Morehead State Prevails 16-11 in Slugfest at UNC Asheville

Morehead, Ky. -- Morehead State pounded out 16 hits, including four home runs, five doubles and a triple as the Eagles out-slugged UNC Asheville 16-11 Tuesday at the Greenwood Baseball Field in Asheville, North Carolina.
 
Morehead State (9-8) was again carried by big innings. The MSU half of the second inning set the tone. Morehead State spotted the Bulldogs four runs in the bottom of the first inning on three hits and one MSU error. The Eagles immediately got them back and more. Designated hitter Aubrey Kearns led off the inning with a walk, catcher Caden Sheridan reached on an error and second baseman Nick Griffith was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
 
Shortstop Jaden Correa emptied the bases with a grand-slam home run over the fence in left field. After two outs, MSU cranked up the offense again; left fielder Kyle Krupp singled to right and scored on Davis Germann's triple to center. First baseman Alex Kean drove him home with a double to left and scored on Kearns single to left to push the Eagles ahead 7-4.
 
The Eagles found themselves in a tight one heading into the eighth inning, leading 9-8. Morehead State pounded out four doubles in the inning and broke the game open. Center fielder Jaden Hart ripped a one out double down the left field line and scored on a double into left center to Krupp. Kean made it three in a row with an RBI two-bagger into the gap in left center.
 
A big moment in the game came in the bottom of the sixth. After the Bulldogs got two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth to trim the Eagle lead to 9-7, Asheville rallied after a quick two outs to start in the sixth inning. A double and a single cut the MSU to 9-8. Another single put runners at the corners.
 
After a Kearns walk, Sheridan ripped a two-run double into the gap in right center. Griffith plated Sheridan with the fifth run of the inning with an RBI single and the Eagles led 14-8.
 
Morehead State tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth on Griffin Olson's fourth home run of the season, this one a two-run home run over the fence in right center.
 
Asheville started the runners on a double-steal attempt. Sheridan's throw to second was cut off by Griffith, who fired back to the plate. Initially the home plate umpire ruled the runner safe. Morehead State head coach Chris Rose challenged the call, and the umpires flipped the safe call to out after a lengthy replay review to preserve the one-run lead.
 
Ethan Davis (1-2) picked up the win for Morehead State. He threw 1.2 innings out of the bullpen allowing three runs on four hits.  UNC Asheville Daylinh Nguyen-Brown (1-2) took the loss.
 
After giving up a run to the Bulldogs in the bottom of the third, Morehead State added run in the fourth and fifth innings via the long-ball. Germann smashed a solo shot to left center in the fourth for his third home run of the season and Sheridan led off the fifth for the Eagles with a home run over the fence in left, his fourth clout of the season.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State ran its win streak to four games and has won six of its last seven games. In the last four games, the Eagles have pounded out 54 hits, an average of 13.5 hits per game.
• MSU has totaled double-digit hits in 12 of its 17 games this season. The Eagles have scored in double digits in five games this season, and in three of the last four outings.
• Davis Germann finished 2-6 on the day at the plate. He has hit safely in 10 of the last 12 games.
• Griffin Olson finished 2-4 on the day with a home run and two RBI.
• Aubrey Kearns' RBI single in the fourth inning extended his hitting streak to eight games.