Murray State baseball’s road to Evansville continued on Tuesday, April 23 as the Racers defeated the Bellarmine University Knights 12-9.
It was a high-scoring affair. The Racers took an early lead with a solo home run by junior infielder Drew Vogel, followed by a two-run homer from junior outfielder Jonathan Hogart, all in the bottom of the first inning.
Bellarmine struck back in the top of the second inning with four runs, including a two-run homer from sophomore catcher Charlie Rife.
The Knights’ lead lasted half an inning as the Racers took over in the bottom half with back-to-back sacrifice flies.
Junior outfielder Dan Tauken hit a single in the bottom of the third inning to score Hogart, but Bellarmine tied the game up with another two-run blast from senior first baseman Davis Crane in the top of the fourth inning.
Solo home runs from Vogel and junior infielder Parker Estes put the Racers back ahead by two runs, and as the game headed into its second half, Murray State led 8-6.
The Knights came within one run of the lead with a double to score sophomore utilityman Brady Morse, but the Racers held strong and never gave up their lead for the rest of the game.
Tauken fortified the lead with a two-run homer that scored Hogart in the seventh inning.
Then in the eighth inning, sophomore Gunnar Bingham scored on a wild pitch, and junior outfielder Dustin Mercer hit a single to score senior infielder Preston Shelton, giving the Racers a five-run lead.
The Knights tried to mount a comeback, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to cut the lead, but that was all they could muster. Murray State claimed victory and its 24th win of the season.
Hogart and Estes both tallied three hits in the game, while Tauken, Vogel and Mercer each had a pair of hits. Vogel led the way in RBIs with three, while Hogart scored each time he got on base.
Bellarmine had 13 hits as a team, just one less than the Racers total of 14.
Pitching for the Racers, junior right-hander Reed Braundmeier came in for relief in the sixth inning and picked up his first win of the season, while senior right-hander Nathan Holler closed out the game and recorded his fifth save of the year.
Murray State moves to 24-16 on the season while sitting at 7-8 in conference play. MVC play resumes on Friday, April 26, as the Racers take on Illinois State at home in a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 5 p.m.
