MOREHEAD, Ky. – Needing a win in the worst way after dropping four straight, the Morehead State baseball team used another eighth inning rally and a walk-off double from
Jackson Feltner to complete a comeback win in the series opener over UT Martin, 10-9, reversing their extra-innings fortunes after dropping two games in walk-off fashion last weekend.
Feltner finished the day 3-6, with two doubles and four runs driven in, the last being
Logan Castleman, who reached on an infield single in the bottom of the 10
th and raced home to score the winning run on the double from the Eagles' first baseman. Feltner has been on fire at the plate this season, batting .381 with 10 homers and 38 RBI.
Morehead State jumped on top in the second inning, as
Jackson Feltner drove home
Ryley Preece to make the score 1-0. Feltner has recorded a hit in 13 straight games, driving in 16 runs in that period.
Luke Helton took the ball to start for Morehead State and registered his longest start of the season, going seven innings, giving up six runs (three earned) on 11 hits, striking out five on 102 pitches. He held the Skyhawks scoreless until the fifth inning, where four runs crossed for the visitors to give them a 4-1 lead.
Morehead State tied the game up in the home sixth, posting a three-spot in the inning.
Ashton Roy drove in one with an RBI groundout.
Colton Becker's team-leading 15
th double of the season drove in
Alex Jacobs before an RBI single from
Chase Vinson tied the game at four.
UT Martin answered quickly in the seventh, as Casey Harford homered to centerfield to retake a 6-4 lead. Three more came across in the eighth to give the Skyhawks a 9-4 lead.
Morehead State refused to lose; however, loading the bases for
Jackson Feltner, who delivered a two-run single back up the middle for his second and third RBIs of the day, making the score 9-6. The tying-run came to the plate in the form of
Roman Kuntz, who blasted a 1-2 pitch from Tucker Reed out of the yard to tie the game 9-9.
Alex Jacobs then drew a walk and stole 2
nd (his fourth straight game with a steal), but was left stranded there to keep the game tied going into the ninth.
An error put a man on second base, but
Joe Rotkis struck out two to end the top half. The Eagles went down in order in the home half, sending the game into extra innings.
Joe Rotkis continued to shine in relief in the 10
th, retiring the side in order with a strikeout to end the inning before Feltner walked it off in the 10
th. Rotkis picked up the win, moving to 2-2 on the season.
Morehead State looks to win the series Friday in a doubleheader vs. the Skyhawks. Both games are scheduled nine-inning affairs, as both teams look to stay in contention in the OVC.
