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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team stranded 13 base runners and grounded into four double-plays Friday as they dropped the series opener to Jacksonville State 8-3 at Allen Field.
The Eagles and Gamecocks exchanged runs in the first inning. JSU struck first scoring two runs. First baseman Ben Waldrip recorded an RBI single to right centerfield plating the first run. The second run crossed the plate on a Kyle Bluestein base knock.
Left fielder
Taylor Pickens returned to the diamond Friday after missing the last week with an injury. He came home in the first on a fielding error by Waldrip at first.
JSU (9-16, 3-1 OVC) plated a pair of runs in the second to extend its lead to three. Catcher Cal Lambert lifted a pitch from Eagle starter
Aaron Goe over the right-field wall. Lambert’s home run was the seventh long ball allowed by Goe this season.
Goe allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and fanned three in the outing.
The Eagles (14-12, 2-2 OVC) trimmed the JSU lead to two in the bottom of the sixth. Pickens drove in MSU’s second run on a sacrifice fly to centerfield off Gamecock starter Aaron Elias. Elias pitched 5.1 innings, allowed a pair of runs and earned the win.
MSU scored a run in the bottom of the seventh on a single through the left side by shortstop
Chase Greenwell, but the Gamecocks silenced the rally on a two-run bomb by Waldrip. The Waldrip round-tripper highlighted a four-run eighth inning. Eagle reliever
Morgan Cirbo surrendered the two-shot to the Gamecock slugger.
Waldrip led the Gamecocks at the plate. He went 3-for-5, with three RBI and a home run.
JSU reliever Todd Hornsby entered the game in the seventh and, despite a 40-minute rain delay, shut down the Eagle offense. He tossed 2.2 innings, struck out two and got his sixth save
Two Eagles notched three hits, including Greenwell and outfielder
Nick Duff.
MSU continues the series versus the Gamecocks Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
