Offense Leads 'Breds to Victory Over Belmont

Wednesday, April 29

Nashville, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Murray State

Belmont

4/30/2009 2:00:00 AM | Baseball

The Murray State offense put up at least one run in each of the first six innings and the 'Breds recorded their second inside-the-park home run in as many seasons against Belmont in a 12-3 victory Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium.

The 'Breds (26-16) wasted no time in getting on the board as Zach Noonan and Elliot Frey started the game with base hits. Wes Cunningham drove in a run with a double to left field and Daniel Hill followed with a sacrifice fly to right center. Bryan Propst drove in the third run of the inning with a fielder's choice to third where Cunningham beat the throw to the plate.

The top of the second looked very similar to the first, except the rally started with one out. Noonan and Frey hit back-to-back singles through the left side before Cunningham drove in a run with a single to right center. Hill plated the second run of the inning with his second sacrifice fly to center field.

The Bruins (25-21) got a run back in the second as Brandon McCall started the inning with a solo home run to left field.

MSU pushed across two more runs in the third as Propst flared a ball into right and went to second when Jonathan Craycraft was hit by a pitch. After a grounder to the right side advanced the runners, Daniel Miller drove in a run with a single through the left side. Kyle Tiernan followed with a fielder's choice RBI to second.

The 'Breds pushed another run across in the fourth on a pair of two-out doubles. Hill started the rally with a double into the gap in right center and Propst followed with a run-scoring double to the warning track in left center.

BU got one run back in the fourth as McCall started the frame with a double and went to third on a pair of walks before scoring on a wild pitch.

MSU pushed its advantage to eight runs as they pushed two more runs across in the fifth. Miller drew a one-out walk and moved to third as Tiernan singled up the middle and Noonan was hit by a pitch. Frey plated a run the hard way as he was hit by a pitch and Cunningham scored a run with a groundout.

The Bruins got their second solo home run of the game on the first pitch of fifth as Dylan Craig hit his second of the season to right field.

The 'Breds scored two more runs in the fifth in an unconventional manner as Craycraft drew a walk and scored on Owen's inside-the-park home run that got passed a diving center fielder. It was the second-straight year the 'Breds have hit an inside-the-park home run against BU after Brooks Thornton hit one at Reagan Field last season.

Seth McFarlin (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory in his first start as he allowed one run on three hits over three innings. Frank Adelman (1-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in two innings.

Jonathan Williams made his first appearance for the 'Breds and allowed one run on two hits and two strikeouts in three innings. Lucas Allen closed out the game by retiring all six hitters he faced.

Noonan and Frey, the top two guys in the lineup, combined for six hits and four runs scored. Cunningham drove in three runs, while Hill, Propst and Owen each plated two.

The 'Breds return to action May 2 as they open a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Tennessee Tech. The doubleheader gets underway at 1 p.m. at Reagan Field.