NORFOLK, Va. -- The Morehead State baseball team rode an offensive explosion and a dominant pitching performance to two more wins on Sunday afternoon, completing a four game sweep of Norfolk State, moving to 7-0 vs. the Spartans all time. Most notably, the 4-0 start to the season marks the first time MSU has started a season with four straight wins since 1986.
GAME 1 | Morehead State 18, Norfolk State 6
Ryan Grabosch finished a single shy of the cycle and Jackson Feltner had two extra base hits to help lead the Morehead State Eagles over the Norfolk State Spartans 18-6 on Sunday.
Alex Kafka (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Morehead State (3-0). The right-hander went 3.1 innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits, allowing two walks and striking out three in relief of Matt Bettio, who threw two innings of one-run ball.
Grabosch's three extra base hits were the highlight of a 3-for-5 day, and included a double, a triple, and a solo home run -- his first as an Eagle. Feltner made his contribution with a double, a triple, two walks and three RBI, part of a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Junior Logan Castleman also contributed for the Eagles, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a double and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Morehead State scored in every inning on its way to a third straight victory, kicking off the day with a seven run first inning. Isaias Guzman's two-run single started a two out rally, with Logan Castleman and Colton Becker driving in runs as well. Becker then scored on a wild pitch, and Grabosch scored from third on a balk. Matt Bettio gave up a run in the bottom half, but the Spartans weren't able to match the Eagles' offensive output the rest of the way.
GAME NOTES
» Every Morehead State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Four Eagles had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Eagles out-hit the Spartans at a 14-9 clip.
» Morehead State went 9-for-21 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers limited Norfolk State to just 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 35 Norfolk State hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and four fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Eagles drew 13 walks from Norfolk State pitching.
GAME 2 | Morehead State 3, Norfolk State 0
Senior Joe Rotkis, freshman Luke Lyman and Jarrett Miller combined to toss a shutout on Sunday as the Morehead State Eagles blanked the Norfolk State Spartans 3-0.
Rotkis (1-0) started and picked up the win for Morehead State (4-0), going four shutout innings while giving up four hits, walking none, and striking out five. Lyman was dealing out of the bullpen as well, going two shutout innings, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out four. Jarrett Miller came on in the seventh and struck out the side after hitting the first batter he faced, notching his second save of both the weekend and the young season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After an offensive explosion in the first game of the day, the bats slowed down a bit, but not before Chase Vinson gave Morehead State the lead in the first inning. Vinson smashed his second home run of the season to left field, scoring Nick Gooden and Roman Kuntz to give MSU a 3-0 lead it never lost.
GAME NOTES
» Rotkis, Lyman, and Miller combined to throw a five-hit shutout.
» The Morehead State pitching staff combined to strike out 12 Norfolk State hitters.
» Morehead State went 2-for-6 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers limited Norfolk State to just 1-for-5 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
Morehead State has a few days off before its home opening series begins on Friday, when the Peacocks of Saint Peter's come to Morehead for a four-game set at Allen Field.
