Season Ends With Loss To Golden Eagles

Saturday, May 21

Murray, Ky.

1 p.m.

Murray State

19-32, 9-13

Tennessee Tech

24-27, 12-12

Tennessee Tech

Murray State

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

5/21/2011 5:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BOX SCORE | SENIOR DAY PHOTO GALLERY

The 2011 season came to an end Saturday afternoon as Murray State nearly erased an eight-run deficit, but fell just short, in dropping a 10-8 decision to Tennessee Tech on the final day of the regular season Saturday afternoon at Reagan Field.

The Golden Eagles (24-27, 12-12 OVC) got on the board in the first inning without the virtue of a base hit. Austin Wulf started the game by being hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch moved Wulf to third, a two-out passed ball allowed the runner to score from third.

TTU took advantage of the Breds not turning a double play in the second to push across five more runs. Wulf delivered and RBI single up the middle with two outs, and Frankie Beech followed with a run-scoring double to left. Casanova Donaldson delivered the big blow with a three-run inside-the-park home run to center field.

The Breds (19-32, 9-13 OVC) looked mount a rally in the bottom of the second inning as they loaded the bases on a Jacob Rhodes walk, Zach Noonan single to third base and a Paul Ritzheimer sacrifice bunt that was thrown high to first. MSU only managed to score run as the next batter hit into a double play.

The Golden Eagles extended the lead in the third on a two-run single up the middle from Chad Hayes, and a sacrifice fly to left center from Beech that scored a runner from second.

MSU started to get back in the game in the fifth as Wes Warren started a two-out rally with a base on balls. Elliot Frey followed with a base hit that bounced over the head of the shortstop. Ty Stetson followed with an RBI double to left center and Brandon Elliott followed with a two-run double to the gap in left center.

The Breds continued their rally in the sixth as Noonan and Ritzheimer singled with one out, and both runners scored on Cody Larson's three-run home run to left field.

TTU got one run back in the seventh as Zach Stephens hit the first pitch of the inning over the fence in left field for a solo home run.

MSU got the run back in the home-half of the inning as Isaak singled with one out and went to third on a wild pitch. Noonan drove in the runner with an infield single to third.

Luke Shuemaker (4-6) took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits over 1.2 innings. Nick Price (4-4) picked up the victory after allowing seven runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings. Justin Alexander (1) garnered the save after surrendering one runs on four hits over the final 3.2 innings.

Noonan paced the Breds offense by going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Frey and Isaak each collected two hits, while Larson drove in three.