In the thrilling championship clash at the Durham Super Regional on Monday night, Murray State emerged victorious, edging out Duke 5-4 to secure a coveted spot in the College World Series for the first time in the program’s history. Luke Mistone’s clutch homer in the eighth inning broke a tied game, ensuring the Racers’ advancement.
Murray State, boasting a record of 44-15, etched their name in history by becoming only the fourth No. 4 seed to reach the heights of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Meanwhile, Duke, closing their season at 40-20, fell short in their pursuit of a CWS appearance since their last in 1961.
Jonathan Hogart had earlier energized the game with his second home run of the night during the seventh inning, his 21st for the season, launching a powerful hit into the left-field pine trees, leveling the score at 3. However, Murray State reclaimed their lead with Mistone’s pivotal leadoff homer, just his fourth of the year, in the following inning.
The Racers extended their advantage when Dan Tauken smashed a triple, bringing home Will Vierling from first base to widen the gap to 5-3, as the ball veered toward center field off the wall. Despite their promising position with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth, Duke’s James Tallon demonstrated resilience, striking out two and inducing a groundout to cut the uprising short.
A dramatic moment ensued as Murray State initially seemed to clinch victory through an interference call at second base. However, after a nail-biting official review, the call was overturned, granting Duke yet another opportunity. Unfazed, Graham Kelham, a stalwart in relief, regrouped to seal the triumph with a crucial groundout.
Kelham, having thrown 43 pitches for a three-inning save the previous day, was instrumental in the win, striking out four over 2 2/3 innings, marking his fourth win of the season. The unfortunate loss fell upon Reid Easterly, who allowed two earned runs across three innings of relief, finalizing his season with a 9-3 record.