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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Morehead State placed runners in scoring position in four of the first five innings, but were unable to find a hit in any of those RBI opportunities and fell to #23 Kentucky 2-5 in Lexington Tuesday afternoon.
“We played pretty well today in all areas of the game. We just didn’t put the runs on the board,” said coach Jay Sorg.
Kentucky jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Eagle starter
Josh Schneider in the bottom of the first. Chris Bisson singled through the box to lead off the inning and stole second. Andy Burns followed with a single through the left side of the infield moving Bisson to third. Burns then also swiped second and Lance Ray grounded out to
Travis Redmon at second to drive in Bisson. Burns then scored on a Gunner Glad single. Glad advanced to third on a Marcus Nidiffer doubled and scored on a Schneider wild pitch.
The Wildcats (7-0) got another run in the third when Burns homered to left center off reliever
Hunter Hewitt. The run was the first run allowed in the season for Hewitt.
Burns tagged another Hewitt pitch in the bottom of the fifth; lifting a home run to the exact same spot in left center.
MSU finally produced with runners in scoring position in the sixth, when sophomore
Andrew Deeds fisted a Sam Kidd pitch that found grass in shallow left center to score
Michael Bottoms from second. Bottoms and
Taylor Davis ripped singles threw the box to set up Deeds. MSU continued to threaten in the inning.
Eric Bainer grounded out to move Davis and Deed to third and second with two outs. Lucas Bainer appeared to have been hit by a pitch that would have loaded the bases, but home plate umpire Jay Asher ruled the play a foul ball off Bainer’s hand. Bainer would go on to strikeout to end the inning.
Drew Lee tripled to straightaway center in the top of the eighth to set up MSU’s second run. Bottoms then drove in the shortstop with a sacrifice fly to left center.
“Offensively our approach was good all day long,” commented Sorg. “I think this is the type of game that puts us over the hump offensively.”
Trey Smith had his best pitching appearance of the season, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
“It was good to see some guys out of the pen pitch well again, especially Trey Smith,” said Sorg.
Smith did get some help from his friends during his good outing. Deeds made a spectacular play in the bottom of the sixth; diving to the bag side of third, snagging a one-hopper off the bat of Tony Black, and making the throw in time to first.
Not wanting to be outdone, Lee came up with a wonderful play of his own. A grounder up the middle by Ray appeared to have the senior beat, but Lee dove and whipped his glove around to make the snag and calmly threw out Ray.
The Eagles were ultimately undone by their inability to drive in runners in scoring position as MSU went just 1-11 in RBI situations.
Bottoms had his best day of the season, going 3-3 with 2 singles, a double, and an RBI sacrifice fly. Lee, Davis, and #J.D. Ashbrook# also had multi-hit days. Lee moves his current hitting-streak to a seven games, while Davis’s now stands at five games.
The loss moves MSU’s record to 4-6, with well-played losses to #8 Louisville, #23 Kentucky, and #30 Liberty.
The Eagles are scheduled to play their home-opener Friday when they open a four-game weekend series with Buffalo at Allen Field.
Game Notes: Lee’s triple was the first three-bagger of the season by a MSU player. MSU recorded a season high 16 assists in the game. The 12 hits for MSU tied a season high.
