Morehead, Ky. -- Eastern Illinois pounded out 23 hits and scored in every inning to take the opening game of the three-game series 19-5 Friday at Allen Field in Morehead, Ky.
Eastern Illinois (10-13/ 3-1 OVC) also got a solid start from pitcher Tyler Conklin. Conklin (3-1) pitched seven innings, allowed six hits and three runs and struck out three. Third baseman Mike O'Conor led the offensive outburst with four hits and five runs batted in.
Morehead State (8-15/ 0-4 OVC) got off to a good start at the plate; shortstop
Andy Cisneros took the first pitch of the game that Conklin threw out of the park over the left field fence.Â
Griffin Olson and
Eli Kirkendoll opened the second inning with back-to-back home runs to cut the EIU lead to 4-3.
However the Eagles could not keep pace with the EIU barrage. After the second inning, Conklin pitched four innings of no-hit baseball, retiring 15 consecutive batters into the seventh inning.
Morehead State got two runs in the eighth inning on long solo home runs by
Hunter Thomas and
Alex Kean.
Trevor Callahan (1-4) took the loss for MSU.
The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday to wrap up the series. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05. Both games can be seen on ESPN+.
NOTABLE
- Hunter Thomas now has 10 home runs and 30 RBI: both lead the Ohio Valley Conference.
- Morehead State pitched struck out nine EIU batters and walked seven.
- Chance Edmonds was two for four at the plate, raising his average on the season to .353.
- All five MSU runs came via solo home runs.
