BOX SCORES (GAME ONE | GAME TWO)
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Facing the team's first twin-billing of the season, Morehead State Baseball (2-1) came away with a split Saturday afternoon against their hosts the Furman Paladins (1-2) to capture the season's first series. Furman took the first game by a score of 16-11 before the Eagles responded in the nightcap, taking the series rubber match 6-5.
FURMAN 16, MOREHEAD STATE 11 (GAME ONE)
The host Paladins used a seven-run first inning to jump out on Morehead State early in Saturday's early game, ballooning the lead to 9-0 before the Eagles could answer. Furman was the beneficiaries of two run-producing triples, a three-run home run, RBI double and single, and a sacrifice fly to build a nine-run advantage through three innings.
Morehead State answered in the fourth inning as senior left fielder
Jake Hammon singled home a run with the bases loaded to provide a spark for the Eagle's offense. Junior third baseman
Dom Peroni followed with his second homer in a Morehead State uniform, a grand slam, to cut the host's lead to four.
The Eagles would even things in the sixth, again with the bases juiced, as senior shortstop
Reid Leonard drew a bases-loaded walk to push across his team's sixth run. Senior center fielder
Connor Pauly then laced a 0-0 pitch into the right-field corner for a bases-clearing triple to tie the game at nine apiece.
Furman responded, scoring seven runs over the game's final four frames to oust the Eagles in game two. Morehead State junior designated hitter Chase Sorter would provide the Eagles' final two runs, crushing a pitch to left-center for his first round-tripper in a Morehead State uniform.
On the mound, freshman righty
Landon Weins provided stability for the Morehead State pitching staff, tossing 3.2 innings of three-hit, no run ball in his debut.
MOREHEAD STATE 6, FURMAN 5 (GAME TWO)
After clubbing his first home run of the season in Saturday's opener, junior Chase Sorter provided even more fireworks for the Eagles in game two. He picked up four hits in as many at-bats in the nightcap, slapping two doubles and crushing two home runs to lift Morehead State to a series victory.
Sorter collected four of Morehead State's eight hits in the game while also driving in four of the team's six runs, adding an additional run scored—aside from his home runs—making him responsible for five of the team's six runs.
Eagle backstop
Hunter Fain also put together a good night, going two-for-three at the plate while driving in a run.
Sorter and Fain kick-started the scoring in the second with Sorter doubling home two before Fain drove him in with a single to left that was misplayed by the Furman left fielder that allowed Sorter to score. Senior right fielder
Jake Hammon would double home a run in the third as the Eagles raced out to a four-run lead. Sorter would tack on two more runs for the visitors, both in the form of solo shots to left-center.
Sophomore right-hander
Will Lozinak picked up the start for the Eagles, scattering just seven hits and three runs—two earned—across 5.2 frames. He picked up three punchouts during his outing, teaming with junior righty
Jake Ziegelmeyer, who added six, to produce nine strikeouts and no walks on the night. Ziegelmeyer scattered just six hits and two runs across the game's final 3.1 stanzas to pick up his third career save.
Morehead State returns to action next week, hosting Oakland for a four-game set at Allen Field. The series gets underway with a 3 p.m. ET first pitch on Thursday.
