Murray State
Nicholls State
'Breds Take 8-1 Win At Nicholls State
3/1/2008 6:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Murray State Thoroughbreds took advantage of five Nicholls State errors and five wild pitches, also using seven hits to take an 8-1 win over the host Colonels.
Murray State (3-3) scored two runs in the first inning when Kyle Tiernan led off with a walk, then stole second, taking third on a throwing error. Wes Cunningham hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Tiernan. Cory Hodskins hit a two-out single, then Chris Craycraft reached on a fielding error, moving Hodskins to third. Hodskins scored on a wild pitch, giving the 'Breds an early 2-0 lead.
MSU struck again in the second, as Taylor Thieke led off with a walk, then took second and third on separate wild pitches. Matt Hon drew a walk, then Thieke scored on a passed ball, moving Hon to second. Evan Pettit reached on an error, moving to second while Hon took third, then Elliot Frey was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tiernan hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Hon and moving Pettit to third, then Zach Noonan hit a sac fly, scoring Pettit and pushing the 'Breds' lead to 5-0.
Murray State plated two runs in the fourth when Thieke led off with a walk, then went to second on a wild pitch. Hon drew a walk, then a sacrifice bunt by Pettit moved both runners up a base. Frey then blasted a triple to right field, scoring Thieke and Hon and giving MSU a 7-0 lead.
The 'Breds tacked on a run in the sixth when Pettit reached on a fielding error, went to second on a single by Frey, and scored when Tiernan reached on a fielding error to expand the Murray State lead to 8-0. Nicholls State (1-6) was able to score a run in the seventh for the final tally of the game.
Frey led all hitters, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double and two runs batted in. Craycraft had two hits for the 'Breds, while Thieke, Hon and Pettit each scored twice. On defense, first baseman Thieke had a game-high 13 putouts, while second baseman Ciry Hodskins had a game-high four assists.
For Nichols State, Anthony Wray had two hits, while Patrick Thompson had a double. On defense, center fielder Brent Cook and catcher T.J. Menerey each had a team-high six putouts, while Menerey and third baseman Wray each had two assists.
On the mound, starter Jake Donze (1-1) got the win, allowing one run on four hits, striking out four and walking three in seven innings. Marc Harmon pitched the last two innings, allowing no runs on one hit.
For the Colonels, starter Ryan Harding (0-2) took the loss, allowing five runs (none earned) on one hit, striking out one and walking three in one-plus innings. Patrick Juban came on in the second, allowing two runs on no hits, striking out one and walking two in two-plus innings. Lance Guidroz entered in the fourth inning, allowing one unearned run on three hits, striking out two in three innings, while Joe Hagerty closed out the game, allowing no runs on three hits, striking out two in three innings.
These teams will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
