Eagle Baseball Upsets No.18 Kentucky 8-6

Lexington, Ky. -- Morehead State pounded out 11 hits and came away with an 8-6 upset of No. 18 Kentucky Tuesday in a back-and-forth affair at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington.
 
The Morehead State (3-1) attack was led by third baseman Aubrey Kearns and shortstop Jaden Correa with three hits and a home run apiece. Kearns went three for five in the game with a double, a home run and drove in three runs. Correa finished three of four at the plate in the game.
 
Alex Miller was outstanding out of the bullpen, throwing three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, one walk and struck out four. Luke Hayes (1-0) came out of the bullpen to get the final two outs in the fifth to earn the win. Devin Costa (2) picked up the save coming in the ninth for Miller after he allowed a leadoff walk. Costa struck out two batters in the inning.
 
The Eagles got on the board in the top of the first. Sheridan was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sharp bouncer by Kean past the Kentucky third baseman, ruled an error. Sheridan scored on Kearns' liner to right.
 
Kentucky (3-1) surged in the second inning. The Wildcats led off with two sharp singles and a walk. UK designated hitter Braxton VanCleve cleared the bases with a three-run double to grab a 3-1 lead.
 
The Eagles came right back in the top of the third. Sheridan led off reaching after getting hit by a pitch. Kean followed with a looping liner to left that bounced past the UK left fielder, scoring Sheridan. Then with one out, Kearns blasted a two-run home run to right to put the Eagles ahead 4-3.  
 
After Kentucky tied it up at 4-4 in the bottom of the third, MSU shortstop Jaden Correa led off the fourth with a liner over of the left field fence into the Kentucky bullpen to put the Eagles back on top 5 4.
 
Kentucky responded with  two runs in the bottom of the fifth to push back ahead 6-5. The Wildcats loaded the bases with one out on a hit batter and two walks. Kentucky catcher Owen Jenkins plated the run with a sharp single through the left side of infield.
 
Again, Morehead State responded in the sixth inning. Right field Davis Germann lined a single to center field. Correa looped a single the left and Germann was thrown out trying to advance to third  base. After a single by second baseman Nick Griffith, center fielder Kyle Krupp singled sharply through the right side to plate Correa as Griffith advanced to third. Kean lifted a sacrifice fly to left center to score Griffith and put the Eagles back ahead 7-5.
 
Miller and Costa shut the Wildcats down the rest of the way. The Eagles picked up an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Jaden Hart, pinch-running for Ian McCubbin who was hit by a pitch to lead off, stole second. He scored from second base on a wild pitch that rolled to the screen that Kentucky catcher Owen Jenkins couldn't locate.
 
Nile Adcock (0-1) took the loss for Kentucky.
 
Morehead State returns to action Friday when they open a three-game series at Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.D.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State pitching allowed six runs (all earned) on six hits. They walked seven batters and struck out seven.
• Morehead State left nine runners on base; Kentucky left 10 stranded.
• Kyle Krupp was two for four at the plate. He has hit safely in each of the Eagles' four games.
• Kearns is now 8-16 this season. He has two home runs and a double this season.