Game One: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
Game Two: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader against Purdue, an 11-8 loss in game one and a 10-9 extra-inning victory in game two, at Allen Field.
"Getting the first win of the season is the hardest," said coach Jay Sorg. "We would like to make a habit of it (winning)."
Game One Recap
Despite a middle-inning rally by the Eagles, the Boilermakers were victorious in game one of the twin bill at Allen Field Saturday, 11-8.
Purdue put runs on the board early, scoring five runs in the first inning, against MSU starter senior Trey Smith. Smith pitched 3.2 innings, recorded a team-high three strikeouts and lost his second game of the season.
The Eagles rallied in the bottom of the fourth inning down 8-1. Two fielding errors, combined with run-scoring hits by Daniel Pugh, Taylor Davis and Bud Morton tallied five runs on Purdue starter Matt Morgan. Morgan finished the game with a no-decision and absorbed eight total runs over a team-high four innings pitched, only two of those earned.
Morehead State struck again in the fifth inning down 9-6. Andrew Deeds launched a two-run bomb into right-field following a double by first baseman Michael Fear. Deeds' blast was his first of the season and was the last time MSU scored in game one.
Two Eagle batters, Pugh and Deeds, led the team in hits with two and Deeds, Pugh and Redmon drove in two runs apiece for Morehead State.
Purdue reliever Lance Breedlove earned the win for the Boilermakers tossing three scoreless innings of relief striking out three Eagle batters. Shortstop Barrett Serrato and designated hitter Brad Scheiber tied for three hits and Schreiber drove in three runs.
Game Two Recap
The Eagles extra-inning rally and strong bullpen pitching earned them the win, 10-9, over the Boilermakers in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Allen Field.
As in game one, Purdue jumped to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning off Morehead State starter Josh Schneider. Schneider pitched six innings and struck out seven Boilermaker batters on the day.
MSU bounced back in the third inning down 3-0, scoring four runs on timely hits. Redmon, Deeds, Pugh and Michael Fear recorded hits in the inning and a throwing error by third baseman Cameron Perkins kept the inning alive for the Eagles. Redmon extended his hitting streak to seven games with his third inning double.
Eagle bats tacked on one and two runs in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, to bring Morehead State's lead to 7-5 entering the top of the ninth inning. The Boilermakers fired back scoring four runs in the top of the inning off relieved Tyler Hieneman. Hieneman was called to the mound following the sixth inning and had tossed two strong innings entering the ninth. Third baseman Cameron Perkins drove in three of his team-high four earned runs to put Purdue back on top.
Down two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Purdue sent sophomore Nick Wittgren to the mound. Following a walk by Pugh, Davis crushed a two-run homer to right field tying the game, 9-9, and keeping the Eagles hopes alive. Wittgren absorbed the loss for Purdue.
Hieneman sat the Boilermakes down in the top of the tenth inning and allowed only one hit in extra innings. He recorded his first win of the season after pitching strong four innings out of the Eagle bullpen.
"We are very proud of Tyler," explained Sorg. "He worked very hard in the late innings and threw strikes."
The Eagles won the game after a line-drive single off the second baseman's glove into centerfield drove in pinch runner Ryan Conner from second base. Conner pinch ran for Davis who reached base on a walk. Davis led Eagle batters in game two with three RBI ,and Deeds led the team in hits with three in the night-cap.
With the win the Eagles snapped a five-game losing streak this season.
Morehead State will play games three and four of the doubleheader tomorrow afternoon beginning at noon at Allen Field. Game one will be nine innings, followed by a seven-inning series finale.
