Lexington, Ky. -- A big first inning for Kentucky proved to be too much to overcome, and Morehead State was beaten 8-2 Wednesday at Kentucky Proud Park.
Kentucky (6-1) sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, plating six runs on two hits, three walks and three hit batsmen. The Wildcats added a run in the second when shortstop Tyler Bell led off with double and scored.
Morehead State (4-3) broke through in the fifth. With one out Eagle center fielder
Hayden Robbins was hit by a Nile Adcock pitch. MSU third baseman
Griffin Olson singled to right. After a ground out to advance the runners, freshman catcher
Caden Sheridan lined a single to center to score both runners and make it 7-2. Sheridan finished two for four on the day.
Olson and second baseman
Aubrey Kearns both had two hits apiece for Morehead State.
Kentucky added another run in the bottom of the fifth when right fielder Shaun Montoya led off with a single and scored on a Luke Lawrence sacrifice fly.
Kentucky starter Leighton Harris (1-0) threw four innings, scattering five hits. He issued one walk and struck out four Eagle batters.
MSU starter
Andre Wojtarowicz (0-1) took the loss. Morehead State pitchers
Trevor Callahan,
Josh Furtado and
Landon Waugh combined over the last six innings allowing one run on five hits. They struck out four and walked four.
The Eagles will return to action Friday for their home opener in the first of a three-game series with Quinnipiac. Friday's start is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.
