Baseball Falls at Eastern Illinois 16-9 in Series Opener

Morehead, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team got out to an early lead, but Eastern Illinois batted around in both the sixth and seventh innings and turned back the Eagles 16-9 Friday night at Frost Field at Coaches Stadium in Charleston, Illinois, in the opener of a three-game series.
 
Morehead State (11-15, 0-4 OVC) got on the board immediately: Krupp led off the game with a lined single into right field and Germann followed with a home run to straightaway center field to give the Eagles a quick 2-0 advantage. Germann finished the day with three hits in five at-bats with two doubles and three runs batted in.
 
Eastern Illinois (14-9, 4-0 OVC) trailed 6-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. The Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame, plating seven runs on six hits, three of those home runs.\ The Panthers added six more in the seventh to break the game open and led 15-7.
 
After giving up a solo shot in the bottom of the first to see their lead trimmed to 2-1, the Eagles saw their lead expand to 6-1 on Jaden Correa's three-RBI home run over the fence in left in the fourth.
 
EIU got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth, with a leadoff single, a hit batsman and a walk with one out and a sacrifice fly. The Eagles answered with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Sheridan smacked a one-out double and scored on a fielding error by the EIU shortstop on a grounder hit by Kean.
 
Morehead State got a run in the top of the seventh. Griffin Olson walked, stole second and scored on Germann's RBI double. The Eagles added two more in the eighth when Kean drew a two-out walk and Brayton Coomer cleared the center field fence for a two-run home run.
 
MSU reliever Cole Wells (2-1) took the loss. He threw one inning, allowing five runs on five hits and a walk.
 
Morehead State starter Kamden Hawks threw five innings drawing a no-decision. He allowed four runs on four hits. He walked five Panther batters and struck out one.
 
EIU starter Tyler Conklin (5-1) earned the win, throwing 6.2 innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on five hits. He walked three Eagle batters and struck out four. Panther reliever James Geshel (6) picked up the save, throwing 2.1 innings. He allowed two runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out four Eagle batters.
 
Game two of the series Saturday is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.