BOX SCORE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Morehead State and Charlotte pitchers combined for 23 strikeouts Sunday afternoon at Hayes Stadium, but the big difference came on a three-run homer by the home team in the fourth inning as the Eagles fell 4-2 to the 49ers to wrap up their season opening road trip.

MSU senior starter Jason Goe combined with freshman righty reliever Grant Herron to sit down nine Charlotte (3-0) batters on strikeouts.

The Eagles (0-4) climbed to within 3-2 in the sixth inning but struck out seven times themselves in their final four at-bats.

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Charlotte lit the scoreboard first as a three-run homer off Goe in the bottom of the fourth staked the 49ers to a 3-0 lead.
- MSU scored twice in the top of the sixth. Bryce Hensor and Ryan Layne singled to lead off, and Stephen Hill drew a walk. Senior catcher Jack Gardner plated Hensor with an RBI single, and senior right-fielder Logan Goodnight lifted a sac fly to right field which scored Layne.
- Craig Keuchel launched a solo homer with two outs in the eighth for Charlotte's fourth run.

NOTABLE

- Layne, Gardner, Hill and Hensor have all reached base safely at least once in all four games in 2021.
- Gardner now leads the Eagles with a three-game hitting streak. After four contests, he also leads the Eagle hitters with a .455 batting average.
- Herron made his collegiate debut and retired the first eight batters he faced before allowing a solo homer. He struck out four in a full three innings of work - all swinging punchouts.
- All four hits came from the top four in the batting order, Hensor, Layne, Hill and Gardner. That quartet also all drew one walk each.
- Goe (0-1) now has nine career games now with at least five strikeouts. He only allowed five hits and walked just one.
- The Eagle pitching unit has recorded at least seven strikeouts in seven consecutive games now since the end of the shortened 2020 season.
- Charlotte starter Bryce McGowan picked up the win, while Sam Grace earned his first save of the new season.

UP NEXT

Morehead State returns home for its scheduled home opener on Wednesday versus new Division I program Bellarmine. Game time is 3 p.m. ET.