MSJ centerfielder Ryan Murray put together a historic performance as Mount St. Joseph opened their 2023 campaign in Millington, Tenn. to take on Asbury as the USA Baseball Complex. The Lions and Eagles played the first of back-to-back doubleheaders on Friday, Asbury won game one 11-5 and the Mount took game two 19-3. In that second game Murray put together a historic performance going 4 for 6 at the plate, hitting for the cycles with a grand slam and a new school record 9 RBIs.
GAME ONE | Asbury 11 - MSJ 5 | WP: J. Cole (1-0), LP: A. Post (0-1)
The Mount opened the scoring in this one scoring a pair in the top of the first. Anton Mere led off by reaching via an Asbury error, Jake Lawson followed that up with a double down the right field line and R. Murray delivered a two RBI base hit into right.
Aidan Post looked to be in control early on the mound, as the senior got the start for the Lions and cruised through the first two innings. He allowed only a pair of baserunners over the first two frames.
In the third the Mount extended their lead as Andrew Harrison drilled a three-run homerun to straight away left field to push the Lions ahead 5-0.
The bottom of the third though the Eagles came all the way back to take the lead. The scored six times in the inning, on five hits, taking advantage of three Lions errors.
They would not look back finishing the game scoring 11 unanswered runs.
Seven different Lions had hits in the game led by Mere who had a pair, R. Murray (2) and Harrison (3) drove in all of the teams runs in the game.
GAME TWO | MSJ 19 - Asbury 3 | WP: B. McGee (1-0), LP: H, Handel (0-1)
Once again the Lions jumped out to a quick lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Lawson was hit-by-pitch advancing to third on a double by R. Murray. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch, R. Murray then came in to score on a sac fly by Andrew Clements.
Senior Brice McGee took the ball to start on the mound in game two. Asbury answered with a pair of runs off of McGee in the bottom of the first, and then took the lead with a single run in the bottom of the second.
The Mount then exploded in the top of the fourth inning, taking advantage of Asbury's inability to throw strikes. Patrick Murray, Carter Owen and Matt Brankamp all walked with one out to load the bases. Mere then delivered an RBI single, Lawson was hit-by-pitch to drive in another and R. Murray delivered a two-run single, eventually coming around to score on another sac-fly by Clements.
They carried that 8-3 lead into the top of the 7th when they really exploded with 11-runs to bring the mercy-rule into effect. Once again taking advantage of the Asbury struggles on the mound. They needed just four hits to score those runs. In the inning R. Murray was 2/2 with a triple, grand slam and 7 RBIs.
In the end the Lions shared 13 hits across the lineup, R,. Murray (4), Ethan Mason (2), P. Murray (2) and Carter Owen (2) each had multiple hits.
McGee got the win on the mound in his first start of the year, going 5.0 innings allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 3. Freshman Lleyton Flamm finished the game on the hill, going 2.0 innings only allowing a single runner to reach base (via walk) and striking out 5 in his MSJ debut.