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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team earned its first series victory of the 2012 season behind an eighth-inning grand slam off the bat of senior catcher
Eric Bainer. The Eagles won the series finale versus Jackson State 5-4 Sunday at Allen Field.
“I thought we threw the ball well for the third time this series,” said coach Jay Sorg. “We did not swing the bats well today, but strung together some good at-bats in the eighth including the clutch home run from Eric (Bainer). It was a good series win against a style we are not accustomed to seeing.”
The Eagles (4-4) scored a run in the third inning to plate the first run of the series-ending contest. Freshman infielder
Kane Sweeney led the inning off with a double and came home on a RBI single through the left side by outfielder
Taylor Pickens to put MSU on the board 1-0.
Junior southpaw
Garrick Whittle started the finale strong, striking out five in the first six innings and allowing just one hit, before running into trouble in the sixth. Whittle walked two of the first three batters and allowed two hits in the three-run inning.
JSU added an insurance run in the seventh off righty
Blake Smith to extend its lead to three runs.
Down 4-1 entering the eighth, the Eagle offense looked stagnant. Tiger starter Desmond Russell held MSU to just four hits in his first seven innings. Following a groundout by Pickens,
Luke Bainer and
Chase Greenwell singled. A fielding error by Tiger shortstop Gary Thomas, that would have potentially ended the inning, loaded the bases for
Eric Bainer. He launched an 0-1 pitch deep over the left field wall for a grand slam, his second of the season, that put the Eagles on top 5-4.
MSU called on closer
Matt Duncan in the ninth to preserve the slim Eagle lead for a series victory. He held the Tigers (3-4) scoreless in the ninth inning, striking out one and not allowing a hit.
Duncan earned his second save of the season in the finale and reliever
Matt Cartwright took the win, providing one inning of scoreless relief.
Russell took the loss, his first of the season. He pitched 7.2 innings and allowed five runs, one of which was earned.
The Eagles return to action Tuesday at Kentucky. The game is a 4 p.m. scheduled first pitch, and live audio and statistics will be available on MSUEagles.com
