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Late Rally Sparks Baseball to 6-5 Win Over Illinois State
Late Rally Sparks Baseball to 6-5 Win Over Illinois State
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MOREHEAD, Ky. --
Junior catcher Hunter Fain connected on a leadoff home run to center field in the eighth inning, and the Morehead State baseball team added what turned out to be eventual game-winning run in the inning as well as the Eagles knocked off Illinois State 6-5 in the series finale at Allen Field Sunday.

Morehead State, which trailed 4-0 after two frames and tied the game 4-4 in the sixth, improved to 6-5. The Eagles have not been swept in a three-game home series since 2013.

"We showed incredible intestinal fortitude today after being beat the last two days," said head coach Mike McGuire. "We got good pitching for the most part today, and several guys stepped up at the plate."

After Fain's heroics broke the 4-4 tie, freshman second baseman Bryce Hensor drew a walk off ISU reliever Michael Sebby (0-1). Hensor later scored the insurance run when junior first baseman Trevor Snyder beat out a fielder's choice grounder with two outs.

ISU grabbed one run back in the ninth off MSU closer Dom Masullo, but he finished with three strikeouts in the final frame to secure his first win of 2018.

Starter Jake Ziegelmeyer allowed four runs off 10 hits, but all four ISU tallies came in the second inning. He pitched through six innings before giving way to reliever JC Hatcher who recorded the next four outs. Masullo entered in the eighth and coaxed a grounder for out No. 3.

"I thought Jake pitched well today, and for him to go through six was important, especially after a rough second inning," said McGuire.

The Eagles concluded the day with 10 hits as junior third baseman Reid Leonard, senior leftfielder Eli Boggess and sophomore rightfielder Sam Sustersic knocked out two apiece. Boggess drilled the game-tying double, a two-run job, to left field in the sixth. The leftfielder misjudged the screaming line drive, and it sailed over his head when he broke in on the play.

Morehead State will travel to No. 10 Louisville on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. ET game.
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