Murray State University Athletics
Racers Baseball Adds Three New Hires To Coaching Staff
8/22/2024 11:24:00 AM | Baseball
Head Coach Dan Skirka introduces his new assistant coaches ahead of the 2025 baseball season.
The Murray State baseball program welcomed three new coaching adds—Hayden Cross, Hunter Wolfe, and Anthony Ortega—to head coach Dan Skirka's staff for the 2025 season after being officially hired in August 2024.
"I am extremely excited about our coaching staff," head coach Dan Skirka said. "They are exactly what we are looking for in leaders for our program—energetic, hard-working, and baseball guys."
Introducing Hayden Cross – Director of Player Development
Cross becomes the Director of Player Development and will coach Murray State's catchers. He joins the program after working as a graduate assistant for Appalachian State in 2024, where he coached catchers and assisted with coaching hitters. Cross' assistance with the offense helped the Mountaineers to setting a single-season program record 96 homers last season while leading the Sun Belt with a .919 team OPS.
A native of Sanford, North Carolina, Cross played at Appalachian State where he was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team as a catcher in 2022. He recorded the third-most runners thrown out in the Sun Belt that season and led the conference in steals in 2023.
In Cross' senior season, he slashed .327/.434/.514 and helped lead the Mountaineers to their first Sun Belt tournament semifinals since joining the conference.
Introducing Hunter Wolfe – Assistant Coach (Offense, Outfielders & Infielders)
Wolfe joins Skirka's staff to assist with offense, as well as coaching outfielders and infielders. Originally from Kingsport, Tennessee, Wolfe spent the last two seasons with the DFW Twins, a development club for collegiate players in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. During his tenure, he coached athletes of various ages and saw numerous players receive scholarships to programs from junior college, NAIA, Division I, II, and III.
Prior to his coaching experience, Wolfe played at Walters State Community College under the mentorship of Skirka, where he helped the Senators achieve over 100 wins in two seasons and finishing as national runner-up in 2018. Wolfe was named First Team All-TCCAA and NJCAA All-American and was selected twice in the MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 and the Kansas City Royals in 2018.
Wolfe furthered his baseball career at TCU, where he saw success at the plate being a career .316 hitter and being named to the Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team and Big 12 Conference All-Tournament Team in 2019, and was a Big 12 Player of the Week. He helped contribute to a conference championship in 2021 and secured a national seed in the NCAA tournament, along with being named to the All-Big 12 Second Team that same season.
Before transitioning into a coaching role, Wolfe played one season of professional baseball with the Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association in 2022, a partner league of Major League Baseball, and was named Rookie of the Year.
Introducing Anthony Ortega – Assistant Coach (Hitters & Infielders)
Ortega joins Skirka's staff coaching the hitters and infielders for the Racers. He has served the last five seasons with Benedictine College, with the first four as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being promoted to associate head coach in his final year with the program. Ortega headed all offensive duties as well as working with infielders day-to-day. Since he took over the Raven offense in 2021, the Ravens stole 300+ bases while setting a school record for stolen bases in 2021 with 120.
The Raven defense had also raised their fielding percentage by 22 points since Ortega joined the coaching staff. During his time at Benedictine College, Coach Ortega has overseen the development of 10 Heart of America Conference All-Conference selections and two NAIA All-American Selections.
Prior to Ortega joining the staff at Benedictine College as a graduate assistant, he assisted at his alma mater California State University, San Bernardino, helping develop hitters and infielders.
"Our athletic director Nico Yantko has stepped up in a huge way in getting us a new position," Skirka added. "We will take advantage of having more coaches available to develop the Racers!"
For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.
"I am extremely excited about our coaching staff," head coach Dan Skirka said. "They are exactly what we are looking for in leaders for our program—energetic, hard-working, and baseball guys."
Introducing Hayden Cross – Director of Player Development
Cross becomes the Director of Player Development and will coach Murray State's catchers. He joins the program after working as a graduate assistant for Appalachian State in 2024, where he coached catchers and assisted with coaching hitters. Cross' assistance with the offense helped the Mountaineers to setting a single-season program record 96 homers last season while leading the Sun Belt with a .919 team OPS.
A native of Sanford, North Carolina, Cross played at Appalachian State where he was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team as a catcher in 2022. He recorded the third-most runners thrown out in the Sun Belt that season and led the conference in steals in 2023.
In Cross' senior season, he slashed .327/.434/.514 and helped lead the Mountaineers to their first Sun Belt tournament semifinals since joining the conference.
Introducing Hunter Wolfe – Assistant Coach (Offense, Outfielders & Infielders)
Wolfe joins Skirka's staff to assist with offense, as well as coaching outfielders and infielders. Originally from Kingsport, Tennessee, Wolfe spent the last two seasons with the DFW Twins, a development club for collegiate players in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. During his tenure, he coached athletes of various ages and saw numerous players receive scholarships to programs from junior college, NAIA, Division I, II, and III.
Prior to his coaching experience, Wolfe played at Walters State Community College under the mentorship of Skirka, where he helped the Senators achieve over 100 wins in two seasons and finishing as national runner-up in 2018. Wolfe was named First Team All-TCCAA and NJCAA All-American and was selected twice in the MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 and the Kansas City Royals in 2018.
Wolfe furthered his baseball career at TCU, where he saw success at the plate being a career .316 hitter and being named to the Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team and Big 12 Conference All-Tournament Team in 2019, and was a Big 12 Player of the Week. He helped contribute to a conference championship in 2021 and secured a national seed in the NCAA tournament, along with being named to the All-Big 12 Second Team that same season.
Before transitioning into a coaching role, Wolfe played one season of professional baseball with the Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association in 2022, a partner league of Major League Baseball, and was named Rookie of the Year.
Introducing Anthony Ortega – Assistant Coach (Hitters & Infielders)
Ortega joins Skirka's staff coaching the hitters and infielders for the Racers. He has served the last five seasons with Benedictine College, with the first four as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being promoted to associate head coach in his final year with the program. Ortega headed all offensive duties as well as working with infielders day-to-day. Since he took over the Raven offense in 2021, the Ravens stole 300+ bases while setting a school record for stolen bases in 2021 with 120.
The Raven defense had also raised their fielding percentage by 22 points since Ortega joined the coaching staff. During his time at Benedictine College, Coach Ortega has overseen the development of 10 Heart of America Conference All-Conference selections and two NAIA All-American Selections.
Prior to Ortega joining the staff at Benedictine College as a graduate assistant, he assisted at his alma mater California State University, San Bernardino, helping develop hitters and infielders.
"Our athletic director Nico Yantko has stepped up in a huge way in getting us a new position," Skirka added. "We will take advantage of having more coaches available to develop the Racers!"
For more information on the Murray State baseball program, visit GoRacers.com or @RacersBaseball on Instagram and X.
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