Murray State University Athletics
Friday, February 18
Murray, Ky.
3 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Butler
Photo by: Arkansas Media Relations
Racers Ready to Open 2022 Season against Butler
2/17/2022 9:45:00 AM | Baseball
Murray State set to Host Butler February 18-20 at Johnny Reagan Field
Following a historic 2021 season for Murray State baseball, the 2022 slate gets underway this weekend (Feb. 18-20) against Butler at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Kentucky. After going 33-28 a year ago, the best record for MSU since 2009, the Racers return a strong core of players while bringing in some highly talented newcomers.
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Graduate outfielder Jake Slunder will patrol center field for Murray State after posting one of the best performances in the OVC in 2021. Hitting .292 with eight home runs, 25 stolen bases, and 57 runs scored a year ago, Slunder was named preseason All-OVC. Redshirt senior third baseman Bryson Bloomer will provide some pop for the Racers offense that tied a program record 84 home runs in 2021. Bloomer provided 10 round-trippers in 2021 to go with 46 runs batted in while starting 56 games for MSU.
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Newcomers Cade Sammons and Dustin Mercer look to be key contributors for fourth year coach Dan Skirka's squad. Sammons comes to Murray State after appearing in 40 games at Ole Miss in 2021. The Jackson, Tennessee native is now a second-generation Racer in his family after his father Jason played baseball for Murray State. Mercer starts at MSU after a redshirt year at Virginia Tech in 2021. Following an impressive fall for the outfielder, Perfect Game Baseball named Mercer preseason OVC Freshman of the Year.
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On the hill, Murray State is led by Murfreesboro, Tennessee native Jacob Pennington and graduate relief pitcher Alec Whaley. Pennington posted a 3.38 ERA in 61.1 innings last season and was named preseason All-OVC by multiple outlets. Whaley returns to the mound for the Racers on the chase to rewrite MSU record books in several career categories. The relief arm made 27 appearances in 2021 while striking out 42 batters.
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Scouting Butler
The Butler Bulldogs went 14-23 a season ago with an 8-13 mark in the Big East Conference, good for sixth in the league. The Bulldogs finished the year 264 in the NCAA RPI going 4-6 in their final 10 games of the 2021 season.Â
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Graduate outfielder James Gargano returns to Butler after an All-Big East Second Team selection a season ago. The Napier, Illinois native hit .277 with seven home runs and stole a team-high 10 bases in just 11 attempts. Gargano posted an impressive .828 OPS in 2021 while leading the team with 39 hits.
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The top returning arm for the Bulldogs comes in Paducah, Ky. native John MacCauley. MacCauley went 3-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 2021. Throwing 37.2 innings, he also struck out 35 batters and walked 31 in 2021.
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First pitch is on Friday (Feb. 18) at 3 p.m. with games two and three coming on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The series will be streamed on ESPN+ for games one and three, with game two streamed on ESPN3.
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Graduate outfielder Jake Slunder will patrol center field for Murray State after posting one of the best performances in the OVC in 2021. Hitting .292 with eight home runs, 25 stolen bases, and 57 runs scored a year ago, Slunder was named preseason All-OVC. Redshirt senior third baseman Bryson Bloomer will provide some pop for the Racers offense that tied a program record 84 home runs in 2021. Bloomer provided 10 round-trippers in 2021 to go with 46 runs batted in while starting 56 games for MSU.
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Newcomers Cade Sammons and Dustin Mercer look to be key contributors for fourth year coach Dan Skirka's squad. Sammons comes to Murray State after appearing in 40 games at Ole Miss in 2021. The Jackson, Tennessee native is now a second-generation Racer in his family after his father Jason played baseball for Murray State. Mercer starts at MSU after a redshirt year at Virginia Tech in 2021. Following an impressive fall for the outfielder, Perfect Game Baseball named Mercer preseason OVC Freshman of the Year.
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On the hill, Murray State is led by Murfreesboro, Tennessee native Jacob Pennington and graduate relief pitcher Alec Whaley. Pennington posted a 3.38 ERA in 61.1 innings last season and was named preseason All-OVC by multiple outlets. Whaley returns to the mound for the Racers on the chase to rewrite MSU record books in several career categories. The relief arm made 27 appearances in 2021 while striking out 42 batters.
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Scouting Butler
The Butler Bulldogs went 14-23 a season ago with an 8-13 mark in the Big East Conference, good for sixth in the league. The Bulldogs finished the year 264 in the NCAA RPI going 4-6 in their final 10 games of the 2021 season.Â
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Graduate outfielder James Gargano returns to Butler after an All-Big East Second Team selection a season ago. The Napier, Illinois native hit .277 with seven home runs and stole a team-high 10 bases in just 11 attempts. Gargano posted an impressive .828 OPS in 2021 while leading the team with 39 hits.
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The top returning arm for the Bulldogs comes in Paducah, Ky. native John MacCauley. MacCauley went 3-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 2021. Throwing 37.2 innings, he also struck out 35 batters and walked 31 in 2021.
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First pitch is on Friday (Feb. 18) at 3 p.m. with games two and three coming on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The series will be streamed on ESPN+ for games one and three, with game two streamed on ESPN3.
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Players Mentioned
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