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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The MSU baseball team lost the rubber match against Miami (Ohio) Sunday afternoon at Allen Field, 11-4.
The game marked the return of pitcher Garrick Whittle to the mound as an Eagle starter. He struggled early in the game allowing two runs in the first.
Morehead State responded to the 2-0 deficit by scoring a run in the second inning on an RBI single by designated hitter Eric Bainer.
Down 3-1 heading into the bottom of the third, the Eagle offense once again answered the Redhawks. Second baseman Travis Redmon roped a double down the left field line and was driven home by a single off the bat of left fielder Daniel Pugh. Consecutive singles by catcher Taylor Davis and Andrew Deeds scored Pugh and a single by Michael Fear brought home Davis and put MSU on top 4-3.
Whittle ran into trouble in the fourth as the Miami bats scored four more runs, retaking the lead and knocking him out of the game. In his second start of the year, Whittle threw 3.1 innings, allowed seven earned runs and took the loss.
The Redhawks never relinquished their lead and their bullpen silenced the MSU offense for the remainder of the game. Reliever Brooks Fiala tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, struck out six and earned his first win of the season.
Pugh recorded a hit during Sunday's game to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Fear drove in two of the Eagles four runs.
MSU baseball will play a single game against Canisius Tuesday, March 22 at Allen Field beginning at 3 p.m.
