Murray State
UT Martin
'Breds Split Twinbill At Tennessee-Martin
5/5/2007 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Murray State Thoroughbreds scored eight runs in the first three innings of the first game of their double-header against Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee-Martin and held on late to win the game 10-6. In the second game, the Skyhawks rallied to take a 7-4 lead in the sixth inning before MSU rallied to take a 9-7 lead, but the host Skyhawks had the last rally, scoring three runs in the last inning to win the game 10-9.
The teams will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. That game can be heard locally through WOFC (1130 AM, Murray) or worldwide through the live audio link at www.GoRacers.com.
In the first game, Murray State (16-28, 10-8 OVC) set the tone early, as senior left fielder Austin Swain led off the game with a double, then scored when senior first baseman James Akin hit his second home run of the season to give the 'Breds a 2-0 lead.
In the second inning, sophomore third baseman Tyler Owen led off by reaching on a fielding error, then went to second when senior right fielder Jamie Leidolf hit a single. Both runners moved up a base on a groundout, then Swain drew a walk to load the bases. A single by senior second baseman Seth Hudson drove in Owen and Leidolf to give Murray State a 4-0 lead.
Tennessee-Martin (17-30, 5-14 OVC) scored a run in the bottom of the second inning, but MSU responded in the top of the third. Senior catcher Jason Payton led off by reaching on a fielding error, then senior center fielder Tyler Pittman singled him to second. Owen hit a sharp single to left field, then took second on a fielding error, allowing Payton to score and moving Pittman to third base. Pittman scored on a balk, moving Owen to third, then Leidolf hit a double, scoring Owen. Sophomore shortstop Justin Yount doubled in Leidolf to push the MSU lead to 8-1.
The Skyhawks plated three runs in the third inning, then another in the sixth to narrow the gap to 8-5 before Murray State scored again. In the top of the eighth, Hudson led off with a single, then went to second on a passed ball. He went to third on another passed ball, then scored on a single by Akin, who went to third on a throwing error. Akin scored on a sacrifice fly by Payton to give MSU a 10-5 lead. UTM tacked on a run in the ninth to close the scoring at 10-6.
Murray State was led at the plate by Akin, who went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and three runs batted in, and Owen, who went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Leidolf went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI, while Hudson went 2-for-6 with a run and two RBIs. Swain and Yount each doubled for MSU. Each 'Breds batter had at least one hit in the game, and seven different 'Breds scored in the game.
Defensively, Akin had a game-high eight putouts, while Owen had a game-high five assists.
UT Martin was paced by Kyle Dudley, who went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Chad Green went 2-for-5 with two doubles and a run, while Blake Turner went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.
Defensively, first baseman Scott McLean had seven putouts, while pitcher Ryan Rockholt had three assists.
On the mound, Mike Perconte (5-5, 4-2 OVC) got the win, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits, striking out one and walking five in six innings. Brad Rowland earned his fourth save in a conference game, leading the OVC in that category, allowing one run on four hits, striking out two and walking none in three innings.
For UTM, Adam Ledlow (1-5, 0-3 OVC) took the loss, allowing eight runs (five earned) on seven hits, striking out two and walking one in 2-1/3 innings. Rockbolt entered in the third inning, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits, striking out two and walking three in 5-1/3 innings. Calen Sutton closed out the game, facing the minimum four batters in 1-1/3 innings, getting one strikeout.
In the second game, the teams battled back and forth over the last two innings, with each team scoring large amounts of runs in each inning, before host Tennessee-Martin won the game in the bottom of the seventh inning 10-9.
Again, Murray State opened the scoring, as Swain led off the first inning by reaching second base on a fielding error, then advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hudson. Swain scored on a sacrifice fly by Akin, giving the 'Breds a 1-0 lead.
Tennessee-Martin scored in the bottom of the first to tie it at 1-1, but MSU answered in the second inning. Pittman led off the inning with a bunt single, then stole second. Owen reached on a fielding error, moving Pittman to third, then freshman designated hitter Chad Allen popped a three-run home run to give MSU a 4-1 lead.
The Skyhawks scored twice in the third inning to make it 4-3, and neither team scored in the fourth or fifth innings, leading to an exciting ending.
In the bottom of the sixth, UT Martin scored four runs on six hits to take a 7-4 lead. Murray State -- which has made a name for itself in claiming comeback wins -- countered in the top of the seventh and final inning.
