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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State and Indiana combined for 35 runs, 43 hits, and 10 home runs in an absolute slugfest Tuesday afternoon at Allen Field. The Eagles survived a ten-run Indiana sixth and scored multiple runs in every inning but the second to take a 20-15 victory, moving their record back to .500 for the first time since the opening weekend of the season.
Cameron Flynn drove in a career-high six runs, every Eagle batter recorded multiple hits, and
Drew Lee broke the career record for runs scored in the victory.
#J.D. Ashbrook#’s home run to lead off the bottom of the first was just a precursor of what was to be a wild day at Allen Field. It was Ashbrook’s team leading 10th home run of the season.
Daniel Pugh and Lee smacked back to back homers to lead off the bottom of the third. Lee’s ninth homer of the season also allowed him to break his second MSU career record in less than a week. After breaking the school record for total bases on Saturday, Lee now also holds the career mark for runs scored with 165. Jay Bradford had previously held the record when he scored 163 times from 1990-93.
“Single season records are nice, but career records shows you are consistently good and Drew has been consistently good,” said coach Jay Sorg. “It’s nice for our coaches and players to be a part of that.”
Matthew Robertson pitched well in his first start of the season, going five innings and allowing just four runs on a day where the ball was jumping off everyone’s bat. Robertson struck out five and walked just two.
“Considering the conditions, Matthew Robertson had a quality start for us,” commented Sorg on the sophomore righty.
Indiana stormed into the lead when they scored 10 runs in a sixth inning that seemed like it would never end for the Eagles.
Hunter Hewitt and
Jeff Arnold struggled mightily against the Indiana bats, each giving up five runs, before
Josh Schneider came in to strike out Josh Lyon to end the inning. The Hoosiers jacked three home-runs in the inning taking a 14-9 lead.
The Eagles fired right back with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth to climb back to within two.
Taylor Davis homered and
Travis Redmon and Ashbrook each knocked RBI singles in the inning.
Flynn’s three run homer in the bottom of the seventh gave the Eagles a 15-14 advantage. The Eagles then added five insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by Flynn’s two-run triple into the right field corner.
Schneider pitched into the ninth inning allowing just one run in 2.2 innings to pick up his fifth win of the season. Schneider did run into some trouble in the ninth, however, allowing the Hoosiers to plate a run and load the bases with just one out.
Sorg turned to freshman Garrick Whittle and the freshman responded getting the final two outs of the game to pick up his second save in as many games.
“Schneider and Whittle pitched well for us again out of the bullpen,” said Sorg.
The Eagles scored in every inning but the second, and scored two or more runs in each of those innings. Every MSU batter drove in a run as the Eagles totaled a season high 24 hits in the contest.
Sorg said it best: “Our bats were strong all day long.”
Morehead State opens Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend as they host SEMO, starting with a Saturday 1:00 p.m. double header.
