BOX SCORE (GAME ONE | GAME TWO)
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Despite taking the front end of its twin bill to extra innings and picking up 12 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles, Morehead State baseball dropped both ends a doubleheader Saturday against Belmont to open up Ohio Valley Conference play at Allen Field.
The Bruins (12-3, 2-0 OVC) outlasted the Eagles (4-9, 0-2) in game one as the two teams remained in lockstep with one another until the 10th innings as Belmont won 10-9 before taking the second game in the twin bill by a score of 17-3.
At the plate, Morehead State racked up 17 total hits with 12 going for extra bases. In total three Eagles recorded multiple extra-base hits with senior outfielder
Ryan Layne, redshirt junior infielder
Logan Goodnight, and junior catcher
Jack Gardner each recorded a pair of doubles.
The Eagles and Bruins return to Allen Field Sunday for the finale of their three-game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE (BELMONT 10, MOREHEAD STATE 9 [10 innings])
T1: Jumping on the first pitch of the game, Belmont centerfielder Hagan Severance led off with a home run to center to open the scoring.
B2: Opening the inning with a single to right-centerfield, Morehead State third baseman Stephen Hill scored from first on a Gardner double into the leftfield corner.
T3: Being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Bruin third baseman Chandler Adkins drove home a run to reclaim the Belmont lead.
B3: Using a pair of doubles from second baseman Bryce Hensor and rightfielder Arthur Sells, Morehead State tied the game at two on Sells two-bagger off the wall in right-center.
B4: Crushing a ball to straightaway centerfield, designated hitter Jon Burghardt hit his second homer of the season to give the Eagles their first lead of the game.
T7: Using three hits, including a three-run home run from catcher Jackson Campbell, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, Belmont plated five runs to reclaim the lead.
B8: Stepping to the plate with one out in the eighth inning, Hill deposited a 3-2 pitch beyond the wall in leftfield to ignite a six-run inning. Gardner, pinch-hitter Brody Shoupe, Layne, Goodnight each drove home a run in the frame as a defensive miscue and a wild pitch also brought in runs as the Eagles took the lead.
T9: Using his second homer of the game, Campbell tied the game with a two-run home run to center.
T10: Opening the inning with a walk, Severance came around to score with the aid of a balk, wild pitch, and passed ball.
GAME TWO (BELMONT 17, MOREHEAD STATE 3)
T2: Opening the scoring in game two, Belmont second baseman Logan Jarvis launched a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right-centerfield for the game's first run.
T3: Using three walks and a pair of hits, the Bruins tacked on three runs to extend their lead to 4-0.
T4: Behind a double and a fielder's choice to open the frame, Belmont added three additional runs in the fourth as the top part of the order drew a pair of walks and delivering a pair of hits to combine with a pair of Morehead State miscues to lengthen the lead.
B4: Doubling into the leftfield corner, Hill came around to score from second base on a single to left from leftfielder Zach Boyd.
T6: Drawing three walks to open up the inning, the Bruins strung together three hits, including a two-run double from Campbell, tallying five runs in the inning.
B6: Reaching base on a wild pitch, Goodnight came into score from third on a two-out throwing error from Belmont shortstop Jack Capobianco.
T7: Belmont added two runs on a designated hitter Jackson Crider to extend the lead to 15-2.
T8: With the bases loaded and one out, Jarvis single to right-centerfield plating a pair of runs.
B8: Scoring the final run of the game, Layne scored on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Max Marcotte.
NOTABLE
With seven double in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, Morehead State tallied seven or more doubles for the first time since collecting seven two-baggers against Alabama A&M on April 9, 2019.
Picking up two additional strikeouts, redshirt sophomore left-hander John Bakke upped his season total to 17 strikeouts out of the bullpen to continue to rank among the top relievers in the OVC in strikeouts.
Pitching the ninth inning of game two, junior outfielder Bryce Simon became the first position player to pitch in a game for Morehead State since Connor Pauly appeared on the mound on March 14, 2018, against Jackson State. Simon picked up a pair of strikeouts—both catching the batter looking—in an inning of work.
Walking 13 batters in game two, Morehead State's pitching staff recorded its highest walk total in a single game since walking 13 against Akron on Feb. 25, 2006.
