Simon Elfrink
Sports Editor
Murray State baseball finished the latter half of a home-and-home series against Bellarmine University on Tuesday, April 20, taking a 10-5 win over the Knights to complete the series sweep.
Redshirt junior right-hander Quinton Kujawa earned his first career win as a Racer after going 4.2 innings on the mound, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks. Kujawa struck out five batters in his time on the hill for the Racers.
The Racers got on the board in the second inning after redshirt junior catcher Alex Crump led off with a hit-by-pitch, giving redshirt sophomore outfielder Brennan McCullough an opportunity to drive him in with a single up the middle.
The Knights struck back in the third inning, turning the tables with a two-run home run off the bat of freshman first baseman Davis Crane, giving Bellarmine an early 2-1 lead.
Bellarmine’s lead wasn’t meant to last, and the Racers found some luck with the long ball as senior right fielder Brock Anderson hit a solo shot to left-center field to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning. The Racers continued to add on in the fourth after senior left fielder Ryan Perkins hit a two-RBI double down the right-field line. Redshirt junior infielder David Hudleson found a way on with a single through the left side, and Perkins was able to score after the left fielder mishandled the ball. Hudleson later scored when the Knights’ catcher threw the ball away when redshirt junior center fielder Jake Slunder stole second base, giving the Racers a 6-2 lead.
Mistakes on the defensive end also found the Racers in the fifth inning, when Hudleson made a throwing error from shortstop to allow a run to get by to make the score 6-3.
Bellarmine continued to put the pressure on the Racers when freshman outfielder Will Aubel hit an inside-the-park home run. An RBI single later in the inning brought the Knights within one run going into the top of the eighth inning.
Redshirt junior third baseman Bryson Bloomer led off the eighth by taking a hit-by-pitch. Crump followed up an at-bat later with a two-run shot to left field to stretch the lead back to three runs.
In the top of the ninth, Bloomer contributed to the score from the batter’s box by driving a run in with a single through the infield. Redshirt junior first baseman Trey Woosley earned an RBI with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to make the score 10-5, where it remained for the last inning of the game.
The Racers had four multi-hit performances in the contest. Slunder and Anderson each had a pair of hits, while Anderson drove in his 28th RBI of the season. Crump’s two hits helped him notch two more RBIs. Crump himself crossed the plate three times against Bellarmine. Hudleson had his second multi-hit game in a row, going 2-4 with a run. While Perkins only went 1-5 on the day, his two RBIs brought his season total to 26.
Redshirt junior right-hander Connor Holden picked up his fourth save of the season in the win against Bellarmine. Holden went 2.2 innings on the mound to close the matchup, allowing two hits and striking out four batters.
With the win, the Racers improve to 18-16 overall in 2021.
The Racers will gear up to take on EKU on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, for a three-game series over Alumni Weekend.
