Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
21-26, 7-12
Eastern Illinois
20-23, 10-8
Breds Drop Series Opener to Panthers
5/4/2012 6:18:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern Illinois used a first-inning grand slam to jump out to an early lead on their way to an 11-5 victory over Murray State Friday afternoon in the first game of a three-game series at Reagan Field.
The Panthers (20-23, 10-8 OVC) jumped out to an early lead as a pair of singles and a fielding error loaded the bases for T.J. McManus to deliver a grand slam to right field.
EIU addded a run in the second as they loaded the bases with no outs for McManus to drive in his fifth run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left center.
The offense continued for EIU in the third as they collected three hits, with the last being a two-run single to center by Nathan Sopena.
The Breds (21-26, 7-12 OVC) got on the board in the sixth as Mike Kozlowski drew a leadoff base on balls. Noah Zipko singled to center with one out, and a hustling Kozlowski reached third. When the ball went into the dugout, Kozlowski scored and Zipko went to third. Dylan Wheeler followed with a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Panthers added three runs in the seventh as they got an RBI single from Nick Priessman and a two-run single off teh bat of Jacob Reese.
MSU got the three runs back in the home-half of the inning as Ty Stetson walked and Paul Ritzheimer was hit by a pitch ahead of Jacob Rhodes' three-run home run to right center.
EIU pushed across another run in the eighth as Brant Valach singled through the left side and scored on Priessman's single to right field.
Tyler Beers (3-5) took the loss after allowing seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in 2.1 innings. Troy Barton (7-4) earned the victory after allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits over 6.1 innings.
Zipko led the offense by going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Rhodes went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBIs.
The two teams will play the middle game of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 2p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BARTON, Troy (7-4)
L: Beers, Tyler (3-5)
Batting:
2B: MCMANUS, T.J. 1 ; VALACH, Brant 1
HR: MCMANUS, T.J. 1
RBI: PRIESSMAN, Nick 2 ; MCMANUS, T.J. 5 ; REESE, Jacob 2 ; SOPENA, Nathan 2
SH: DINEEN, Ryan 1 ; VALACH, Brant 1 ; SOPENA, Nathan 1
SF: MCMANUS, T.J. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOWELL, Caleb 2 ; PRIESSMAN, Nick 1 ; DINEEN, Ryan 2 ; MCMANUS, T.J. 2 ; THOMA, Ben 1 ; CIAGLIA, David 1 ; VALACH, Brant 1 ; SOPENA, Nathan 1
SB: SOPENA, Nathan 1
CS: PRIESSMAN, Nick 1 ; DINEEN, Ryan 1
Batting:
2B: Rhodes, Jacob 1
HR: Rhodes, Jacob 1
RBI: Rhodes, Jacob 3 ; Wheeler, Dylan 1
SF: Wheeler, Dylan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Ritzheimer, Paul 1 ; Rhodes, Jacob 1 ; Kozlowski, Mike 1 ; Zipko, Noah 1
HBP: Ritzheimer, Paul 1
