HTML STATS | PDF STATS | ARCHIVED BROADCASTRICHMOND, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team left 12 runners on base in a 9-6 loss to Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Kentucky on Sunday at Turkey Hughes Field.
The Eagles (15-16/7-8 OVC) outhit the Colonels (14-17/5-7), 16-12. MSU did win the series though, claiming the first two games Friday and Saturday. MSU's offense recorded 42 hits in the series.
Senior third baseman Jeff Birkofer led the Eagles with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate. Senior designated hitter Bobby Burns and junior right fielder Brandon Rawe finished 3-for-4 and 3-for-5, respectively. Rawe now has an OVC-best 58 hits and upped his league lead in doubles to 15 while recording his team-high 18th multi-hit contest.
Freshman Jimmy Wright hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer to get the Eagles to within 7-6 in the top of the eighth, but EKU responded with a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the inning via a two-run home run off the bat of Bryan Solomon.
Sophomore pitcher Willie Sligh (0-3) took the loss, as he allowed four runs on three hits in 3.1 innings. EKU reliever Brian Mroz (4-0), who only tossed 1.2 innings but gave up no runs, was credited with the win.
Kyle Nowlin, Doug Teegarden, Blair Taylor and Solomon each had two hits to pace the hosts.
EKU jumped on top 2-0 after three frames, but Morehead State tied the contest in the fourth when Burns and junior second baseman Blaine Tanner notched RBI singles.
The Colonels got those two runs back in the bottom of the fourth and then pushed ahead 7-3 with a trio of scores in the bottom of the sixth.
Junior catcher Chris Robinson had a bunt single in the fourth to extend his team-best reached-base streak to 15 games.
Morehead State steps away from OVC play this week with four games. The Eagles open the action at 19th-ranked Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. ET Tuesday. MSU has a three-game series at Indiana starting Friday at 7 p.m.
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