Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Morehead State
Baseball Downed By Morehead State, 6-3
4/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 2, 2008
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Marshall University junior shortstop Adam Yeager went 3-for-5 with a double, but Morehead State had three players with multiple hits to help pace the Eagles to a 6-3 victory over the Herd in Wednesday afternoon's non-conference baseball game at Allen Field.
With the loss, Marshall sees its five-game winning streak snapped and falls to 13-13 overall, while Morehead State improves to 8-16 overall.
Leading 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Morehead State increased its lead to 6-3 when designated hitter/pitcher Michael Bottoms registered a lead-off double off the wall in right center field. Bottoms scored on a hard single through the left side by right fielder Andrew Wertz. With two outs, Wertz stole second and then was thrown out at home by Herd sophomore first baseman Josh Valle following pinch-hitter Eric Parker's single. The play ended the inning.
Marshall used back-to-back singles and put its lead runner on third to start the eighth, but could not plate a run, as Bottoms, who entered the game in relief in the seventh, forced a double play to end the inning without any damage.
Eagles right-handed reliever Quentin Morgan came on to pitch the ninth and struck out the first two batters before Yeager broke up the one-two-three inning with a double down the left field line before Morgan forced a game-ending ground out.
Morehead State right-hander Tyler Bess (2-4), who entered the game in the sixth inning, picks up the win, while Morgan picks up his second save of the season.
Herd senior right-hander Andrew Hancock (1-1), who entered in relief of freshman right-handed starter Shane Farrell, suffered the loss.
Marshall posted a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Yeager led off with a single through the left side and then stole second. With one out, junior center fielder Nate Lape singled down the left field line scoring Yeager on the play. Lape tried to advance to second but was thrown out by Eagles left fielder Eric Allen for the second out of the inning. Morehead State right-handed starter Jake Helvey induced a groundout to end the inning.
The Eagles responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the first when shortstop Drew Lee reached on a fielding error, stole second, and came full circle on a two-out double by Bottoms. Bottoms advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on an RBI single by Wertz to give the Eagles a 2-1 edge.
Marshall got things going again in the second with a single and double back-to-back to give the Herd runners in scoring position, but a pair of brilliant plays by third baseman Michael Fear ended the threat.
The Herd regained the lead in the top of the third inning when Yeager tallied a lead-off bunt single, advanced to second on a walk, stole third and then scored on Lape's fielder's choice. Lape plated Marshall's second run of the inning after he stole second, advanced to third on a groundout, and then touched home on a single by freshman designated hitter Victor Gomez to give the Herd a 3-2 lead.
Morehead State tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth when center fielder JD Ashbrook singled through the left side, stole second and then scored on an RBI single by second baseman Travis Redmon, before Farrell forced an inning-ending fly out to center field.
The Eagles forged ahead when Ashbrook was hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning. Parker then earned a pinch-hit single to center field to score Ashbrook. Redmon then reached on a fielder's choice and Parker reached second safely thanks to a throwing error on the play. Parker then came around on a single off the bat of Lee to give Morehead State a 5-3 advantage.
Gomez finished 2-for-3 with an RBI in the losing effort for Marshall.
Marshall returns to Conference USA action Friday, April 4 at Tulane for a three-game series with the Green Wave at Turchin Stadium. Friday's game is slated for a 7:00 p.m. ET start, with Saturday also to be played at 7:00 p.m. Sunday's series finale will start at 1:00 p.m.
