Racers Edge Duke, 5-4; Advance to College World Series
Before Peyton Manning used it for his pre-snap calls with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, the word Omaha really only ever meant one thing.
The pinnacle of college baseball. And the dream of all 300-some teams that start each season in February, hoping their baseball ride will take them to the middle of America in late June.
For Missouri Valley Conference teams, that dream hadn’t been realized since 2003. And as program after program left the conference, including Missouri State after this season, many probably thought it would never happen.
Led by head coach Dan Skirka, however, Murray State believed. And now, Murray State is going to the College World Series.
The Racers beat the Duke Blue Devils, 5-4, Monday night to win the Durham Super Regional, 2 games to 1, rallying back after dropping the opening game, 7-4, on Saturday. Murray State (44-15) advances to Omaha for the first time in program history thanks to 2 home runs from Jonathan Hogart, another by Luke Mistone that gave the Racers the lead for good in the 8th inning, and a courageous 8-out effort by reliever Graham Kellam to wrap it up. Kelham gave up a run on an 8th-inning homer by Macon Winslow, but otherwise was just about untouchable, striking out 4, allowing 1 walk, hitting 1, and conceding no other hits.
Murray booked its ticket to the CWS when, with a runner at 1st and 2 outs in the 9th, Jake Hyde grounded to Mistone right next to 1st base. Mistone turned, tagged the bag, and the Racers could officially celebrate, after a dogpile moments earlier on what appeared to be a game-ending double play due to a runner interference call was overturned by replay.
Like he did in Game 2, Hogart led off the game for Murray State with a homer. The Racers added another run when Dom Decker singled home Carson Garner. Murray State eventually loaded the bases against Duke starter Henry Zatkowski with 1 out, but were unable to add on. Duke immediately got 1 back in the bottom of the 1st on Hyde’s sac fly that scored Wallace Clark.
Hyde delivered Duke’s tying run, as well, that on a homer to right center in the 3rd. In the 4th, Duke took the lead when Jake Berger homered to center. After Berger’s homer, it appeared the Blue Devils would pile on. Clark was hit by a pitch and A.J. Gracia blasted a ball to right that seemed destined to give Duke a 5-2 lead. But Dustin Mercer leaped at the wall and brought it back for the 2nd out. Ben Miller then grounded out to end the inning the Blue Devils’ lead was still just 1.
It stayed that way until the 7th, when Hogart homered to left with 1 out – his 22nd of the season and 3rd of the Super Regional. Mistone homered to lead off the 8th, knocking top Duke reliever Reid Easterly out of the game.
James Tallon entered for the first time in the Super Regional, but had trouble finding the strike zone right away. He hit Will Vierling, then Dan Tauken tripled to right, over the head of Kyle Johnson, to make it 5-3.
Following walks to Nico Bermeo and Conner Cunningham, the Racers had 2 in, the bases loaded, and no outs. But hopes of breaking the game open were denied. Hogart struck out, Tauken was retired at home on a fielder’s choice, and Garner struck out. Murray State won despite going 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.
With the lead still just 2, and nerves building late, Winslow’s homer with 2 out in the 8th, followed by a walk to pinch-hitter Noah Murray, put Racers’ fans on high alert. But Kelham fanned Johnson swinging to end the inning. Johnson, who had 4 hits and 5 RBIs in Duke’s win Saturday, then was the starting pitcher Sunday, went 0-for-2 tonight with a walk. Like Sunday, Duke’s power was abundant, but inefficient. All 3 Blue Devil homers were solo shots after 4 of 5 Sunday brought in just 1 run, as well.
Decker walked to lead off the Murray State 9th but that didn’t lead to anything and the inning was over just 4 pitches later. Clark was plunked to start the Duke 9th. Gracia fouled out, then Miller’s grounder was fielded by Cunningham, who threw to second for the force as the Racers unsuccessfully tried to turn a game-ending double play. Second base umpire Brian Miller ruled, however, that Clark was guilty of interference on his slide, meaning Miller was out at 1st, too, and the game was over. The Racers dogpiled as Duke head coach Chris Pollard asked for a challenge.
After a few minutes, Murray State had to collect themselves and keep playing, as Pollard’s challenge proved correct. But it merely postponed the inevitable, as Mistone’s put out finally confirmed the Racers’ trip to Omaha.
Murray State is the first Valley team to reach the College World Series since Missouri State in 2003. The win also means 6 different conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, MVC, and Sun Belt) will be represented in Omaha, as well as Oregon State (independent). After last year’s event that featured 4 SEC and 4 ACC teams, the variety this year is good for the sport.
What this trip to Omaha will mean for Murray State can’t even be measured yet. The Racers are the 4th regional 4-seed to make the College World Series, joining Oral Roberts (2023), Stony Brook (2012), and Fresno State, which won it all in 2008.
There’s plenty of time for historical perspective, though. For now, it’s time to soak in the realization that the MVC is still a good conference, Murray State is a great team, and this is no fluke.
The Racers belong in Omaha.
Notes: The Racers are now 5-2 in the NCAA Tournament, having played nothing but ACC and SEC teams. Murray State will take on UCLA (Big 10) Saturday in its first game of the CWS. … In a sport people feel is seemingly dominated by teams from states like Florida, Texas, and California, it’s Kentucky with 2 teams going to Omaha, as Murray State joins Louisville. … Duke finished with only 6 hits tonight. The Blue Devils managed just 20 in the series. … The teams combined to leave 20 runners on base (Murray State 11). … Duke fell to 0-7 in Super Regional games where a win would have meant clinching a bid to Omaha. The Blue Devils now have 3 series losses in Supers when winning the 1st game. … Both D1Baseball and the Charlottesville Daily Progress have reported in recent days that Pollard is a leading candidate to take over the vacant head coaching position at Virginia.
Ed Morgans is the founder of MVCBaseball.com. An Evansville graduate, Ed has written about and broadcast college baseball, while following the sport for 40 years.
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