Murray State
18-9, 0
Belmont
15-13, 0
Murray State Falls To Belmont In Series Finale
3/30/2024 5:59:00 PM | Baseball
Dan Tauken and Dustin Mercer homered in Saturday’s game.
After a scoreless first inning, Logan Bland struck the scoreboard first for Murray State with a two-out RBI triple over the right fielder to score Howell after the Racers first baseman reached base via walk. After Drew Vogel reached base on a hit by pitch, Dustin Mercer drove in the second run in the inning with an RBI base hit to center to score Bland.
Murray State scored again in the third on a throwing error from the Bruins' shortstop. After Jonathan Hogart and Riley Hawthorne reached base on a hit by pitch and a walk Taylor Howell lined out to shortstop, who attempted to throw Hogart out at second for not returning back to the base.
The throw went beyond the second baseman's glove and into right field to score Hogart and advance Hawthorne to third. Dan Tauken then drove in Hawthorne on a base hit up the middle to make it a 4-0 game. Belmont then scored their first run in the fourth on an RBI groundout.
The Bruins took the lead with a five-run sixth inning on a solo home run, a three-run homer and an RBI single. Belmont's scoring continued in the seventh with their third home run of the game, an RBI on a fielder's choice and three RBI base hits to give them a 13-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
The Racers got two runs back on a two-run home run from Tauken for his eighth of the season. Dustin Mercer inched MSU closer in a comeback effort with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the eighth, but the Racers were unable to surpass seven runs for the day.
Jacob Pennington was efficient in his start on the mound, going five innings allowing four runs on six hits, two walks and striking out four batters. Bryce Valero and Nathan Holler recorded three strikeouts each through three combined innings of work out of the bullpen.
Murray State now looks ahead to a two-game midweek series with the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3. Tuesday's game is set to be played at 5 p.m. CT at Reagan Field, and Wednesday's game is slated for 6 p.m. CT at the USI Baseball Field in Evansville, Indiana.
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: GRANZOW, Cade (2-1)
L: Elsing, Alex (1-1)
Batting:
2B: GODSEY, Landon 1
HR: LANDERS, Mason 1 ; HEATON, Brodey 1 ; LAREAU, Michael 1
RBI: SLAUGHTER, Sam 3 ; LANDERS, Mason 2 ; HEATON, Brodey 1 ; GODSEY, Landon 1 ; LAREAU, Michael 4 ; KIRKPATRICK, Sam 2
SH: CLARKE, Jeff 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SLAUGHTER, Sam 1 ; LANDERS, Mason 1 ; HEATON, Brodey 2 ; BARTON, Blake 3 ; CLARKE, Jeff 1 ; GODSEY, Landon 1 ; LAREAU, Michael 2 ; KIRKPATRICK, Sam 2
SB: SLAUGHTER, Sam 1 ; BARTON, Blake 1 ; CLARKE, Jeff 1 ; KIRKPATRICK, Sam 1
HBP: LAREAU, Michael 1
PO: SLAUGHTER, Sam 1 ; BARTON, Blake 1
Batting:
2B: Bland, Logan 1
3B: Bland, Logan 1
HR: Mercer, Dustin 1 ; Tauken, Dan 1
RBI: Mercer, Dustin 2 ; Tauken, Dan 3 ; Bland, Logan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mercer, Dustin 1 ; Hogart, Jonathan 1 ; Hawthorne, Riley 1 ; Howell, Taylor 2 ; Tauken, Dan 1 ; Bland, Logan 1
SB: Hogart, Jonathan 1
HBP: Vogel, Drew 1 ; Hogart, Jonathan 1
