Owen Blast Powers 'Breds to Victory Over Eastern Kentucky

Saturday, April 18

Richmond, Ky.

12 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Kentucky

Owen Blast Powers 'Breds to Victory Over Eastern Kentucky

4/18/2009 7:45:00 PM | Baseball

After missing the previous five games with an injury, Murray State senior third baseman Tyler Owen returned in a big way as he belted his first home run in over two years and drove in four runs as the 'Breds defeated Eastern Kentucky, 10-7, in the first game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series Saturday afternoon in Richmond.

The Colonels (19-15, 6-7 OVC) got on the board in the first inning as Matt Davis tucked a double inside the line in left field. After a wild pitch moved the runner to third, Aaron Barrows drove in the run with a groundout to short.

The 'Breds (21-15, 4-5 OVC) got the run back in the second as Daniel Hill started the frame with a single up the middle. With one out, Jonathan Craycraft singled up the middle to advance Hill to third. Owen drove in Hill with a sacrifice fly to left center.

EKU pushed across two more runs in the third as a leadoff hit-by-pitch went to third on Davis' single through the right side. With one out, Jayson Langfels delivered an RBI single to left field. The second run scored went the relay on a double-play ball could not be handled at first and allowed a runner to score from second.

The MSU offense errupted for runs in the fourth as Hill delivered a one-out single to right field and went to third on Bryan Propst's single through the riight side. Jonathan Craycraft drove in Hill with a high chopper that skipped off the top of the glove of the third baseman. Owen followed with a towering three-run blast to left field, his first of the season.

The 'Breds followed it up with three more runs in the fifth as Zach Noonan singled through the left side and went to second on a groundout. Wes Cunningham drew a walk, extended his streak to reaching safely in 39-straight games. Hill drove in one run with a double down the left-field line and Propst followed with a two-run double to the idnetical spot inside the third-base bag.

EKU crept back into the game in the sixth as Davis delivered an RBI double off the fence in right field. A wild pitch scored the second run of the inning before Langfels delivered an RBI single through the right side.

MSU got a run back in the seventh as Hill started things with a double down the left-field line and went to third on a wild pitch. Propst drove in the run with a single that fell just in front of the left fielder.

The 'Breds added another run with two outs in the eighth as Daniel Miller struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. Kyle Tiernan sacrificed the runner to second before Elliot Frey delivered the two-out RBI base hit to left field.

EKU scratched a run across in the eighth as Dustin Dunlop perfectly placed a ball in the six hole that turned into a leadoff double. Davis drove in the runner from second with a single through the right side.

Chris Craycraft (6-2) picked up the victory after allowing six runs, five earned, on 10 hits in seven innings. Paul Duncan (4-4) took the loss after giving up eight runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings.

Hill paced the offense by going 4-for-5 with an RBI and four runs scored. Propst went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and Owen drove in the season-best four.

The two teams will play the second game of the doubleheader 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.