NASHVILLE — Behind a disciplined approach at the plate that yielded 16 free bases, defending Missouri Valley Conference and NCAA Super Regional baseball champion Murray State dismantled Mercyhurst 20-4 in seven innings Sunday to complete a series sweep and extend its winning streak to eight games.
The victory moves the Racers to 10-2 on the season and marks the conclusion of the program’s scheduled neutral-site weekend series.
Murray State’s offense was the story, recording 10 hits while striking out just three times. Despite the high scoring output, the Racers finished with only one extra-base hit: a two-RBI triple from Kainen Jorge in the fourth inning.
Sloan Barrett and Jake Slade both turned in multi-hit performances. For Slade, it marked his second straight multi-hit game and his second of the season.
“It wasn’t like they just went up there and it was four pitches that weren’t anywhere near the zone,” Racer Head Coach Dan Skirka said. “We had some really competitive at-bats, and that’s what I told them. I was really proud of them.”
On the mound, Jacob Roettgen earned his first win as a Racer. Roettgen provided 2.2 innings of stellar relief, allowing just one hit while punching out three batters.
The Racers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning but Mercyhurst responded with a four-run third inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Murray State reclaimed control permanently in the bottom of the third. In a rare display of plate discipline, the Racers drew 11 free passes in the frame, exploding for 10 runs on just two hits to take a 12-4 lead.
“This non-conference has been kind of screwy with weather and with our fields, so we haven’t got as many at-bats and scrimmages outside,” Skirka said. “So, I think the more at-bats these guys get, the more comfortable they’ll be.”
The Racers added eight more runs over the final three frames, invoking the run rule at the conclusion of the top of the seventh.
Six home runs across two games powered Murray State to a doubleheader sweep over Mercyhurst on Saturday with the Racers winning 10-2 and 6-5 to secure the series over the Lakers. Luke Mistone, Kingsley Guthrie, Daylan Pena, Kainen Jorge, Kristofer Hokenson, and Jake Slade all went yard across the two contests as the Racer offense provided a persistent power threat throughout the afternoon.
“When we have a good process, we have some power,” head coach Dan Skirka said. “When they try to do it, that’s when they muscle up and we have some bad at-bats. So, hopefully, they’re learning that right now. They don’t have to try to hit home runs, that they put a good swing on a good pitch, and we have a chance for it to leave the ballpark.”
Jacob Hustedde took the mound to kick off the day and threw a stellar 3.2 innings, holding Mercyhurst (0-5) to just three hits with no runs allowed while punching out two. Reese Oakley took over for the next 3.1 innings and secured his second win of the season, striking out six and allowing just one earned run.
“First game, we got the leadoff batter out in all nine innings,” Skirka said. “That’s winning baseball. When you do that, it’s really hard for an offense to get going.”