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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Belmont's baseball team claimed a series win over Morehead State Sunday. The Bruins knocked off MSU 8-6 in the completion of a suspended game from Saturday and then edged the Eagles 3-2 in a seven-inning tilt in the series finale.
Belmont improved to 9-18 overall and 2-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while MSU slid to 12-15 overall and 5-7 in the league. MSU won the opener 12-2 on Friday.
In the first action of the day, Belmont junior center fielder Drew Ferguson highlighted a four-run second inning with a three-run double, and the Bruins built as much as an 8-2 lead.
Austin Coley (2-1) held the Eagles to just four hits and one run in the first 4.1 innings of the final game and battled with MSU starter Craig Pearcy (3-2), who recorded a complete game and struck out eight while surrendering just four hits.
"We missed a great opportunity for success today," Head Coach Mike McGuire said. "I thought Craig pitched really well, but once again our offense didn't execute enough. We have to have more than one or two guys step up for us to win."
Ferguson finished 3-for-5 with one run and four RBI in the first game and added a hit and a run scored in the second contest. Junior second baseman Alec Diamond and junior catcher Jamie Ritchie tallied three hits apiece for Belmont, while Ritchie also notched two RBI.
Junior shortstop Robby Spencer recorded five hits in eight plate appearances on the day for the hosts, while senior designated hitter Bobby Burns notched four hits.
Junior right fielder Brandon Rawe paced Morehead State by going 3-for-5 in the first game with three runs and three RBI. He brought home all three of MSU's scores in the seventh inning of the opener on his team-leading fifth long ball of the campaign. The round-tripper also gave him a team-best 28 RBI this season.
MSU sophomore pitcher Matt Anderson (1-4) was saddled with the loss in the first game, even though he only tossed the first 1.1 innings on Saturday before the game was halted for persistent rain. He allowed the first Bruin to score. Senior lefty James Buckelew picked up the win in relief in the opener, tossing five innings and recording four punchouts. Coley started the game on Saturday but was lifted right away today so he could start the finale.
Belmont got all three of its runs in the third inning. Morehead State scored once in the fifth and once in the bottom of the seventh in the finale to creep to within 3-2, but BU junior reliever Scott Moses coaxed a double play to end the threat. Moses collected his first save of the season.
Morehead State steps out of conference play on Wednesday when its hosts NAIA opponent St. Catharine (Ky.) at 6 p.m. ET.
