Jakob Milani
Sports Editor
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Following a five-game road trip, the Murray State baseball team returned to Johnny Reagan Field on Tuesday, April 26, where they defeated Alabama A&M University 8-2.
The win put the Racers on a four-game win streak, with the Racers scoring six runs in the sixth inning and getting 10 hits total in the game.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Fender took the mound for the Racers to start the game. He entered the game with a 6.91 ERA and made his way through the first inning giving up just one hit and walking a single batter.
Fender continued to deal in the second inning with two strikeouts, and then again in the third inning as he struck out all three batters.
The Racers were first to strike with a run coming in the bottom of the third inning. It started with graduate catcher Alex Crump getting hit by a pitch, followed by a bunt-single from graduate center fielder Jake Slunder.
Following a walk from sophomore designated hitter Jacob Pennington to load the bases, senior third baseman Bryson Bloomer hit a sacrifice flyout to center field to bring Crump home and put the Racers up 1-0.
Through the fourth and fifth innings, Fender allowed just one hit, a double from sophomore left fielder Janmikell Bastardo. Aside from that, Fender forced four groundouts, a flyout and a foul out.
The Bulldogs were able to get on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore shortstop Chandler Stocking drew a walk on four pitches and forced Fender to be pulled from the game, being relieved by sophomore left-handed pitcher Allen Roulette.
After Stocking stole second, Bastardo came up to bat and hit a single to right field. The hit was enough to bring Stocking around to score and tie the game at one run apiece.
The Racers answered with much more than one run in the bottom half of the sixth.
After junior right fielder Brennan McCullough singled into left field and sophomore second baseman Riley Hawthorne doubled down the third base line, freshman left fielder Carson Garner hit a triple to right field, allowing both runners to come home and put the Racers up 3-1.
Sophomore first baseman Parker Estes followed it up with a double to bring in Garner and add another run to the Racers total.
A wild pitch by the Bulldogs pitcher, junior righty Daniel Hernandez, allowed Estes to score, moving the two base runners up to second and third. Bloomer then hit another sacrifice fly to bring home Crump for another run, putting the Racers up 6-1.
The Racers finished off the inning with a single from sophomore shortstop Drew Vogel that allowed Slunder to score from second and put the Racers up 7-1.
Roulette struck out all three batters in the seventh, but allowed another run in the top of the eighth.
Freshman center fielder Devin Tonkins reached base, and then stole second to start. Freshman second baseman Jalen Ford followed with a single to bring Tonkins around to score. The Racers still held the lead at 7-2.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Racers managed to tack on one more run.
With Slunder on third base, Bloomer stepped up to the plate and struck out. However, a throwing error from the catcher allowed for Slunder to cross the plate and give the Racers their eighth and final run. The Racers defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 8-2.
Murray State put 10 balls in play through 30 hitters in the game, batting in six runs in that time. The Racers also drew six walks, struck out three times, and left eight runners on base.
Alabama A&M had four hits and two RBIs through 27 batters. The Bulldogs struck out nine times, drew four walks and left three runners on base.
Murray State’s record improved to 22-18 with the win over the Bulldogs. The season continues for the Racers with a three-game home series against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville starting on Friday, April 29, and ending on Sunday, May 1. First pitch for the series is set for 5 p.m. on Friday.
