Murray State
Jacksonville State
'Breds battle in final home game, Jacksonville State slips past 9-8
5/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Murray State Thoroughbreds found themselves in another nail-biter against Jacksonville State this afternoon, tied 1-1 after five innings and 8-8 after seven, but the visiting Gamecocks were able to provide one more run in the eighth inning to take the 9-8 Ohio Valley Conference decision.
The game was the final home game for the 'Breds this season. MSU finished the season 17-14 in games played at Reagan Field and 8-7 in conference home games.
Against JSU, Murray State (25-27, 13-11 OVC) got on the scoreboard first when Brett Wilson led off the third inning with a walk, then went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brett Mullins. Chaz Ebert singled up the middle to score Wilson and give the 'Breds a 1-0 lead.
Jacksonville State (28-23, 16-8 OVC) tied the game in the fifth inning when Bret Pettus was hit by a pitch, then went to second when Jason Horn walked. A bunt single by Winston Pearson loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Clint Carroll scored Pettus to knot the game at 1-1.
A Murray State error in the sixth inning opened the floodgates for the Gamecocks, allowing six unearned runs to score and give JSU a 7-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the 'Breds were able to get some of those runs back, as Seth Hudson led off with a single, then went to second when Clint Griggs singled. Alex Stewart was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then Tyler Pittman singled in Hudson and Griggs, moving Stewart to second. Stewart went to third on a double play, then scored when Michal Perconte singled to cut the JSU lead to 7-4.
Jacksonville State scored another run in the seventh inning, but Murray State wasn't quite finished. In the bottom of the seventh, Hudson led off with a walk, then Griggs singled him to second. Stewart reached second base on a fielding error, scoring Hudson and moving Griggs to third.
Austin Swain hit a ball to JSU's first baseman, Brian Haskins, who threw home to try to get Griggs out. Griggs put on the brakes just a few feet from the plate, then ran back towards third base as the catcher caught the ball. Griggs raced home during the rundown and scored just under the tag, allowing Swain to reach second base and Stewart to take third.
Stewart scored on a groundout, moving Swain to third, and a single by Wilson scored Swain to tie the game at 8-8.
In the eighth inning, Austin Stein led off with a walk, then went to second on an infield single by Jake Ball. Brian Piazza singled in Stein for the eventual game-winning run.
"This game just went back and forth; these two teams wanted to win badly and played to win," said MSU head coach Rob McDonald. "We battled, but (JSU) got the job done. I'll go to war with these guys any day.
"We played like winners; we played like champions. We just didn't win. Their guys played well, too, and got it done."
Griggs, Perconte and Wilson each had two hits to lead Murray State. Hudson, Griggs and Stewart each scored twice, while Pittman and Perconte each had two runs batted in.
On defense, Griggs had 11 putouts at first base, while Perconte had five assists at shortstop.
On the mound, Charlie Wade (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out two and walking four in 3-1/3 innings. West Harris started the game, allowing seven runs (one earned) on eight hits, striking out four and walking three in 5-2/3 innings.
For Jacksonville State, Ball had a game-high three hits, including a double, while Stein, Turner and Horn each had two. Stein also doubled for JSU. Stein, Turner and Pettus each scored twice, while Stein had three RBIs.
On defense, Haskins had 14 putouts at first base, while Matthew Darwin had four assists from the mound.
On the mound, Josh Forrest (3-2) fell into the win, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits, striking out one and walking one in two innings. Danny Andres got his first save of the season, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out three and walking none in two innings. Darwin started the game, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out one and walking two in five innings.
Murray State visits Kentucky on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. CT,then closes out its regular-season schedule at Samford on Friday and Saturday. The Friday double-header begins at 1 p.m. in Birmingham, Ala.
HOW THE CONFERENCE IS SHAPING UP: If the O'Reilly's OVC Championship Tournament were a bracket-friendly eight-team field, then the field would be set, and the only thing up in the air would be the seeding. However, the tournament has a six-team field, and there is a lot to be determined going into the final weekend of league play.
Austin Peay (35-17, 16-8 OVC) and Jacksonville State (28-23, 16-8 OVC) are tied for first place after Morehead State (27-24, 14-9 OVC) was swept at home by Eastern Illinois (15-37, 12-12 OVC) this weekend. APSU and JSU will face each other in the final weekend at Jacksonville in a three-game battle for the regular-season title. Morehead State finds itself still in the chase for one of the top two seeds (which get first-round byes in the tournament), despite losing eight of its last 12 OVC games.
Murray State (25-27, 13-11 OVC) is in fourth, but just one game ahead of sixth through eighth place, occupied by Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri (21-28, 12-12 OVC) and Samford (19-34, 12-12 OVC). The 'Breds' upcoming three-game series at Samford may determine which of the teams will qualify for the OVC Championship. Eastern Kentucky (21-27, 12-11 OVC) is in fifth, also battling for a spot in the tournament.
Tennessee-Martin (12-38, 6-17 OVC) and Tennessee Tech (12-39, 5-18 OVC) are out of contention for the tournament. Austin Peay and Jacksonville have clinched positions in the tournament.
This Friday and Saturday, the match-ups are: Murray State at Samford, Austin Peay at Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky at Morehead State, Tennessee Tech at Eastern Illinois, and Tennessee-Martin at Southeast Missouri.
The O'Reilly's OVC Championship Tournament will be played May 25-28 at Brooks Stadium in Paducah, Ky. If both teams in the championship round have one loss after the first championship game, the determining championship game will be played on May 29.
