Baseball Puts Up Battles in Both Games But Absorbs Three-Game Sweep at Lindenwood

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State baseball battled in both contests but eventually surrendered a weekend sweep to Lindenwood as the Lions took down the Eagles 6-5 on their home turf in game one and won 12-9 in a seven-inning game two on Sunday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.

MSU fell to 12-33 and 2-19 in the OVC with its ninth and 10th straight setbacks.LU is now 25-23 overall and 12-8 in league battles.

GAME 1

The Eagles found themselves behind 5-0 entering the fifth frame but put a five-spot on the board to tie the game 5-5. Hunter Thomas singled home Griffin Olson with the initial tally before Davis Germann drew a bases-loaded walk. Andy Cisneros grounded out to the pitcher, but it scored Thomas. Alex Kean knotted the game with his eighth double of the season to push home Germann and JJ Dutton, who had walked.

The Lions scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. With a runner on first, the Eagle infield had some confusion and did not turn a would-be double play. After a stolen base, Evan Funkhouser slashed an RBI single to right center to score the winning run.

Will Grimmett (1-5) absorbed the loss, allowing just two hits and one run in 2.0 innings. Grant Herron, the starter, struck out six in six innings. 

MSU was limited to six hits off three Lion pitchers. Michael Walsh tossed 3.2 frames and allowed just three hits and one run, while Easton Rakers collected the save. He coaxed a ninth-inning double play and a strike out to end the game.

Caden Sheridan had two of the Eagles' six hits.

GAME 2

MSU lit the runs column first with a pair in the first inning but then could not slow down the Lions' roar as Lindenwood scored multiple runs in the first four frames.

The Lions led 10-2 in the fourth until designated hitter Eli Kirkendoll slammed his fourth homer of the season to score himself and two others and cut the lead in half.

Not out of it yet, the Eagles plated four runs in the top of the sixth. Kean singled to lead off and later scored on a wild pitch. Sheridan was credited with an RBI on an infield error to score Austyn Peak, who had walked. Germann then punched a single to left center to score two more and make it 12-9 to chase LU reliever Matt James.

Starter Bradley Poynter was tagged for seven earned runs in just 2.1 innings and was saddled with the loss as he fell to 2-4. Ethan Davis, AJ Hacker, Jonah Sibley and Trevor Callahan also saw time on the mound.

Dutton was plunked by a sixth inning pitch and moved his team-leading reached-base streak to 24 games. Kean led the batters by going 2-for-3 as Lion pitcher held MSU to only six hits.

NEXT UP

MSU returns to Allen Field for a pair of mid-week contests, starting Tuesday versus former OVC rival Austin Peay at 6 p.m. ET. Bellarmine visits Wednesday at 6 p.m.