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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- The Morehead State baseball team fought back from an early 5-0 deficit to Austin Peay, but the rally effort fell short as the Eagles dropped game two, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon at Raymond C. Hand Park.
With the loss, the Eagles (15-33) fall to 9-14 in Ohio Valley Conference play, while the Governors (34-13) improve to 15-7 in league action.
“We dug ourselves a hole early, which we have done far too often this season,” Head Coach Mike McGuire said. “I was proud of how we battled back and put ourselves in a position to win, getting the tying run on base in the ninth, but we just couldn’t bring it in.”
The Governors struck early, getting a solo home run from their first batter of the game, junior right fielder Rolando Gautier. They managed a two-out rally in the bottom of the second, plating four runs on three hits to stretch their lead to 5-0.
The Eagles got on the board in the fifth, when sophomore first baseman Kane Sweeney drove in senior left fielder Taylor Pickens and freshman designated hitter Taylor Sears with a double to the left field corner. The Govs answered with one in the bottom half of the inning to bring their lead to 6-2.
A two-run home run over the left field wall from freshman third baseman Alan Mocahbee, his second in as many games, cut the APSU lead to two in the sixth. Sweeney crushed a solo shot over the wall in right center to make it a one run game in the seventh, his second home run of the series as well.
APSU brought in their shut-down closer, senior right-hander Tyler Rogers to halt the Eagles rally, getting the final four outs of the contest to pick up his 18th save of the season. Governor junior lefty Zach Hall (5-2) picked up the win, allowing only six hits in 7.2 innings. MSU junior lefty Noah Smallwood (1-5) was charged with the loss.
Sweeney, the OVC leader in batting average and on-base percentage, was the only Eagle with multiple hits in the contest, going 3-for-4. He has now reached base in 39 straight games, and has gone 10-for-12 at the plate in the Eagles’ last three contests, with two home runs, two doubles, two walks and four RBI.
The series finale on Sunday has been moved up one hour, and is now scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET. With rain in the forecast, make sure to check MSUEagles.com for any changes to the schedule.
