Morehead, Ky. -- Morehead State got late-inning heroics in both ends of the doubleheader resulting in a split with Eastern Illinois Saturday at Allen Field at Prefontaine Park in Morehead.
Game One
In the opener of the twin bill, Morehead State catcher
Hunter Thomas launched a two-run home run over the fence in deep left center field in the bottom of the tenth inning for a walk-off 8-7 win, breaking a five-game losing skid and getting the Eagles their first conference win of the season.
Morehead State (9-16/ 1-5 OVC) gave up a run in the top of the tenth to go down 7-6. Center fielder
JJ Dutton led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to center. After a sacrifice bunt to move Dutton to second, Thomas hit his long drive clinching the win.
MSU also got home runs from
Eli Kirkendoll,
Alex Kean and
Caden Sheridan. Kean and Thomas both finished the game with three hits.
The Eagles got a solid start from
Grant Herron, making his fourth start of the season. Herron pitched four innings, allowing only a walk while striking out give EIU batters.
Will Grimmett (3-3) got the win, pitching the top of the tenth.
Eastern Illinois (11-14/ 4-2 OVC) left eight runners on base in the game. Bryce Riggs (0-3) took the loss in relief.
Game Two
Morehead State tried to recreate their game one magic again in the second game going to extra innings again. Trailing 3-2 heading into the seventh inning, Eastern Illinois erupted for five runs, adding two more in the top of the eighth inning to take a 10-2 lead.
The Eagles offense ignited in the bottom half of the inning.
Griffin Olson doubled off the screen in right field to lead off. Sheridan then blasted a home run over the screen in straightaway center field.
Chance Edmonds followed with a double in right center and scored on
Andy Cisneros' double of the screen in right center. Thomas then cleared the bases with a long blast in deep left center to pull the Eagles within three at 10-7.
Morehead State tied it in the ninth. Kirkendoll led off with a walk. Olson blasted a long home run over the screen in right field to pull MSU to within one.
JJ Dutton shot a two-out single into right field.
Austyn Peak, running for Dutton, scored on
Andy Cisneros' RBI double to right field.
Eastern Illinois got the doubleheader split by plating four runs in the top of the tenth, highlighted by first baseman Tyler Castro's three-run home run to center.
Morehead State will return to play Tuesday when they travel to Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
NOTABLE
- Hunter Thomas went 4-9 for the day with a home run in each game, and also a double. He now has 12 home runs, and 34 runs batted in, leading the OVC in both categories. He leads MSU with 5 doubles.
- Andy Cisneros had two doubles in the second game, giving him four for the season.
- Caden Sheridan had a home run in each game of the doubleheader, giving him three for the year, and 18 RBI
- Eight of MSU's 10 hits in game two came in the 8th and 9th innings.
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