BOX SCORE (GAME 1) | BOX SCORE (GAME 2)
ATHENS, Ohio -- Morehead State baseball pitchers totaled 24 strikeouts and just one earned run allowed in 18 innings, and the Eagles used a pair of runs in extra innings in game two to pick up their first win of 2021 in a doubleheader split at Ohio's Bob Wren Stadium Friday.
After being no-hit on offense in game one's seven-inning contest for the first time in 15 years, the Eagles scored twice in the top of the 11th in game two and held on to improve to 1-5. Despite not allowing an earned run, Morehead State saw Ohio take the opener 6-0 before the Eagles prevailed 3-1 in the nightcap.
It was the first extra-inning win for Morehead State since March 27, 2018, ironically also against Ohio in a 9-8 triumph at Allen Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 2
- In the fourth, senior
Peyton Dillingham crushed an RBI double to score senior
Ryan Layne, who had singled earlier in the frame.
- Ohio got the run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double after a bunt single.
- The teams battled to a stalemate until the top of the 11th when junior
Stephen Hill led off with a single. Layne sacrificed Hll to second, and senior catcher
Jack Gardner broke the tie with an RBI single to center field.
- After a single by senior
Jon Burghardt, freshman
Jacob Ferry drew a walk and then senior
Logan Goodnight coaxed a bases-loaded free pass.
- Ohio got two runners on with one out in the bottom of the 11th, but senior left-hander
Cory Conway got two fly outs to left field to end the game.
NOTABLE - GAME 2
- The 18 strikeouts by Eagle pitchers
Luke Helton (career high 9),
John Bakke (3),
Grant Herron (2) and Conway (4) were the most by MSU since 23 versus Dayton in 2015 in a 14-inning game that was suspended and finished the next day at the LakePointe Complex in Georgia.
- Dillingham recorded the second multi-hit game of the year for his team, joining Gardner with one each now.
- Conway (1-0) picked up the relief win in his 61st career appearance. It was his 11th career win.
- The Eagles had eight hits by seven different batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 1
- Three errors in the first inning, including a failed pickoff attempt, led to a pair of Ohio scores.
- A throwing error on a grounder to short plated two more unearned runs for the home team.
- Another error in the fourth was followed later by a pair of RBI singles from Ohio.
NOTABLE - GAME 1
- Senior right-hander
Jason Goe (0-2) was the tough luck loser. He struck out three in 3.2 innings but allowed three walks, hit a batter and uncorked a wild pitch.
- Junior right-hander
Alex Kafka pitched a career-high 2.1 innings and tied his career-best with three punchouts.
- It was the first time Morehead State had been no-hit since March 26, 2006 when Christian Friedrich (who later pitched for the Colorado Rockies) no-hit MSU in a 1-0 game at Allen Field.
- Joe Rock struck out six in picking up the no-hit win for the Bobcats. In 2019, Rock started against the Eagles and struck out five in five innings.
UP NEXT
The teams are scheduled to meet again in Morehead. The doubleheader has tentatively been moved to Monday at Allen Field at 2 p.m. ET.
