BOX SCORE | ARCHIVED AUDIO

MURRAY, Ky. -- Morehead State junior shortstop Reid Leonard established the program record for consecutive games reaching base at 42, but it came on the short end of a 14-8 decision at Murray State in the OVC series opener Friday night at Reagan Field.

The Eagles slipped to 30-20 overall and 16-9 in the league. Leonard, from Glen Allen, Va., surpassed current assistant coach Kane Sweeney for the longest reached-base streak in school history with a leadoff double tonight. Sweeney's mark was set in 2013. The last time Leonard did not reach base was Feb. 25 at Alabama A&M, and he has reached in 48 of the 50 games this year.

"Reid has been a constant for us in the leadoff spot and typically gives us good at-bats," said head coach Mike McGuire. "He has been a very solid hitter and a great defender."

But, after taking a 2-0 lead, the Eagles surrendered the next six runs to the Racers, including a two-out, three-run homer by Brandon Gutzler following an error on a double play attempt in the third frame.

"We just did not pitch it very well tonight and made too many mistakes in the field behind that," said McGuire. " I thought we could have increased our lead to three or four runs early and didn't and that could have made the difference. We failed to get a double play on a poor throw and catch attempt and then gave up a home run. Murray State has good hitters and made us pay."

The Racers clubbed four home runs and legged out three doubles among their 17 hits. They also drew five walks and moved up on four wild pitches.

Morehead State did fight back, however, after falling in the hole 6-2. Junior first baseman Trevor Snyder tattooed his team-best 15th homer, a two-run shot, to left field in the fifth to make it 6-4. After the home squad moved back ahead by four (8-4), the Eagles tied the game 8-8 in the sixth.

Leonard connected on a two-run round-tripper to left field, and junior left-fielder Niko Hulsizer scored on two unorthodox plays. He got picked off first base, but in the impending run down he was able to avoid being tagged twice before finally forcing a bad throw at first base which careened into the dugout. On third base, he scored on a wild pitch that only skipped away a few feet, but Hulsizer was able to contort himself around the catcher's tag and crawled back to touch home plate to make it 8-8.

David Sims got the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth, and Ramsey Scott added insurance in the eighth with a three-run homer.

Leonard and senior DH Tyler Niemann had two hits apiece. Niemann cranked a triple and a double.

Reliever TJ Satterly (1-2) was saddled with the loss after putting the go-ahead runner on the base in the sixth.

The teams will go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.