Eagles Power Past UT Martin 12-8 in Series Opener

Morehead, Ky. -- The Morehead State baseball team scored early and never trailed as the Eagles powered past UT Martin 12-8 in the opening game of their Ohio Valley Conference series Thursday at Allen Field in Prefontaine Park in Morehead.
 
Morehead State (13-16, 2-5 OVC) plated three run in the first and added four more in the third to build an early lead. MSU left field Davis Germann led the Eagle offense with four hits in five at bats, including a two-RBI home run in the fourth inning. Germann scored four runs.
 
Designated hitter Aubrey Kearns and right fielder Ian McCubbin both collected three hits. McCubbin was 3-5 with four runs batted in. Kearns was 3-4 at the plate with an RBI double and scored three runs.
 
Morehead State starter Callum McGill (1-0) was solid for the Eagles, pitching into the sixth inning. He allowed six hits and five runs (all earned). He walked two and struck out two in his longest stint of the season.
 
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, the Morehead State bats went to work. Germann shot- a one-out single through the left side and stole second. He scored on Kearns' double off the screen in deep left center field. MSU catcher Caden Sheridan slugged a two-out home run down the left field line that travelled 375 feet to put MSU ahead 3-0.
 
The Eagles added to their lead in the third inning; again the long ball was key. Germann led off with a lined single to left. After a Kearns walk, McCubbin drove a pitch over the screen in center field that travelled 397 feet for another three runs. Freshman second baseman Nick Griffith added another run with a towering two-out solo shot that went over the screen in right field, carrying some 396 feet to put MSU ahead 7-0.
 
UT Martin (15-14, 3-4 OVC) got two back in the fourth on a leadoff single and a home run by Skyhawk catcher Colten Payton over the screen in center field. The Eagles responded with two of their in the bottom half of the inning. Third baseman Griffin Olson led off with a walk and Germann hit a 402-foot blast over the fence in left center to extend the MSU lead to 9-2.
 
The Skyhawks plated three runs in the fifth inning on a leadoff home run, and a two-walk and home run to cut the Morehead State lead to 9-5.
 
UTM Martin picked up a lone run in the seventh on a two-double double deep in the left-center gap and a looping liner single to right.
 
Morehead State again responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Germann led off with a line drive single off the screen in right-center. Kearns shot a single through the right side and McCubbin followed with an RBI single to put runners on the corners. Sheridan again came up big with a sharp single past the UTM third baseman for an RBI and extend the MSU lead to 12 6.
 
UT Martin scored twice in the ninth for the final margin.
 
Morehead State reliever Devin Costa pitched three innings in earning his third save of the season. He threw four innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits.

Skyhawk starter Jacob Sitton (3-2) took the loss. He threw three innings allowing seven earned runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out two Eagle batters.

Morehead State and UT Martin will square off Friday in game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05. The game is scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.

NOTABLE

• McGill and Costa combined for two walks in the game, tying the season-low for free passes, which was in the second game of the season (Feb. 14 vs. UMass Lowell).
• Sheridan finished the day 2-5 at the plate with three RBI. It was his sixth multi-hit game of the season.
• Alex Kean walked in the third inning, extending his reached-base streak to 17 games.
• Olson walked three times and scored twice. He also stole two bases. He is 13-15 in stolen base attempts this season.