BOX SCORE | ARCHIVED AUDIO

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Despite grabbing an early 3-0 advantage, Morehead State baseball's bats were held in check the rest of the afternoon as the Eagles dropped a 4-3 decision in the rubber match of the Eastern Kentucky series Sunday at Earle Combs Stadium.

MSU slipped to 5-4 in the OVC and 14-11 overall.

"With the exception of one inning, we let their starting pitcher settle in," said head coach Mike McGuire. "We sort of had him on the ropes and then we didn't accomplish many other quality at bats the rest of the game."

EKU starter Austin Perry was credited with the win, allowing all three runs in the top of the second and no earned runs. Reliever Aaron Oschenbein tossed the final three frames with just two hits allowed for his third save.

Senior second baseman Braxton Morris did extend his OVC-best hitting streak to 20 games with an eighth-inning leadoff single. Morris now also has a 26-game reached-base streak.

The Eagles plated their three runs in the third via three walks and a hit batsmen. Junior Jake Hammon drew his second bases-loaded free pass of the weekend to get the scoring going. Junior Reid Leonard extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI single, and senior Tyler Niemann drove in the third tally with a single.

EKU chipped away with solo runs in the fourth and fifth and took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth off Eagle reliever Cory Conway.

"We walked the leadoff man in the sixth, and that opened things up for them," said McGuire.

The Eagles had runners on in the eighth and ninth frames, but Oschenbein coaxed ground outs to end both threats. Leonard collected two of the five hits, while the hosts had nine different players get a hit apiece.

Morehead State returns to action at home on Tuesday when Ohio visits for a scheduled 5 p.m. ET contest.