MOREHEAD, KY -- The Morehead State baseball team put together a ferocious comeback, scoring three runs over the eighth and ninth innings, but the late-game rally came up short and they fell 9-8 to the Eastern Michigan Eagles Sunday.
Freshman Callum McGill (1-2) got the ball to start for Morehead State (11-9) and took the loss. Matt Bettio was a bright spot for the Eagles, coming out of the bullpen and throwing one shutout inning, allowing no hits.
Offensively, the Eagles were paced by freshman Hayden Robbins, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a double, two walks and two RBI. Senior Ryley Preece put together a standout day at the dish as well, going 2-for-6 with three RBI. Nick Gooden also chipped in for Morehead State, putting together three hits in five trips to the plate while adding a double and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Morehead State scored twice, with one run coming across on Gooden's single.
The Eagles lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the fourth trailing 5-2. Morehead State scored three runs in the frame, buoyed by a two-RBI double from Robbins, which evened the score at 5-5.
Eastern Michigan broke that tie and took an 8-5 lead heading into the eighth, when Morehead State closed the gap to 8-6. The Eagles added a run on senior Gabriel Sepulveda's two-out RBI double.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles expanded their lead to 9-6 before the Morehead State offense got back in gear, digging into that lead in the ninth. The Eagles drove home two runs when a single from Preece brought home senior Ryan Grabosch and senior Logan Castleman, tightening the Eastern Michigan lead to 9-8. The Eagles were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.
GAME NOTES
» Gooden led the Eagles, picking up three hits in the ballgame.
» Every Eagles starter reached base safely in the loss.
» Morehead State's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Five Morehead State hitters had multiple base knocks in the ballgame.
» Morehead State left 12 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» The Eagles out-hit the Eastern Michigan Eagles at a 14-13 clip.
» Morehead State went 6-for-18 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 47 Eastern Michigan hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and 12 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Eagles drew five walks from Eastern Michigan pitching.
Morehead State takes on archrival Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, opening up a four game roadtrip.
