The Racers' record 44th win of the season sends them to Omaha as one of only eight teams left in the hunt for the national baseball championship.
The Racers literally had to win the game twice, after the first game-ending out was appealed and overturned. It happened when Duke hit into a double play attempt and the Duke runner at second base was called for interference for knocking down the Racer infielder. The interference call meant the runner at first was also called out, ending the game and Murray State celebrated their apparent win.
A video appeal denied the interference call. The Racers had to regroup and take the field once more. But in the next at-bat, Murray State pitcher Graham Kelham got Duke to ground out to first base, and the celebration was repeated.
In the top of the first, lead-off hitter Jonathan Hogart put the Racers on the board with a home run. Hogart leads the nation with 8 lead-off homers.
After the pair of runs in the first, the Racers, Duke pitching locked down and held the Racers to only one more hit through 6 innings.
Murray State trailed 3-2 after Duke's Jake Berger put the Blue Devils in front with a solo home run in the fourth.
Marshall County's Reese Oakley came on to relieve starter Kane Elmy and set down seven straight. That sent the game to the seventh with the Racers still down 3-2.
Hogart cracked his second homer of the game in the 7th to tie the game 3-3. Hogart's blast, his 22nd of the season, tied the 2010 season record set by MSU Hall of Famer Wes Cunningham.
The Racers took the lead for good 5-3 in the top of the eighth on a home run by Luke Mistone. Kelham came on to get the final eight outs to win the game 5-4
The College World Series opens on Friday at Charles Schwab Field. The Racers take the field Saturday at 1 against UCLA. Two double-elimination brackets lead to a best-of-three championship series.
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College World Series bracket
