Niemann and Morris Team Up for 11 RBI in Baseball's 16-3 Victory Over SIUE

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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Juniors Tyler Niemann and Braxton Morris combined for 11 RBI, and the Morehead State baseball team took advantage of four errors by the OVC's top fielding team to open the SIU Edwardsville series with a 16-3 triumph at Allen Field Thursday.

First baseman Niemann pounded a pair of two-out, three-run homers for six RBI, while second baseman Morris went 4-for-5 with five runs knocked in as the Eagles saw all nine batting order spots score at least one run.

"We are always our best when all nine spots in the order are producing and we got back to that tonight," said hed coach Mike McGuire. "Braxton has been one of our top hitters all year, and he really has still been swinging the bat well and not getting much to show for it lately, so it was nice to see him have a four-hit day and drive in guys. Tyler Niemann was one of our best hitters last year, and it was about this time last year he became an everyday player and an important batter. So it was good to see him get going, and hopefully that's a sign of more good things to come."

The Eagles put a halt to a five-game losing skid and improved to 23-11 overall and 9-4 in the OVC. MSU has now won nine of the last 10 games in the SIUE series. Morehead State is now 49-11 at Allen Field since 2015. The Cougars slipped to 17-16 overall and 6-10 in the league.

While the bats were pounding away at two SIUE pitchers, Eagle starter Aaron Leasher improved to 6-1 (setting a career best for season victories) by surrendering just two earned runs and striking out a quartet in six frames. Junior righty Seth Boyle tossed two scoreless innings, and freshman righthander John Hurayt III closed the door with a couple of strikeouts in the ninth. Those three only gave up five hits in the nine frames.

"It really all started with a good outing from Aaron tonight, and Seth and John also pitched effectively," said McGuire.

Sophomore leftfielder Niko Hulsizer also joined the offensive onslaught with a three-hit night and scored four runs. He cranked his team-best 13th home run of the game in the seventh, the Eagles' final run. Hulsizer extended his team-best reached-base streak to 18 games. Morris recorded RBI singles in the first, fourth and sixth innings and hammered an RBI double to the wall in left centerfield in the third inning.

Only two of the first nine Morehead State runs ended up being earned as SIUE, which entered the game leaders in the OVC with a .980 team fielding percentage, committed three errors in the field and a catcher's interference for a fourth mistake.