Hot bats fail to save baseball from 1-3 start
Sophomore infielder Carson Garner gives sophomre outfielder Dustin Mercer a high-five after scoring for the Racers against the Skyhawks. Photo by Rebeca Mertins Chiodini/The News.
February 23, 2023
College baseball has officially started with Murray State’s baseball team facing action with four games in five days. The Racers won just one of the games, starting the season 1-3.
After finishing with 30-plus wins in each of the last two seasons, the Racers were picked to finish ninth out of 10 in their first season in the Valley. So far, their schedule has not been kind through just their first four games.
First, in their trip to face the University of North Florida Ospreys, Murray State opened up the three game series with a 3-2 loss. But in game two, the Racers’ bats got hot as they defeated the Ospreys 11-3. The Racers drew six walks and totaled 13 hits in the win,
In the rubber game of the series, however, it was the Ospreys bats that got hot. North Florida 17-7, totaling 20 hits and batting in 16 runners.
After the trip to Florida, Murray State returned to Johnny Regan Field for their home opener against UT Martin in a one game series. Junior right handed pitcher Malik Pogure took the mound for the Racers and quickly gave up a run to the Skyhawks in just the first inning.
The Racers answered in the bottom half of the inning when sophomore infielder Carson Garner hit a sacrifice fly that allowed sophomore outfielder Dustin Mercer to score.
The Skyhawks put four more runs on the board in innings two, five and six, putting them up 5-1. The Racers put one last run on the board in the eighth inning with a single from graduate first baseman Brennan McCullough that brought Mercer home for the second time.
Both sides tallied just five strikeouts in the game, while the Skyhawks won the hitting battle 13-10. The Racers left 10 runners on base in the contest while drawing just 2 walks.
Murray State still has five multi-game series left and three single-game series prior to MVC play, including a one game series at University of Kentucky on Tuesday, March 7.
For now, the Racers hone in on their next opponent as they travel south to play the University of Alabama at Birmingham in a three game series. Game one will be on Friday, Feb. 24, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
After the trip to Birmingham, the Racers will host back-to-back series, starting with a two-game series against Kent State University, then a three-game series against Northern Kentucky University.
