Omaha, Nip – Dan Tokin has no deals, and he did not expect many privileges that play the baseball game in the state of Murray. The contestants yearn for only one thing: the cup holders.
Murray participated everywhere in its university campus in Kentucky during the regular 2025 season, including a one -way trip for about seven hours to Val Parasu in Indiana. The team continues constantly, and a lot of Jimmy John’s and Panda Express eats on the bus with anywhere to put their drinks.
yet. On Wednesday, Tauken and his colleagues woke up to a surprise-a private plane that was transporting them to Omaha on the first Mid-MAJOR program to the men’s college series. Tokin said the players had their own corridors for their spread, and snacks were removed every 30 minutes. Best for everyone, each seat was a cup holder.
“It was great,” said Tokin. “We finally felt that people admit the work we put, which is a good feeling.”
The post -season stage continues to run in the Murray State when it plays No. 15 UCLA on Saturday 2 pm Easter (ESPN) In the first round of MCWS. The contestants are only the fourth regional 4 seeds to make it to Omaha since the post-season field expanded in 1999-the equivalent of 13 to 16 seeds up to eight of the NCAA basketball championship.
The contestants are an example of ignition from the baseball college. Murray State plays on a 800 -seat stadium with giant holes in the outer walls and ancient washed results painting, and there is a lobby sitting in the background.
Players are responsible for Tarp Duty. For some days, they have to put the hemp fabric down and wrap it several times.
“When we take off the hemp, it is always a river in the right field,” Tokin said. “During the season against South Illinois, the external stadium was basically a gathering and we had to play because it was a series of conferences.
“Then in every step I took, the water was exploding and it was somewhat fun. I mean, it was a little dangerous, but it was fun.”
How can the contestants be able to go to where he did not do many large budget programs?
Coach Dan Skirka said that the baseball game is all about momentum. The contestants won the MVC conference, MVC, which is a good league, despite its only regional offer for NCAA – then received what they saw as a favorable draw at No. 10 Ole Miss.
They beat the rebels last year in 15 floors and played them near this season in a loss of 10 in Oxford, Mississippi. The familiarity allowed the contestants to avoid being intimidated by the 11,000 Ole Miss fans and gathering after obtaining the 19-8 rebels in the dual regional.
Skirka said that the baseball game revolves around people and relationships.
“They are just great children,” he said. “They do not focus on what we do not have. They just get work. They like to play, love to compete with each other, and make a long way.
“Just access to work, development and improvement. When we got a chance to compete, they competed, sometimes win, and sometimes you lose. But they continued to develop, and they are clearly mocked here in the post -season, and ran.”
The contestants ended with a beating Ole Miss 12-11 to advance to Supers, then drop Duke in Durham Super Regional.
Football player Jonathan Hogart stood in the hallway in Charles Shawab Field on Thursday as players and coaches of some forces in the total baseball game that he went through, and in some aspects it still seems real. Hogart is based on enough to say that he does not pay attention to slogans on the uniform, and is confident enough to say that he believes that his team can do anything.
But he will also admit that if someone tells him in January that this is where they will be in mid -June, he will not believe it.
“Certainly no,” he said. “It is always a dream.”
He sat on his sofa this time of the year, watched MCWS, and believed that the players “looked like celebrities on TV.”
“It takes a lot of luck and a lot of gravel,” he said. “Also, a truly talented team, we have.”
After the contestants landed at Ebly Airport, Skirka transferred them to Charles Shawab Field. Skirka said that walking on a 24,000-seat stadium was a “outside the body”-that is, 2,200 seats than he used to.
Nothing said when they walked on the field on Wednesday. Skirka just wanted the players to see the Murray State banner and so that everything is in it. His 9 -year -old son Kejan was standing beside him.
Kejan told him: “This is wonderful, dad.”
Tokin went out on the stadium on Thursday and stopped in the tunnel by those looking for his signature. He flared up as he looked around the field several times, but he does not make mistakes – Tokin’s feet will be on the ground on Saturday, especially dry.
“They take care of the blessing,” he said.
