Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
11-8, 3-3
Austin Peay
10-9, 4-2
Racers Rally in Slugfest to Win Series Over Austin Peay
3/19/2017 5:24:00 PM | Baseball
Brandon Gutzler, Ryan Perkins and Davis Sims all collected three hits in the win as Gutzler was 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs, Perkins went 3-for-4 with a career-high four runs and five ribbies while Sims was also 3-of-5, scored two runs and drove in four.
Things started off shaky in the contest for MSU (11-8, 3-3 OVC) as the Governors (10-9, 4-2) scored four runs in the top of the first. The Racers got two runs back in the bottom of the second, first on a Sims double down the left field line that scored Perkins and then Jaron Robinson had an RBI single up the middle to make it 4-2.
Austin Peay would respond however with two more runs in the third and looked to be in control early. However, a three-run bottom of the inning made it 6-5 as Gutzler hit a solo homer to left, his sixth of the year and Perkins and Sims each got RBI knocks in the inning.
After the Governors scored an unearned run in the fourth, the Racer offense came alive and exploded with a six-run bottom of the fourth. After RBIs from Adam Bauer and Gutzler, Perkins' three-run shot to right field broke the 7-7 tie and put the Racers up for the first time all day at 10-7. With the very next pitch, Sims hit a laser to left for his second long ball of the year and the Racers were up 11-7.
MSU was also able to get a five-run bottom of the seventh to bust the game wide open Aaron Bence, Tyler Lawrence and Sims all collected ribbies in the inning. Perkins also racked up his fifth RBI has he drew a bases-loaded walk. It was a good thing the Racers got all those insurance runs to make the score 17-8 as APSU scored four runs in the eighth to cut the lead down to 17-12.
Chance Carner got the win on the afternoon as he pitched well in relief of start Jack Hranec. Carner went a career-long 3.2 innings and struck-out a career-high five batters on his way to the win. Carner allowed four hits and three unearned runs in the outing. Luke Brown, John Lollar, Derrik Watson and Alec Whaley also pitched in relief in the win.
The Racers return to action on Wednesday as they begin their four-game week in the state of Illinois. MSU travels to face Southern Illinois at 5 p.m., Wednesday before returning to OVC action this weekend at Eastern Illinois. MSU defeated the Salukis 13-12 earlier this season in Murray as the Racers overcame an early nine-run deficit in the win.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carner, Chance (1-0)
L: COSTANZO, Michael (1-3)
Batting:
2B: BREDLAU, Cayce 2 ; KELLY, Landon 1
HR: PHILLIPS, Parker 1
RBI: GIOVANNELLI, Garrett 1 ; BREDLAU, Cayce 3 ; ROBLES, Alex 1 ; GLEASON, Dre 1 ; PHILLIPS, Parker 4
SF: PHILLIPS, Parker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILSON, Kyle 1 ; TIPLER, Malcolm 1 ; GIOVANNELLI, Garrett 1 ; BREDLAU, Cayce 2 ; ROBLES, Alex 1 ; GLEASON, Dre 1 ; PHILLIPS, Parker 1 ; HAMILTON, Chase 1 ; KELLY, Landon 1 ; WILLIS, Imani 1 ; NEWBERG, Brett 1
SB: WILSON, Kyle 1 ; WILLIS, Imani 2
HBP: NEWBERG, Brett 1
Batting:
2B: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Sims, Davis 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
HR: Gutzler, Brandon 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Sims, Davis 1
RBI: Bence, Aaron 1 ; Bauer, Adam 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 2 ; Lawrence, Tyler 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 5 ; Sims, Davis 4 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bence, Aaron 1 ; Bauer, Adam 1 ; Gutzler, Brandon 3 ; Lawrence, Tyler 3 ; Moore, Kipp 1 ; Perkins, Ryan 4 ; Sims, Davis 2 ; Hranec, Jack 1 ; Robinson, Jaron 1
SB: Bence, Aaron 2 ; Moore, Kipp 1
HBP: Hranec, Jack 2
