PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Baseball comes home for the first time this season to take on the Murray State Racers in a three-game series. The Braves enter this series with a 5-19 record, while the Racers come in at 16-9.
Bradley Braves Overview
Bradley enters the series hitting .239 as a team with 184 hits and 133 runs scored through 24 games. The Braves opened conference play against Indiana State with a strong offensive showing last week, hitting .286 with three doubles, five home runs, and 10 walks. The team continued its aggressive approach on the basepaths, stealing seven bases in eight attempts.
Landon Lowe turned in a phenomenal performance, hitting 7-for-10 with a double, three walks, three RBI, and three stolen bases. Sohrab Rezaei also had a solid weekend, going 5-for-11 with a double, three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. Luke Skinner went 5-for-12 with four runs scored, an RBI, and a walk, raising his team-best average to .340.
Hayden Miller has been a key power presence in the lineup this season, with six homers (tied for third in the MVC) and 15 RBI (leading the team).
On the mound, Bradley has recorded 158 strikeouts in 190 innings. Last weekend, Robert Sanford had an impressive outing on Sunday, pitching five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out 11.
Defensively, Bradley holds a .956 fielding percentage and has turned 15 double plays.
Murray State Racers Overview
Murray State comes into this matchup hitting .289 as a team, which ranks second in the MVC with 231 hits and 189 runs scored over 25 games. The Racers have done an excellent job of getting on base and driving in runs, as they lead the conference in both walks (118) and RBI (180).
Luke Mistone has been one of the best hitters in the conference, as he ranks fifth in batting average at .358 and third in RBI with 26. Colby Ott has been a key contributor for Murray State, hitting .333 with an .832 OPS. He has struck out just six times in 20 games while drawing seven walks. Connor Chisolm has been a threat on the basepaths, as he ranks fifth in the MVC in stolen bases with 10, while leading the team with 18 walks and posting an .814 OPS.
Kainen Jorge leads the team with four home runs and has 11 extra-base hits on the season. He leads his team among qualified hitters with a .545 slugging percentage, and he has an .844 OPS.
On the mound, the Racers have been just as strong as they were offensively, ranking second in the MVC with a 5.28 team ERA. Nic Schutte ranks fourth among qualified conference pitchers with a 3.66 ERA and is third in wins with four. He holds a 4-2 record this season with 29 strikeouts. Dylan Zentko has a 1.15 ERA and a .89 WHIP while leading the MVC with six saves.
Defensively, Murray State holds a .967 fielding percentage.
Matchup Outlook
This series gives Bradley a chance to build on last weekend's impressive offensive performance. The Braves have scored 30 runs in their last four games and have been one of the most aggressive teams on the basepaths this season. Bradley will need to capitalize on every opportunity against Murray State's strong pitching staff.
On the pitching side, the Braves must prevent the Racers from building any momentum. The Racers are not a power-heavy team, but if Murray State opens an inning with a hit, it will be important to stop them early, or it could lead to a big inning.
With Bradley holding a 1-2 conference record, this series could be a key step in building momentum for the rest of the season.
