BOX SCORE

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – After falling behind early in its series finale against Michigan State, Morehead State baseball's late rally came up short as the team dropped the final game of a four-game season-opening series.

The Spartans (4-0) defeated the Eagle (0-4) by a score of 10-4, collecting 10 runs on 14 hits while taking advantage of four Eagle errors. Morehead State collected its four runs thanks to three hits and one Michigan State miscue.

Morehead State returns to action next weekend, traveling to Norfolk State for a three-game weekend set. Game times for the series are set for 3 p.m. ET (Friday), 2 p.m. (Saturday), and 12 p.m. (Sunday).

HOW IT HAPPENED
B1: Employing a double steal by baserunners Bryce Kelley and Bailey Peterson, Michigan State brought home the first run as Kelley raced home following a throwing error by the catcher.

B3: Following a base hit by Kelley, Jack Frank connected for his first home run of the year, sending the first pitch of his second at-bat into the rightfield bullpen to extend the Spartans lead to 3-0.

B4: Michigan State scored a fourth run after Kelley collected an infield single advancing Gabe Sotres to third who scored after an errant throw.

B5: Opening the inning with a walk, Frank came into score on a wild pitch after advancing into scoring position following a balk and a wild pitch.

B7: The Spartans added two more runs in the seventh with a pair of hits from pinch hitters: a single by Justin Antoncic and a triple by Andrew Morrow.

B8: A two-run triple by Peterson and a dropped fly ball in the outfield allowed Michigan State to extend its advantage.

T9: Collecting his first hit in an Eagle uniform, pitch hitter Bryce Simon split the right-center gap to clear the bases, plating three. Simon later scored following an RBI groundout by pinch hitter Bryce Ray.

NOTABLE
In his first plate appearance in an Eagle uniform, junior outfielder Bryce Simon collected his first career multi-RBI game, plating three runs with a bases-clearing triple in the ninth inning.

Pitching 3.1 innings, redshirt sophomore southpaw John Bakke turned in the longest outing of his career while his four strikeouts are also a career-high.

Drawing a first-inning walk, senior centerfielder Ryan Layne extended his team-leading reached-base streak to 14 games.

Collecting 10 strikeouts Sunday, Morehead State's pitching staff has collected double-figure strikeout totals in three consecutive games—the first time since doing so from May 5-10, 2019 in games against Murray State (13) and Tennessee Tech (11 and 10).