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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State baseball used two long balls off the bat of freshman first baseman
Kane Sweeney to surge past Marshall 11-8 Tuesday at Allen Field.
MSU moved to 9-8, while the 'Herd dipped to 7-9.
Sweeney’s first and fourth-inning home runs accounted for two of the Eagles' three home runs. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI.
The Herd took an early lead in the midweek contest, plating a run in the first inning as centerfielder Gray Stafford scored
from third on a passed ball.
MSU scored six runs in the first to give it a 6-1 lead. Senior third baseman, and Ohio Valley Conference hits leader,
Andrew Deeds drove in the tying run with a single to left. Sweeney followed Deeds with a bases-clearing three-run shot over the right field wall, his first collegiate round-tripper. Second baseman
Jeff Birkofer continued the Eagle hit parade with a two-run single to centerfield which senior
Eric Bainer and junior
Bobby Lewis.
Freshman Brett Mays made the start for Marshall and recorded one out. He allowed four hits, five earned runs and took the loss.
The Eagles continued to add to their lead in the next two innings, plating a run in the second and two in the third.
Right-handed senior Josh Schneider started the game for the Eagles. He cruised through the first three frames before stalling in the fourth. He pitched 3.2 innings and allowed five runs.
MSU led 9-1 entering the fourth inning, but Marshall answered the Eagles' first four scoring frames with a multiple run-scoring inning itself. The Herd plated four runs in the fourth, notching three on an RBI double by shortstop Andrew Dundon. He led the visitors at the plate going 1-for-3.
Eagle right fielder
Nick Duff recorded hits in the second and third inning, including a solo homer to right in the fourth, to extend the Eagle lead to 10-5.
Side-arm righty pitcher
Morgan Cirbo replaced Schneider in the fourth. He earned the win tossing two innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs. The runs were the first allowed by Cirbo this season. Entering Tuesday’s contest, he had pitched nine scoreless innings of relief.
Marshall scored its final three runs in the sixth. Senior
Matt Cartwright and closer
Matt Duncan silenced the Herd’s bats in the final 3.1 frames. Duncan earned his fourth save of the year with his two scoreless innings of relief.
Deeds went 4-for-5 at the plate for MSU, extending his team-best hitting streak to nine games.
The Eagles travel to Oxford, Ohio this weekend to face Miami University in a three-game series beginning with a twin-bill Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.
