HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky -- The Morehead State baseball team responded from down 5-4 in the eighth inning to win in exciting fashion, tallying three runs in the ninth to secure a 7-5 victory over the Northern Kentucky Norse Tuesday. For the second straight game, MSU took the lead in the ninth inning with a go-ahead home run -- this time from Roman Kuntz.
Josh Furtado (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Morehead State (5-3) in his first appearance in a Morehead State uniform. The right-hander went two shutout innings while giving up one hit, allowing two walks and striking out two. Zach Taylor also made an impact on the mound for the Eagles, throwing one shutout inning while allowing one hit, with no walks and two strikeouts.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by Colton Becker, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a double, a home run, two walks and an RBI. Roman Kuntz furnished a noteworthy performance as well, going 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and two RBI. Nick Gooden also helped out for Morehead State, putting together two hits in five trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles got on the scoreboard first, starting in the second inning. Ryan Grabosch came across to score the lone run of the inning for Morehead State and get them on the board. Hayden Robbins was credited with the RBI.
The Eagles lost the lead they built in the second, but got back on the board in the third trailing 2-1. Gooden's run-scoring single highlighted an inning where Morehead State scored twice, which brought the score to 3-2 in favor of the Eagles.
Morehead State's lead had disappeared once the seventh inning came around and turned into a 5-3 Northern Kentucky advantage, when the Eagles cut that deficit to 5-4 courtesy of a home run from Colton Becker.
Morehead State held the Norse off the board before taking the lead in the ninth. The three-run fram for the Eagles was puncuated by a two-run homer from Kuntz. bringing the score to 7-5 in favor of Morehead State. Alex Kean's RBI single gave MSU an insurance run, and Furtado got out of a bases-loaded jam with two outs to secure the victory.
GAME NOTES
» The Eagles power output was led by Colton Becker, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Morehead State's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Four Eagles had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Both Ryley Preece and Colton Becker stole two bases in Tuesday's game.
» The Eagles stole seven bases as a team.
» Morehead State went 5-for-16 (.313) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers limited Northern Kentucky to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 42 Northern Kentucky hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Eagles drew six walks from Northern Kentucky pitching.
Morehead State's home opener is on Friday, as the Eagles begin a three-game set with Butler at Sonny Allen Field.
