BOX SCORE
MACON, Ga. – The Morehead State baseball team got an early lead and held off a Mercer comeback, winning their season opener 7-6 Friday night at Claude Smith Field.
Michael Bottoms pitched six innings to earn the win and freshman
Cody Gibson collected a save in his first collegiate game. Bottoms went six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. Gibson allowed one run on two hits before settling in and earning the game-saving strikeout.
Drew Lee hit a two-run home run and
Taylor Davis went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs to lead MSU. The Eagle had 11 hits and were perfect in the field.
"It’s always nice to get the first win out of the way,” said coach Jay Sorg. “I thought we played well in all three facets of the game.”
Mercer threatened early, putting runners on third and second in the bottom of the first. Bottoms was able to force Michael Langley into a ground out to shortstop to end the inning before Mercer could get on the board.
Sophomore catcher Davis started MSU’s offensive barrage when he lead off the top of the second with a home run to left.
MSU scored again in the top of the third after #J.D. Ashbrook# doubled and was then drove in by a Bottoms single. Lee also scored in the inning, coming across on a wild pitch after being intentionally walked earlier in the inning.
The Bears threatened and eventually scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third despite the best efforts of
Daniel Pugh. After Mercer opened the inning with a pair of singles, Nick DiMauro sent a rocket to straightaway left field. Pugh looked to be beaten, but raced back and made a remarkable Jim Edmonds-esque, over the shoulder diving catch to hold Mercer to a single run on the play. Mercer strung together two more singles to push another run across before Bottoms got a strikeout to get out of the inning.
“Bottoms had a quality start to begin the year and that was big for us,” stated Sorg. “He also had a big day at the plate.”
Andrew Deeds and
Michael Fear smacked back-to-back doubles to open the fourth, with Fear’s shot down the leftfield line driving in Deeds. Ashbrook then drove in Deeds with a single.
Lee knocked his first home run of the season in the fifth, a mile-high drive that cleared the fence in right. The homer drove-in Pugh who was on after getting hit by a pitch.
Thomas Carroll began the Mercer comeback, nailing a solo home run to right in the bottom of the fifth. Sean Olenek pulled the Bears closer with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the sixth. Deeds assured no further damage would be done in the inning when he made a diving play to his right and threw out DiMauro.
It was then Ashbrook’s time to shine in the field in the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Tanis hit a flare to shallow left center, but Ashbrook flew in from nowhere and made a diving snag to keep Tanis off the bases.
“My biggest concern coming into the game was our defense, but we played spectacular in the field today,” said Sorg.
Gibson came in to relieve Tyler Heineman with two outs in the eighth and the freshman walked the bases loaded and then walked in a run before getting out of the inning. Carroll hit his second homer of the game to lead off the ninth before Gibson then got Olenek swinging with one on to end the game.
MSU continues their series with Mercer tomorrow with doubleheader action starting at 1:00 p.m.
