Hill?s Big Day Leads ?Breds to Victory

Friday, February 20

Murray, Ky.

2 p.m.

Murray State

South Dakota State

2/20/2009 6:00:00 AM | Baseball

Junior college transfer Daniel Hill made a big impression in his collegiate debut as he drove in four runs to lead Murray State to a 6-3 victory over South Dakota State Friday afternoon in the season opener at Reagan Field.

SDSU (0-1) got on the board in the first inning as a pair of one-out walks came around to score. Stephen Turner plated both runners with a single up the middle.

The ?Breds (1-0) answered back in a big way in the bottom of the inning as Elliot Frey walked and Wes Cunningham singled to start the frame. After a force out at second, Hill stepped to the plate and delivered a three-run home run to left center.

The Jackrabbits tied the game in the fourth as a pair of singles put runners on the corners with two outs before a passed ball allowed the unearned run to score.

MSU answered right back in the home-half of the inning as Jason Laws and Zach Noonan singled to start the inning. After Kyle Tiernan delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, Jonathan Craycraft drove in Noonan with a single through the left side.

The ?Breds added an insurance run in the fifth as Tyler Owen doubled to left and went to third on a wild pitch. Hill drove in his fourth run of the game as his fly ball dropped just behind the drawn-in infield.

Chris Craycraft (1-0) did the rest on the mound as he gave up just three runs, two earned, and struck out five over six innings. Dan Huff (1) earned the save as he fanned four over three shutout innings. Caleb Thielbar (0-1) took the loss after giving up six run on eight hits over six innings.

Hill and Noonan each collected two hits, while Owen scored a pair of runs.

The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. MSU will send left-hander Daniel Calhoun to the mound and the Jackrabbits will counter with freshman righty Layne Somensen.

NOTE: Daniel Hill's home run in his first at-bat marked the second-straight season a ?Bred has homered in his first collegiate at-bat. Last season Zach Noonan homered in his first at-bat against Bradley.