Murray State
Central Arkansas
'Breds Out-Slugged By Central Arkansas, 13-8
3/12/2008 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Murray State Thoroughbreds seemed to be on their way to their fourth straight win after scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against Central Arkansas, but the visiting Bears scored 11 unanswered runs over the next four innings to take the 13-8 win.
Each team used six pitchers, a stark contrast to yesterday's 1-0 pitchers' duel. Murray State pitchers threw 182 pitches in the game, while UCA hurlers threw 166.
Central Arkansas (7-8) opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second inning, but the 'Breds (5-4) kept pace in the bottom half of the inning. Wes Cunningham led off with a walk, then Taylor Thieke singled him to third, with Thieke getting thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. Tyler Owen drove Cunningham in, and the game was tied at 1-1 after two innings.
The Bears scored a run in the third on Kent Taylor's solo home run to take a 2-1 lead, but Murray State came up big in the fourth inning.
Cory Hodskins led off with a four-pitch walk, then Cunningham singled him to second. Thieke stepped up and launched his first career home run, a three-run shot that gave MSU the lead at 4-2. Daniel Miller drew a one-out walk, then Elliot Frey singled him to second. Blake Helm walked to load the bases, then Kyle Tiernan walked to score Miller. Frey scored on a wild pitch, then Brooks Thornton walked to load the bases. Hodskins hit a deep fly ball to center field, scoring not only Helm from third but also Tiernan from second to give MSU an 8-2 lead.
The Bears plated a run in the fifth inning, four in the sixth, four in the seventh and two more in the eighth for the final 13-8 lead.
"This is really the first time this season that our pitching has let us down," said MSU head coach Rob McDonald. "Mike Perconte pitched OK; he didn't pitch like he's capable of pitching, and because of that, he threw an awful lot of pitches (94 in five innings). I would have liked to have gotten another couple of innings out of him. If he could have gone a little deeper into the game, that would have helped, and our middle relievers and, basically, our pitching staff didn't pitch like they are capable of pitching.
"I think it was a team effort, though, because we got out and get seven in one inning, and that's about all we did. We've got to do a better job offensively. Our goal is to score a run an inning, and then, we'll take the big innings when we can get them, but we had an awful lot of zeroes up there on the scoreboard."
Murray State was led by Thieke, who went 3-for-5 with a home run, a run scored and three runs batted in. Cunningham had two hits and two runs, while Elliot Frey had two hits and a run. Hodskins had two RBIs for the 'Breds. On defense, first baseman Thieke had a game-high 11 putouts, while second baseman Hodskins had a game-high six assists.
For Central Arkansas, Chris Houk had four hits, including a double and a home run, to go with three runs and four RBIs. Payton Seelinger went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, three runs and an RBI, while Josh Huffman had three hits, a double, three runs and an RBI, and Scott Cline had three hits, all doubles, a run and two RBIs. Kent Taylor had a home run and three RBIs for the Bears. On defense, first baseman Grant Gatlin had seven putouts, while second baseman Huffman had five assists.
On the mound, Marc Harmon (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Perconte started the game, allowing three runs on eight hits, striking out three and walking two in five innings, while Tyler Hall came on in the sixth, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits, walking one in two-thirds of an inning. Harmon entered the game in the sixth, then Matt McGaha came on in the seventh, allowing two runs on two hits, facing two batters. Chris Craycraft entered in the seventh inning, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out one in 1-2/3 innings, while Anthony Stacy closed out the game, retiring the three batters he faced in the ninth inning.
For Central Arkansas, James Parsons (1-1) got the win in relief, allowing no runs on two hits, striking out one in 2-1/3 innings. Jeremy Brewer started the game, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out one and walking two in three-plus innings. Wes Grant came on in the fourth, allowing four runs on one hit, walking three in one-third of an inning, then Derrick Corso entered the game, walking one batter in one-third of an inning. Parsons entered in the fourth inning, then Matt Humphrey came on in the seventh, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out two in two innings. Michael Wild pitched the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Murray State closes out this five-game homestand with a three-game series with Bowling Green State this weekend. The teams will play a Saturday double-header at noon, then will play a Sunday game at noon.
