MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team picked up a huge win on Sunday, taking the rubber match over SEMO with a 7-6 win at Allen Field to move into first place in the current OVC standings.
Luke Helton (4-2) threw seven innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits and walking two for Morehead State (24-14, 9-3). The right hander struck out eight batters on the day, and notched a double play to keep the game tied heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Roman Kuntz led the way offensively for the Eagles, going 2-for-2 in the ballgame with two home runs -- his second multi-homer game of the series -- a walk and two RBI. Junior Jackson Feltner furnished a noteworthy day at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Junior Logan Castleman also chipped in, going 1-for-3 for Morehead State with a home run and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Eagles first put runs on the board in the first inning. Ryley Preece came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State on a sacrifice fly from Nick Gooden to even the game at 1-1.
The game remained tied until the fourth inning, when the Eagles got going again on offense. Morehead State scored twice on Logan Castleman's first homer of the year -- a two-run blast which brought the Eagles lead to 3-1.
Morehead State kept Southeast Missouri State without a run before building their lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning. The Eagles notched a run on Kuntz's leadoff home run.
The Redhawks then tied up the ballgame at four before Morehead State fought back to reclaim their advantage in the seventh inning. The Eagles scored twice on Jackson Feltner's two-run homer, bringing the Morehead State advantage to 6-4.
The Eagles held Southeast Missouri State without a run before expanding their lead to 7-4 the following inning. Morehead State picked up a run on Kuntz's leadoff home run off of senior H. Ralls. Southeast Missouri State put two runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Eagles still held on for the 7-6 win, as Joe Rotkis settled back in and notched his second save of the season.
GAME NOTES
» The Eagles got two home runs off the bat of Kuntz for the second straight game.
» Helton struck out eight Redhawks hitters.
» Morehead State's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed two runs across.
» Morehead State hitters hit four home runs in the ballgame.
» The Eagles out-hit the Redhawks at a 9-8 clip.
» Morehead State turned four double plays in the ballgame.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 38 Southeast Missouri State hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and one fly balls while striking out 10.
» Kuntz led the Eagles at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two home runs and two RBI.
Morehead State is back on the road this week, as a Tuesday game with Northern Kentucky awaits prior to an OVC series at UT Martin.
