Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics
Sliva & Vierling Lead Racers’ Charge to 34th Win
5/10/2025 4:55:00 PM | Baseball
The Racers go for the sweep at Belmont Sunday afternoon in Nashville
The Murray State Racers kept their hold on second place in the Missouri Valley Conference Saturday with an 8-1 victory over the Belmont Bruins at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Racers (34-12) improved to 16-7 in the MVC and have a chance to get a critical sweep on Sunday when game three is played at 2 p.m.
On the defensive side of the game, Isaac Silva and Reese Oakley combined to hold the Bruins to a lone ninth inning run while limiting hitters to eight hits and four walks. Silva pushed his mark to 7-2 on the strength of five innings pitched as he has won five of his seven starts in The Valley.
The Racers scored all the runs they needed in the third inning when four runs crossed the plate on RBI singles by Dom Decker and Luke Mistone, while Will Vierling drove in a pair with his 13th double of the season. MSU scored two runs twice in the fourth and sixth innings.
Game Notes
The Racers (34-12) improved to 16-7 in the MVC and have a chance to get a critical sweep on Sunday when game three is played at 2 p.m.
On the defensive side of the game, Isaac Silva and Reese Oakley combined to hold the Bruins to a lone ninth inning run while limiting hitters to eight hits and four walks. Silva pushed his mark to 7-2 on the strength of five innings pitched as he has won five of his seven starts in The Valley.
The Racers scored all the runs they needed in the third inning when four runs crossed the plate on RBI singles by Dom Decker and Luke Mistone, while Will Vierling drove in a pair with his 13th double of the season. MSU scored two runs twice in the fourth and sixth innings.
Game Notes
- Racers stopped the scoreless streak of Belmont's Joe Ruzicka at 21 2/3 innings when they scored four in the second inning.
Dustin Mercer moved into fourth place in career hits with the Racers at 229 passing Tyler Pittman (2004-07) at 228 - Tyler Lawrence (2014-17) is MSU's all-time leader with 266, Wes Cunningham (2007-10) and Ty Stetson (2011-14) each have 236.
- With two free passes today, Carson Garner has 48 walks in 45 games in 2025 and leads the MVC.
- The MSU single season walks record was set in 1973 by Jack Perconte at 58.
- With two more walks, Garner could become the fifth Racer to get to 50 walks in a season and be the first since Grant Wood who had 50 in 2018.
- Dom Decker pushed his on-base streak to 29 games, longest of the season for MSU.
- With a win on Sunday, the Racers can get a critical sweep as they were one half game behind first-place Missouri State, pending the Bears' game against Indiana State Saturday night in Springfield.
- If the Racers can get Sunday's win, it will be their sixth-straight series in MVC play.
- After a 2-4 start to league play, the Racers are 14-3 since.
- In his seventh season at Murray State, Skirka is 199-147 overall and 47-30 in The Valley.
- With one more win, Skirka will become the fourth MSU Head Coach to win 200 career games, following Johnny Reagan (776, 1968-93), Rob McDonald (247, 2004-14) and Mike Thieke (231, 1994-03).
Players Mentioned
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