CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Morehead State baseball team broke through after a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning to take down the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 13-4 Saturday.
Matt Bettio (1-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Morehead State (24-19, 9-8 OVC). The right-hander went 2.1 innings, giving up one run on one hit.
In the batter’s box, the Eagles were led by junior Hunter Thomas, who went 2-for-5 on the day with a double, a home run, a walk and three RBI. Senior Roman Kuntz compiled a standout effort as well, going 1-for-2 with a home run, four walks and two RBI. Freshman Isaiah Guzman provided what ultimately was the dagger, smashing a grand slam in the eighth for his fifth straight game with a home run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Eagles were trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning when they first put runs on the board. Morehead State scored three times, all of them coming across on a three-run homer off Thomas’s bat.
After the Redhawks rallied to tie the ballgame at three, the Eagles came back to retake the lead in the seventh inning. Morehead State scored twice on Kuntz’s two-run homer, which brought the Eagles lead to 5-3.
Southeast Missouri State narrowed Morehead State’s lead to 5-4 before the Eagles stretched the lead to 10-4 in the eighth inning. The Eagles bats heated up in the inning, scoring five runs, including a grand slam off Guzman’s bat.
Morehead State held the Redhawks scoreless before their offense got in gear the next inning. The three-run frame for the Eagles was punctuated by a two-RBI double from senior Colton Becker. bringing the score to 13-4 in favor of Morehead State. The score remained 13-4 for the rest of the game, as the Eagles coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» Morehead State got three-hit games from both Hayden Robbins and Nick Gooden.
» The Eagles power output was led by Thomas, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Guzman drove in four runs for Morehead State.
» Every Morehead State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Morehead State’s highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Four Eagles had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Morehead State hitters hit three dingers in the ballgame.
» The Eagles out-hit the Redhawks at a 14-9 clip.
» Morehead State went 6-for-17 (.353) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers limited Southeast Missouri State to just 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
» Morehead State pitchers faced 44 Southeast Missouri State hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out four.
» The Eagles drew 12 walks from Southeast Missouri State pitching.
With the series now even, Morehead State goes for the series win in tomorrow’s finale at 2:00 PM.
