Sunday, February 18
Murray, Ky.
11 a.m.
Murray State
1-0, 0
11
vs
1
Purdue Fort Wayne
0-1, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
0
Murray State
3
0
0
3
0
0
2
3
X
11
16
0
Racers Dominate Mastodons To Start 2024 Campaign
2/18/2024 8:25:00 PM | Baseball
Racers clinch the series against Fort Wayne after going 2-0 to open the season Sunday.
The bats were hot for the Murray State baseball team after outscoring the Fort Wayne Mastodons 28-3 in two games on Sunday.
The day was highlighted by stellar starting performances on the mound from seniors Cade Vernon and Bryce Valero. Junior Carson Garner also made his impact with a home run in each game of Sunday's doubleheader.
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Game 1 Recap
Drew Vogel and Taylor Howell each went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the season opener. Vogel had a pair of doubles and a solo homer that came in the fourth inning. Howell had a double of his own and a two-RBI single that also came in the fourth inning.
Garner's two-run home run in the season opener came in the eighth inning and was launched over the batter's eye.
Vernon received the nod for the Opening Day start on the bump and made the most of his opportunity. He allowed just one run on one hit and three walks while fanning seven batters in 5 2/3 innings.
Alex Elsing picked up the save after closing out the last 3 1/3 innings on the mound. He gave up two runs and a walk, matching Vernon's strikeout total with seven of his own.
All nine players in Game 1's starting lineup recorded a hit with five of them having a multi-hit game.
The Murray State pitching staff held the Mastodons to just three hits, allowing just one extra-base hit.
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Game 2 Recap
Murray State came out strong in the Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader, scoring 12 of their 17 runs through the first three frames.
10 batters came to the plate in the second inning when the Racers put up seven runs. A solo home run started the scoring affair which was capped off by a base-clearing base hit from redshirt junior Dan Tauken.
Garner's second long ball of the day was a no-doubt three-run shot over the left-center wall to give the Racers a 12-run cushion in the third inning. Two innings later, Preston Shelton would hit his first home run in a Racer uniform on the first pitch of the frame.
Garner and Tauken recorded four RBIs each in Sunday's Game 2 route.
Valero was near-perfect in his season debut, pitching five scoreless innings allowing just one hit and one walk with six strikeouts.
Malik Pogue, Cade Brown, Reed Braundmeier and Kane Elmy each had an inning on the mound. Both Braundmeier and Elmy made their first bullpen appearances as Racers.
10 different Racers notched a base hit in the second game and five Racers scored at least two runs. Redshirt junior Jonathan Hogart led the way with four runs scored in Game 2.
Murray State looks to close out the series and clinch the sweep against Fort Wayne on Monday, February 19 at 12 p.m. at Johnny Reagan Field.
For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.
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The day was highlighted by stellar starting performances on the mound from seniors Cade Vernon and Bryce Valero. Junior Carson Garner also made his impact with a home run in each game of Sunday's doubleheader.
Â
Game 1 Recap
Drew Vogel and Taylor Howell each went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the season opener. Vogel had a pair of doubles and a solo homer that came in the fourth inning. Howell had a double of his own and a two-RBI single that also came in the fourth inning.
Garner's two-run home run in the season opener came in the eighth inning and was launched over the batter's eye.
Vernon received the nod for the Opening Day start on the bump and made the most of his opportunity. He allowed just one run on one hit and three walks while fanning seven batters in 5 2/3 innings.
Alex Elsing picked up the save after closing out the last 3 1/3 innings on the mound. He gave up two runs and a walk, matching Vernon's strikeout total with seven of his own.
All nine players in Game 1's starting lineup recorded a hit with five of them having a multi-hit game.
The Murray State pitching staff held the Mastodons to just three hits, allowing just one extra-base hit.
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Game 2 Recap
Murray State came out strong in the Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader, scoring 12 of their 17 runs through the first three frames.
10 batters came to the plate in the second inning when the Racers put up seven runs. A solo home run started the scoring affair which was capped off by a base-clearing base hit from redshirt junior Dan Tauken.
Garner's second long ball of the day was a no-doubt three-run shot over the left-center wall to give the Racers a 12-run cushion in the third inning. Two innings later, Preston Shelton would hit his first home run in a Racer uniform on the first pitch of the frame.
Garner and Tauken recorded four RBIs each in Sunday's Game 2 route.
Valero was near-perfect in his season debut, pitching five scoreless innings allowing just one hit and one walk with six strikeouts.
Malik Pogue, Cade Brown, Reed Braundmeier and Kane Elmy each had an inning on the mound. Both Braundmeier and Elmy made their first bullpen appearances as Racers.
10 different Racers notched a base hit in the second game and five Racers scored at least two runs. Redshirt junior Jonathan Hogart led the way with four runs scored in Game 2.
Murray State looks to close out the series and clinch the sweep against Fort Wayne on Monday, February 19 at 12 p.m. at Johnny Reagan Field.
For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vernon, Cade (1-0)
L: Mac Ayres (0-1)
S: Elsing, Alex (1)
Batting:
2B: Nick Sutherlin 1
RBI: Caileb Johnson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Camden Karczewski 1
Batting:
2B: Vogel, Drew 2 ; Howell, Taylor 1
HR: Vogel, Drew 1 ; Garner, Carson 1
RBI: Vogel, Drew 3 ; Hawthorne, Riley 1 ; Howell, Taylor 3 ; Tauken, Dan 2 ; Garner, Carson 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Vogel, Drew 1 ; Mercer, Dustin 2 ; Hogart, Jonathan 2 ; Hawthorne, Riley 2 ; Howell, Taylor 1 ; Garner, Carson 1 ; Krizen, Ethan 1 ; Bland, Logan 1
CS: Hawthorne, Riley 1 ; Garner, Carson 1
HBP: Hogart, Jonathan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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RHP/1B
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RHP
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INF
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RHP
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INF
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OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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RHP
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INF
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