Morehead, Ky. -- After combining for 45 runs in the first two games of the series, the Morehead State and South Carolina bats cooled off Sunday with the cooling of the temperature in Columbia, S.C., as the Eagles lost to the Gamecocks 1-0 at Founders Park.
Morehead State (6-8) got a strong outing from starter Bradey Poynter (2-1) who took his first loss of the season. The sophomore from Richmond, Ky., scattered four hits in seven innings of work, allowing one run. He struck out two Gamecocks and walked two USC batters.
South Carolina (14-3) pitchers combined for nine strikeouts and allowed just four Morehead State hits. Junior Jackson Soucie (1-0) picked up the win, throwing two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two MSU batters. Junior Brendan Sweeney posted his fourth save of the season.The Gamecocks broke through in the fifth inning, when USC first baseman Beau Hollins walked to lead off the inning and was driven home by center fielder Nathan Hall's two-out single to right.
The Eagles threatened in the fourth inning, getting bases loaded with no outs, but a pop-foul to first and a ground-ball double play ended the menace.
MSU made noise again in the seventh inning. First baseman
Alex Kean led off with a walk, and shortstop
Andy Cisneros legged out a sacrifice bunt up the third base line. South Carolina pitcher Tyler Pitzer was able to wriggle out of the jam, sandwiching two strike outs around a sacrifice bunt to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Eagles again challenged in the ninth: Cisneros rapped a one-out single up the middle and stole second. Second baseman
Aubrey Kearns drew a walk to put runners on first and second, but Sweeney was able to get a strike out and a pop foul to close out the game.
The Eagles return home Tuesday to host Ohio University at Allen Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET.
NOTABLE
- Sunday starter Bradley Poynter leads the staff with 22.1 innings pitched. He's allowed 29 hits and 6 walks for a 1.58 WHIP
- Shortstop Andy Cisneros got two of MSU's four hits in four at-bats. He's hit safely in four of the last five games and has five multi-hit games. He's hitting .308 on the season.
- South Carolina pitching notched 34 strikeouts over the three-game series.
- Griffin Olson and Andy Cisneros both got stolen bases on Sunday. Olson leads MSU going 6-8 in stolen base attempts, while Cisneros is 2-2. On the season, Morehead State is 17-21 in stolen base attempts.
