Racers Host Bellarmine To Start Four-Game Home Stand

Murray State looks to the start of a four-game home span when they host the Bellarmine Knights on Tuesday, April 23 at Reagan Field in Murray, Kentucky.

Tuesday's midweek matchup marks the fourth all-time matchup between the two programs and the first time they have faced off since the 2022 season. The Racers are 3-0 all-time against the Knights since their inaugural meeting in 2021, with two of those wins coming on Murray State's home turf.

The Racers are coming off a series loss to UIC on the road, looking for a tune up ahead of their home weekend MVC series with Illinois State.

First pitch of Tuesday's clash is set for 5 p.m. CT.

Scouting Report
Bellarmine enters Tuesday's game with a 6-33 record under head coach Chris Dominguez, who is in his second year at the helm of the Knights' baseball program. Since 2023, Dominguez has totaled a 19-75 record.

Leading the Knights offensively are Will Aubel, Casey Sorg and Reed Blaszczyk. All three players are the only Knights to have recorded above a .300 batting average thus far this season.

Sorg leads the team with 33 runs, 49 hits, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs and .611 slugging percentage. The junior is the only player on Bellarmine's roster with double-digit home runs. Blaszczyk holds a .301 batting average with six homers and 22 RBIs and 24 runs scored. Aubel leads the team with a .354 batting average.

Nolan Pender leads the Knights' pitching staff with 33 strikeouts through 26 innings, holding a 7.96 ERA through five starts in 18 appearances on the mound. Steven Thom is the only Bellarmine pitcher to have more than one win this year, having a 2-1 record through 12 appearances with one start in 18 2/3 innings of work.

Weekly Notes
Graduate pitcher Jacob Pennington moved into second all-time in program history in career strikeouts with his third strikeout of the game against UIC on Saturday. He finished the day with nine, tying his season high and one shy of tying his career high at Murray State.

Junior Carson Garner blasted his 14th home run of the season, moving him into a tie for the 10th-most homers in a single season in Murray State history. Garner extended his impressive reached-base streak to 28 games with a pair of walks drawn in Friday's win over UIC, but ultimately came to an end after going 0-4 on Saturday.

The Franklin, Tennessee native leads the MVC and ranks 16th nationally with 38 walks drawn this season. Cade Vernon is among the top 30 in the country and leads the MVC in victories after earning his sixth win over UIC on Friday. The senior also ranks second in The Valley and top 50 in the country in walks allowed per nine innings (1.77).

The Racers have scored at least 10 runs in 14 games this year, nine of which were 12 runs scored or more. Murray State leads the MVC in total bases (663) and sacrifice flies (25), and is top three in the conference in runs scored (298), home runs (63), RBIs (279), slugging percentage (.490), stolen bases (44), saves (10), walks allowed (139) and doubles allowed (62).

For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.

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Players Mentioned

Carson Garner

Jacob Pennington

Cade Vernon

Murray State University Athletics