Racers Fall in CWS Opener vs UCLA

Saturday, June 14

Omaha, Neb.

1 p.m.

Murray State

44-16

UCLA

48-16

Murray State

UCLA

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

6/14/2025 11:40:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Racers met the UCLA Bruins for the first time in Omaha at the College World Series

The Murray State Racers dropped a 6-4 decision Saturday to the UCLA Bruins in their opening game of the 2025 College World Series against the UCLA Bruins at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Racers (44-16) face either Arkansas or LSU in their second game of the event on Monday at 1 p.m. CT.

Jonathan Hogart and Dustin Mercer combined for five hits, while MSU matched the Bruins nine hits in the game.

MSU's Nic Schutte (8-5) took the loss after five innings of work as the Bruins scored a game-changing four runs in the fourth inning for a 6-0 lead.

The Racers got on the board in the fifth on an RBI hit by Carson Garner and MSU added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Dan Tauken. MSU cut the Bruins' lead to 6-4 on a double from Tauken and pinch hitter Charlie Jury brought home another run with a ground out.

Game Day Story Lines

Jonathan Hogart remains tied for MSU season record of 22 home runs, along with MSU Hall of Famer Wes Cunningham (2010).
Carson Garner tied the MSU career RBI mark today with 189 as he shares the record with Tyler Lawrence (2014-17).
With Schutte, Dylan Zentko recording four strikeouts of UCLA hitters, the Racers have set a new mark for the program with 482 in 2025.
The former pitching record for strikeouts was 480 by the 2023 staff.
2025 is the 86th season of collegiate baseball at Murray State & third in the Missouri Valley Conference.
MSU is in their fourth NCAA appearance (1975, 1979, 2003, 2025).
The Racers are 7-9 UPDATE all-time in the NCAA.
The Racers are the first MVC team to advance to the CWS since Missouri State in 2003.
Since the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1999, Murray State is just the fourth regional No. 4 seed to make it to Omaha.
The Racers join Fresno State (2008), Stony Brook (2012), and most recently, Oral Roberts (2023).

First CWS moments for the Racers
First baserunner: Dustin Mercer with 1 out in the 1st on a walk vs UCLA's.
MSU first strikeout: Nic Schutte fanned UCLA's AJ Salgato for the first out of the first inning.
Racers' first hit: Jonathan Hogart had a single with 1 out in the top of the 3^rd.
Racers' second hit: Dustin Mercer had a single with 1 out in the top of the 3^rd, the next hitter after Hogart's hit.
Racers' first RBI: Carson Garner tied the MSU career RBI record with his 189^th on a single scoring Jonathan Hogart in the 5^th.
MSU's first amazing catch: Dan Tauken covered some ground and made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch to end the 3^rd on a drive by UCLA's Blake Balsz.
MSU's first extra base hit: Dan Tauken with a double in the eighth inning.

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