Baseball Brings Back an Extra-Inning Win Over Salukis

Tuesday, May 3

Carbondale, Ill.

6 p.m.

Murray State

25-19

Southern Illinois

31-13

Murray State

Southern Illinois

Photo by: Southern Illinois University Athletics

5/3/2022 9:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Murray State Dropped Southern Illinois 5-2 in 12 Innings for Their Seventh Win in Eight Days

Murray State (25-19) baseball defeated Southern Illinois 5-2 in 12 innings on Tuesday night at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. The win for MSU in Carbondale is just the seventh time this season SIU has been defeated at home and is just their 13th loss overall.

In what was a pitcher's duel for most of the evening, Ryan Fender impressed once again as the starting pitcher for MSU. Fender went 4.2 innings pitched while allowing just three hits and one earned run in the performance. Alex Jarrell was the first relief arm of the night for Murray State, tossing two scoreless innings in the appearance. Alec Whaley earned the win after one of the more impressive relief outings of the year with 3.2 innings pitched. Whaley struck out four batters while allowing just one hit in the outing while lowering his ERA this season to 3.32. The Racers pitching staff limited one of the top offenses in the Missouri Valley Conference to just five hits in 40 at-bats in the game.

After missing significant time with injury this season, redshirt freshman outfielder Dustin Mercer made his Murray State debut tonight with two hits and a run scored. Jacob Pennington added two hits as well, including a two-RBI single in the 12th inning to plate two critical insurance runs for the Racers. Freshman Carson Garner hit his fourth home run of the season with a solo blast in the sixth inning of the contest. Jake Slunder drew the bases-loaded walk in the 12th inning to score the go-ahead run for MSU.

Murray State has now won seven of their last eight games and have now picked up five wins over future Missouri Valley foes this season.

Game Notes

Murray State has won 7 of their last 8 games
MSU handed the Salukis just their seventh home loss of the season (20-7)
Outfielder Dustin Mercer made his Murray State debut with a pair of hits in the contest
Alec Whaley earned the win in relief after tossing 3.2 scoreless innings

Murray State continues the road swing with a trip to Clarksville, Tennessee this weekend for an OVC series with foe Austin Peay. First pitch is set for 6 pm on Friday night.