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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Everything went right for Morehead State in a wild eighth inning that gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish Thursday night versus SIU Edwardsville at Roy E. Lee Field.
"We told the team before the game that the conditions were right for pitching and defense to dominate," said Head Coach
Jay Sorg. "It was going to come down to executing the short game and getting the big hit. The pitchers threw strikes, we caught the ball and
Eric Bainer got the big hit with two outs and two strikes."
MSU (17-13, OVC 4-3) began the eighth inning trailing 2-1. SIUE starter Travis Felax had allowed four hits prior to the eighth inning. He yielded a leadoff single to shortstop
Chase Greenwell to begin the frame.
Outfielder
Taylor Pickens showed bunt with Greenwell at first and fired a bunt down the third base line and over the head of third baseman Zach Hawkins for a base hit. Designated hitter
Nick Duff followed the Pickens base hit with a single to centerfield to load the bases and put the tying run at the hot corner.
The Cougars (13-16, OVC 2-5) made the call to the bullpen and closer Dustin Quattrocchi emerged looking for his seventh save of the year. He entered the game tied for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with six saves, and fanned the next two batters.
Catcher
Eric Bainer came to the plate with two outs and fell behind a 2-2 count before sending the fifth pitch, a lazy fly ball, down the left field line. Left fielder Nick Lombardo settled under the ball and dropped the final out for an error that kept the at-bat going. The Eagle senior made Quattrocchi pay with the next delivery, firing a two-run single to left field and giving MSU the 3-2 lead.
OVC saves leader
Matt Duncan tossed the final 1.2 innings and earned his ninth save of the year. He did not allow a hit in the appearance and fanned one. With the save, Duncan is one away from tying the program mark for saves in a season held by Michael Thompson since 1995. Reliever
Morgan Cirbo recorded his team-leading fifth win of the season in 0.2 innings of relief.
Eric Bainer went 2-for-4 at the dish and had the Eagles only multi-hit outing. He scored the first run of the contest and drove in the final two.
The Eagles scored the first run of the game in the fifth. Felax allowed consecutive singles to begin the fifth to
Eric Bainer and Greenwell. A fly out advanced
Eric Bainer to third and a bunt single by centerfielder
Duran Elmore loaded the bases. His bunt rolled down the first base line and was fielded by Felax, but he reached as the first baseman moved to cover the plate. Second baseman
Jeff Birkofer followed the Elmore bunt with a slow roller to short that was booted to the first base side and allowed the runner at third to score.
SIUE answered the Eagle run with a pair in the bottom half of the inning to take the 2-1 advantage. Eagle freshman
Aaron Goe made the start, and allowed just one hit prior to the fifth, in which he allowed three including a solo shot by third baseman Devin Caldwell.
In his longest start of the season, Goe allowed two runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. He left the game with the Eagles down 2-1.
Felax pitched seven innings, allowed three runs, one of which was earned, and took his third loss. He held the Eagles hitless in the first four innings.
SIUE second baseman James Vazquez and Caldwell drove in the Cougars two runs. Each had one hit in the game.
The three-game series continues Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Roy E. Lee Field.
