OXFORD, Miss. — Murray State clinched a 13-11 win against Georgia Tech in a thrilling match on Saturday night, pushing them closer to their first-ever appearance in the super regionals. The victory was powered by Dan Tauken and Luke Mistone, who each contributed five runs.
Graham Kelham showcased his skill by escaping a critical bases-loaded situation in the eighth inning and handling two players in scoring positions in the ninth. He earned his sixth save of the season, solidifying Murray State’s triumph.
A pivotal moment unfolded in the seventh inning when Jonathan Hogart hit a leadoff home run, propelling the Racers to a brief 11-10 advantage. Mistone extended the lead to 12-10 with a sacrifice fly.
Georgia Tech posed a threat in the top of the eighth by loading the bases with just one out. Kyle Lodise’s grounder allowed Connor Shouse to score before a play at third resulted in an out, and then Alex Hernandez struck out, ending their surge.
In response, Murray State added another point in the bottom of the eighth through Tauken’s second home run of the game, further securing their position.
The tension peaked in the ninth inning when Shouse doubled, putting two players in prime scoring spots. However, Kelham ended Georgia Tech’s hopes by striking out Drew Rogers, clinching the game for Murray State.
Murray State established a significant early lead, with two decisive five-run rallies occurring in the first and fourth innings, setting a formidable 10-3 advantage.
During the first, Tauken’s two-run single, along with Mistone, Will Vierling, and Conner Cunningham contributing additional runs, resulted in a 5-3 lead. The momentum continued in the fourth with Mistone’s three-run homer and another two-run homer from Tauken.
Despite a formidable comeback in the fifth by Georgia Tech, with Vahn Lackey’s three-run homer and John Giesler’s two-run double tying the game at 10, they couldn’t maintain the pace.
Georgia Tech is set to face regional host Mississippi in a decisive elimination game on Sunday. The victor of that match will need to secure two consecutive wins against Murray State, one on Sunday and another on Monday, to advance to the super regionals. A single triumph for Murray State will see them advance.