MSU Gains Split with Butler in Wild Doubleheader in Indiana

Morehead, Ky. -- Morehead State bounced right back with a 16-6 defeat of Butler Friday afternoon into evening in the nightcap of a doubleheader that saw the Eagles absorb a 20-5 loss in the opener at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
 
In a day full of offensive fireworks, Alex Kean provided the biggest bang. The junior had a big day at the plate; he went a combined 5-7 with two walks, two doubles, a home run, five runs batted in and 10 total bases.
 
GAME ONE

Butler limbered the bats early, scoring 13 runs in the first three innings on the way to a 20-5 win in seven innings in the series opener. The Bulldogs hammered out 19 hits in the game.
 
Morehead State dented the score board in the fifth. Designated hitter Alex Kean led off with a double and was put out at third base on second baseman Jaden Correa's fielder's choice. Shortstop Nick Griffith singled to right to put runners on the corners to set the table. MSU third baseman Griffin Olson tagged a 2-1 pitch over the fence in right for a three-run home run.
 
Morehead State got two more runs in the sixth on Kean's two-run home run, he second clout of the season. Kean went 3-3 in the game with two runs batted in. Griffith went 2-3 with a run scored.
 
MSU starter Landon Waugh (0-3) took the loss.
 
Butler' Max Winders went the distance for the Bulldogs. He allowed five runs on nine hits, walked none and struck out seven Eagle batters.
 
GAME TWO
 
It was Morehead State's turn to rattle the bats in the nightcap Friday. The Eagles plated two runs in the third inning to start the scoring. Center fielder Austyn Peak led off with a bunt single and scored on a double to right field by Kyle Krupp.  Krupp later scored on a two-out single to center by Davis Germann.
 
The Eagles ran out 12 batters to the plate in a six-run fifth inning. Aubrey Kearns led off with a single center, and advanced on a two-base error by the Butler right fielder on Germann's drive. Kean delivered with an RBI single on the ninth pitch of the at bat to score Kearns.
 
After Griffith walked, Correa belted a two-run single to left to drive in Germann and Kean. Olson walked to load the bases again, and Griffith scored from third on a wild pitch. Peak hit a comebacker to the pitcher to reach on a fielder's choice as Correa was retired at the plate.
 
Krupp delivered an RBI single to right field to score Olson and move Peak to third base. Caden Sheridan scored Peak with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
Butler responded in the bottom of the inning with a three-run home run by shortstop Logan Crock to cut the MSU lead to 8-3.
 
The Eagles got one of those runs back without recording a hit in the sixth. Correa reached on a fielder's choice and Olson was hit by a pitch with two outs to put runners on first and second. Morehead State put on a double steal and Correa scored on an error by the Butler second baseman.
 
Butler scored a run in the bottom of the sixth but left three runners on base when Devin Costa came out of the bullpen to put out the fire.
 
Morehead State broke the game wide open in the seventh inning with five more runs. Krupp led off with a triple in the gap in left center. Sheridan drove him home with a sacrifice flu to left. After Kearns walked and Germann reached on an infield hit, Kean delivered a two-run double to center. Griffith followed Kean with his first home run of the season and stretch the lead out 14-4.
 
Butler got two runs in the bottom of the seventh on two doubles and a sacrifice fly. The Eagles got both of those run back in the eighth on a two-out throwing error by Butler.

MSU starter Kamden Hawks (1-1) picked up the win with a solid start. He threw five innings, allowing four runs on three hits. He walked four Butler batters and struck out eight. Josh Furtado closed out the game throwing two shutout innings allowing one hit and one walk while posting three strikeouts.
 
Game three of the series between Morehead State and Butler is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET. No media coverage is scheduled. Live stats can be found on msueagles.com.
 
NOTABLE
 

• Krupp was also productive in the twin-bill; he went 4-7 at the plate with a double, his second triple of the season, two RBI and picked up his eighth stolen base of the season.
• Griffith went 3-6 at the plate on the day with a home run and two RBI.
• Kearns went 3-8 at the plate and scored three runs. He extended his hitting streak to five games. He has hit safely in 13 of Morehead State's 14 games to start the season.
• Germann went hitless in the opener Friday, snapping his seven-game hitting streak. He bounced back in the nightcap, collecting two hits in five at bats, scored three runs and drove in a run.