Allen led off with a walk, then Leidolf reached on a fielding error, moving Allen to third. Allen scored on a sacrifice fly by Swain, then Hudson singled Leidolf to third. Akin stepped in and hit his second home run of the day -- the 'Breds' second three-run homer of the game -- to give MSU a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Murray State brought in Rowland to try to notch his second save of the day. UTM's Shayne Martin led off with an infield single, then Green drew a walk. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, then Dudley walked to load the bases with none out. Lance Renton then hit a long fly ball down the right-field line that seemed sure to at least score Martin from third. Leidolf caught the ball, then fired a shot to Payton at the plate. Payton made a sweeping tag on Martin, completing the double play and maintaining the 9-7 lead with two outs.
However, Bryce Carden then singled in Green and moved Dudley to second, then Turner hit a long ball into the left-center field gap, scoring Dudley and Carden to give UTM the 10-9 win.
Murray State was led by Akin, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, a run and four RBIs, and Pittman, who went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Allen had a home run, two runs and three RBIs, while Payton doubled for MSU. Eight different 'Breds scored in the game.
Defensively, Pittman had six putouts, while Yount had four of MSU's five assists.
For UTM, Carden went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and three RBIs, while Martin went 3-for-4 with a run. Dudley went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, while Renton went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs and Kevin Holt went 2-for-4 with a run. Turner doubled for the Skyhawks and drove in three runs.
Defensively, catcher Jason Hockaday had nine putouts, while second baseman Green had three assists.
On the mound, Rowland (2-5, 1-2 OVC) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits, walking two in two-thirds of an inning. Lucas Allen started for the 'Breds, allowing three runs on four hits, striking out one and walking two in two-plus innings. Matt McGaha came on in the third, allowing four runs on five hits, walking one in three innings, while Drew Leeper entered in the sixth, allowing one hit to the only batter he faced. Anthony Stacy then came on in the sixth inning, allowing two hits and striking out one in one inning.
For UTM, Chadwick Cameron (4-4, 3-2 OVC) got the win in relief, allowing one hit and striking out one in one-third of an inning. William Blackmon started for the Skyhawks, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits, striking out six and walking one in six innings. Travis Webb began the seventh inning, allowing five unearned runs on three hits, striking out one and walking one in two-thirds of an inning.
"We were able to jump out early and take advantage of that in the first game," said MSU head coach Rob McDonald. "The second game had a wild ending, but we needed to get more hits than we did. I'm not satisfied with the way our batters performed in that game, although we did make a tremendous comeback towards the end of the game."
ONE (OR TWO) FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Seniors Tyler Pittman and Seth Hudson find themselves chasing several Murray State career records. In fact, they are chasing each other in one category.
Craig Delk (1995-98) holds the MSU record for career hits with 218. Pittman is in second place with 215 after Saturday's games, and Hudson is right behind him with 213.
Pittman remains tied for the MSU record for career doubles (54), equaling the record originally set by Brett McCutchan (2000-03). Pittman should also set a new MSU record for career at-bats, as he is just one at-bat behind the record set by Garner Byars (2000-03) at 738. Pittman also ranks fifth in career runs (135), 50 behind the record held by Jack Perconte (1973-76), the father of current Thoroughbred Mike Perconte. Pittman is also fourth in career RBIs -- 17 behind the record held by McCutchan -- and is eighth in career triples (8), four behind the record held by Perconte.
Hudson is one triple away from tying not only the career record held by Jack Perconte, but is also a triple from tying the single-season triples mark of seven, held by Mike Talbott (1955). Hudson has 128 career runs, just seven behind Pittman.
OVC STANDINGS: Murray State held on to the No. 4 spot after Saturday's action, but distanced itself from the bottom four teams in the 10-team league, as the 'Breds now have a 2.5-game lead over seventh-place Eastern Illinois (8-11). Austin Peay (14-6) took sole possession of first place after sweeping EIU on Saturday, and Jacksonville State (13-7) fell to third place after splitting a twinbill at Tennessee Tech (10-10), which is in fifth place. Second-place Southeast Missouri (12-6) and sixth-place Eastern Kentucky (8-8) had its Saturday game cancelled, and will play two games on Sunday. Samford (8-12) is in eighth place after splitting two games at ninth-place Morehead State (7-13).
The top six teams -- those with the best conference win percentages -- advance to the O'Reilly OVC Championship Tournament, to be played May 23-26 at Brooks Stadium in Paducah, Ky. After Saturday's play, there is a 1.5-game gap between sixth-place EKU and seventh-place EIU, with seven league games remaining for most of the teams (eight for SEMO and EKU).
WEATHER PERMITTING: Only half of the 10 OVC teams have played every league game on the schedule. Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech, Samford and Morehead State have played out all 20 of their league games thus far. The other five teams have had OVC games cancelled due to weather conditions, including Murray State, which has had two conference games go by the wayside. Eastern Kentucky has lost the most, having four OVC games cancelled by weather. Through league rules, lost games are not made up.
