Propst and Hodskins Have Career Days in Saturday Slugfest

Saturday, March 20

Murray, Ky.

12 p.m.

Murray State

Mid-Continent

Propst and Hodskins Have Career Days in Saturday Slugfest

3/20/2010 10:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Seniors Bryan Propst and Cory Hodskins each drove in a career-best eight runs as Murray State ran their win streak to six games by outslugging Mid-Continent, 25-15, Saturday afternoon at Reagan Field. The Breds finished the weekend sweep by scoring at least one run in 17-straight innings.

The duo combined to go 5-for-7 with three home runs, a triple and 16 RBIs. Hodskins did all his damage in jus two official at bats. He made those two at bats count, as he delivered a two-run single and a three-run home run. He also collected RBIs on a pair of sacrifice flies and being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Propst ended the day 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and a triple. He hit a three-run homer in the third and then a grand slam in the eighth.

The Cougars (5-12) came out swinging the first inning as a hit batter preceeded Lance Davis' double to left field. After an RBI groundout from Cory Bowling, Adam Connor plated a second run with a double to right field.

The Breds (11-8) responded in the home-half of the inning as Kyle Tiernan singled to right center with one out and went to third on Wes Cunningham's single through the right side. Jason Laws drove in Tiernan with a single up the middle before Hodskins drove in a pair with a single to center field.

MSU added a run in the second as Brandon Elliott tripled to deep left center and scored on a Zach Noonan groundout to shortstop.

MCU tied the game in the third as a pair of singles and an error put runners on second and third with two outs. William Ruthven drove in both runners with a single through the left side.

The Breds regained the lead in the bottom-half of the inning as Laws and Hodskins each drew base on balls and scored on Propst's three-run shot off the scoreboard in left center, his sixth of the year.

A handful of fielding miscues for the Breds in the fourth helped the Cougars push across six runs in the frame. Barrett collected an RBI single and Johnson delivered a sacrifice fly to center for the only runs to score on anything other than an error or a wild pitch.

MSU wasted little time in regaining the lead as they countered with a six spot of their own in the home-half of the inning. Tiernan and Cunningham started the inning with walks, before Laws plated Tiernan with a double just inside the bag at third. Colton Moore followed with an RBI double of his own, just ahead of Hodskins sacrifice fly to left field. Propst added a run-scoring triple to right center that was followed up by a Pixley double into the right field corner. Elliott closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Breds pushed the lead to six in the fifth as Cunningham singled to center and Laws walked ahead of Hodskins three-run shot off the scoreboard in left center, his first of the year.

MSU added to the lead in the sixth on Noonan's solo home run off the scoreboard in left center.

The Cougars got one run back in the seventh as Connor doubled to left field and scored on Barrett's single to right.

MSU got the run right back as Cunningham started the inning by beating out an infield single to third and going to second on a wild pitch. Laws put runners on the corners with a single up the middle before Hodskins delivered a sacrifice fly to center field.

The Cougars climbed back into the game in the eighth as the first five guys reached safely. Daniel Edwards and Davis each drove in a run, while Bowling delivered a two-run single to left field.

MSU exploded in the eighth as they pushed across seven more runs. Pixley doubled to start the inning and went to third on a groundout. A walk to Noonan and a balk, scored one run and put a runner on second. Cunningham would collect an infield single with two outs. Laws walked to load the bases before a fielding error on the the third baseman allowed a run to score. Hodskins was hit by a pitch to score another run, before Propst delivered a no-doubt grand slam to left field.

Matt McGaha (1-0) was credited with the win after allowing one run on five hits over three innings. Kyle Bugg (0-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on four hits in one-third of an inning.

Cunningham finished the day by going 4-for-5 with five runs scored. Laws was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and five runs scored. Pixley and Elliott combined for five hits out of the eight and nine spots in the lineup.

The Breds return to the diamond March 24 as they play host to Western Kentucky at 3 p.m.