des Moines, Iowa .350, 56 hits, 35 runs, 14 2B, 22 RBI
SP Andy Bean, Belmont 6-0 180 So. Fisherville, Tenn. 5-2, 4.10 ERA, 74.2 IP, 62 K's, .234 OBA
SP Cameron Doherty, Eastern Illinois 6-1 195 Sr. Scottsdale, Ariz. 3-2, 3.45 ERA, 75.2 IP, 71 K's, .257 OBA SP Drew McIllwain, Austin Peay 6-0 205 R-Jr. Waverly, Tenn. 2-3, 4.05 ERA, 60.0 IP, 54 K's, .229 OBA
SP Joshua South, Belmont 6-3 225 Jr. Cookeville, Tenn. 4-6, 4.69 ERA, 1 SHO, 78.2 IP, 62 K's
RP Jacob Pennington, Murray State 6-3 200 R-So. Murfreesboro, Tenn. 5-2, 3.38 ERA, 61.1 IP, 65 K's, .223 OBA
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