MURRAY, Ky. (Interstat) — Murray State hosts Tennessee-Martin in a midweek nonconference baseball matchup Wednesday afternoon at Reagan Field.

The Racers (26-21) bring a five-game winning edge in overall record over the Skyhawks (21-23). Wednesday’s game is the second meeting this season; Murray State won the first 7-5 on Feb. 24 in Martin, Tennessee.

Murray State enters after a three-game sweep at Purdue over the weekend, losing 17-8 on Sunday, 11-4 on Saturday and 7-5 on Friday. The Racers have dropped five of their last seven contests. Tennessee-Martin arrives winners of two straight, pounding Western Illinois 19-10 on Sunday and 14-2 on Saturday before a 9-3 loss Friday. The Skyhawks are 4-6 in their last 10 games.

Players to watch

Tennessee-Martin outfielder Terence Grines has been scorching. In his last 11 games, Grines is hitting .417 (15-for-36) with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Over the weekend at Western Illinois, he went 4-for-6 with a homer and two RBIs in Sunday’s win, 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs in Saturday’s victory, and 2-for-5 with an RBI in Friday’s loss. Grines also homered April 24 against Eastern Illinois and April 19 at Southern Indiana. For the season, Grines leads the Skyhawks in batting average, home runs and RBIs.

Murray State catcher Kingsley Guthrie provides power from the right side. In Sunday’s loss at Purdue, Guthrie went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. He also singled April 28 against Memphis. Guthrie has been limited to sporadic action in recent weeks due to injury, but when healthy he gives the Racers a dangerous presence in the middle of the order. His .293 average and eight home runs lead the team in slugging percentage.

Pitching

Probable starters were not announced. Tennessee-Martin’s Maxwell Schumacher threw 6⅓ innings of scoreless relief Sunday, allowing five unearned runs with three strikeouts. Murray State’s Jacob Roettgen and Jackson Lux both worked scoreless relief over the weekend.

Weather

Forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid-70s at first pitch. Winds are expected to be light out of the south, favorable for hitters.

Outlook

The Interstat game simulator projects a 5-4 Murray State victory. The Racers have the deeper lineup and the home-field advantage, but the Skyhawks’ Grines has carried the offense. If Tennessee-Martin can get a solid start from its pitching staff, it could keep the game close. However, Murray State’s bullpen has been steady in recent outings, and the Racers’ offense has shown it can score in bunches, as evidenced by their 13-run outburst April 24 at Southern Illinois.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT. The game is not part of any conference schedule. Both teams begin weekend series Friday: Murray State hosts Indiana State, while Tennessee-Martin hosts Arkansas-Little Rock.