Big Innings Lift Eagle Baseball to 12-6 Win at Eastern Kentucky

Richmond, Ky.-- The Morehead State baseball team scored four runs in two different innings and got a solid pitching performance and defeated Eastern Kentucky 12-6 Tuesday night at Earle Combs Stadium in Richmond, Kentucky.
 
Morehead State (11-14) got four runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a tie game and led 10-6. Aubrey Kearns led off with a liner into left field. Ian McCubbin followed with a single through the left side. Caden Sheridan reached on a bunt single; the throw to first was low and got away from the first baseman allowing Kearns to score and McCubbin to advance to third.
 
After two outs were recorded, Jaden Correa reached on a strikeout and wild pitch that allowed McCubbin score and Sheridan to move to second base. Griffin Olson walked to load the bases and Kyle Krupp delivered a two-out, two run single to give the Eagles a 10-6 lead.
 
Morehead State added two more in the eighth without recording a hit. The Eagles drew four walks and two MSU batters were hit by pitches, and MSU extended its lead to 12-6.
 
Morehead State first took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Olson led off with a double to right field. Krupp walked and a double steal put runners at second and third. Kearns delivered a single through the left side to even the score 4-4. McCubbin followed with a two-run home run over the fence in right center to give MSU a 6-4 lead.
 
Eastern Kentucky (7-18) added a run on a solo home run by right fielder Khaleel Pratt to trim the MSU lead to 6-5. EKU evened up the game in the sixth. An infield error with one out and then a balk put EKU's Ricco Longo on second base. He scored on an RBI single up the middle to even the score 6-6.
 
After Eastern Kentucky scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Eagles bounced back with two runs in the top of the second. Alex Kean led off with a double into the right field corner and advanced to third on a grounder back to the pitcher. Correa hit a hot smash past the EKU third baseman for an RBI double. He advanced to third on another ground ball and scored on an error by the Colonel first baseman.
 
Eastern Kentucky picked up an unearned run on two Morehead State fielding errors with two outs in the bottom of the second inning to extend its lead to 4-2.
 
Morehead State's Sam Smith (1-0) picked up the win. He pitched the sixth inning, giving up a run on a hit and struck out one Colonel batter.

Eastern Kentucky's Hayden Collins (0-2) took the loss, giving up the four runs in the seventh on four hits. He walked one Eagle batter and recorded one strikeout.
 
Morehead State will get back into Ohio Valley Conference play Friday when it opens a series in Charleston, Illinois against Eastern Illinois. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on ESPN+.
 
NOTABLE

• Aubrey Kearns extended his hitting to six games. Kearns finished 2-4 with two walks and two runs batted in. He scored three times.
• Kearns has hit safely in 23 of the Eagles' 25 games this season. He leads Morehead State with 13 multiple-hit games.
• Alex Kean extended his reached base streak to 14 games with his double in the second inning. Kean went 2-4 at the plate for his ninth multiple-hit game of the season.
• Kean finished the night 2-4
• McCubbin went 2-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI and three runs scored.
• Kyle Krupp finished 2-4 with two walks and two RBI. Krupp also stole three stolen bases, giving him 17 this season, which leads Morehead State.
• Callum McGill threw three innings in his second maintenance start after missing last season due to an arm injury. He allowed four runs (three earned), on four hits. He walked one Colonel batter and notched two strikeouts.
• Morehead State pitching allowed six runs (four earned). They walked three batters and struck out seven.
• Morehead State out-hit the Colonels 12-6. The Eagles left 10 runners on base while EKU stranded seven