Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
13-20, 6-10
Jacksonville State
18-16, 10-3
Breds Can’t Hang on in Wild Series Opener
4/12/2013 7:23:00 PM | Baseball
In a game that went back-and-forth and saw 25 combines runs, it was Jacksonville State that used a five-run eighth inning to rally for a 14-11 victory over Murray State in the series opener Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.
Trailing by two entering the eighth, JSU collected a pair of one-out base hits. A double steal with two outs was followed by a Griff Gordon two-run single up the middle. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Eddie Mora-Loera came through with a two-run single to left center. Andrew Bishop followed by plating the fifth run with a single up the middle.
MSU (13-20, 6-10 OVC) was able to get one run back in the bottom of the inning as Dylan Wheeler singled up the middle and took second on a failed pickoff attempt. Nick Paradossi hit a grounder with two outs that took a nasty hop and resulted in an RBI base hit.
The Gamecocks (18-16, 10-3 OVC) struck first in the top of the first as Michael Bishop hit a fly ball to center that got caught up in the wind and resulted in a leadoff triple. Adam Miller got JSU on the board with an RBI single through the right side.
The Breds had an answer in the home-half of the first as Brandon Elliott walked and Brandon Eggenschwiler followed with a single to center field. Noah Zipko plated both runners with a double into the gap in right center with two outs.
JSU took advantage of getting the leadoff runner on in the second to tie the game. Mora-Loera started the inning with a double to left field, and came around to score on a Chase Silvani single into the hole at short.
MSU again had an answer in the bottom of the inning and pushed two more runs across. Taylor Mathews started things by beating out an infield single to third base. Paradossi put down a sacrifice bunt that was bobbled by the pitcher covering, putting two on with no outs. Ty Stetson drove in a run with a single through right side and Elliott followed with an RBI groundout.
The Gamecocks tied the game in the third inning as Mora-Loera delivered a two-run single to center field with two outs. Just one inning later, Tyler Gamble gave JSU a one-run lead with an RBI bloop single just beyond the reach of the shortstop.
JSU scored for the fifth-straight inning as they pushed three runs across in the inning. After the first run scored on an error, Silvani and Cal Lambert delivered RBI base hits with two outs.
The Breds came all the way back to tie the game in the fifth. Mike Kozlowski started the inning with a long blast to left center for his second home run to left center. Zipko followed with his third double of the day and went to third on Dylan Wheeler's single to left field.
MSU was able to regain the lead in the seventh as Mathews singled up the middle and stood on third with two outs. Stetson's grounder was misplayed by the second baseman, allowing Mathews to score. Stetson was able to advance to third on a walk and a wild pitch, before scoring on an Eggenschwiler single up the middle.
The Gamecocks closed out the scoring in the top of the ninth as Paschal Petrongolo drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
The Breds collected 19 hits in the game, with every player in the lineup collecting at least one. Zipko led the attack by going 4-for-5 with three doubles and two RBIs. Stetson and Mathews each added three hits, while Eggenschwiler, Wheeler and Paradossi had two each.
Brock Downey (0-2) took the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks in four innings of relief. Michael Mason (1-1) was credited with the win after allowing two unearned runs on two hits in one inning of work. Travis Stout (9) picked up the save by allowing an unearned run on two hits in two innings.
The two teams play the middle game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Michael Mason (1-1)
L: Downey, Brock (0-2)
S: Travis Stout (9)
Batting:
2B: Coty Blanchard 1 ; Eddie Mora-Loera 1 ; Cal Lambert 1
3B: Michael Bishop 1
RBI: Adam Miller 1 ; Tyler Gamble 1 ; Griff Gordon 2 ; Paschal Petrongolo 1 ; Eddie Mora-Loera 4 ; Andrew Bishop 1 ; Chase Silvani 2 ; Cal Lambert 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Michael Bishop 3 ; Tyler Gamble 1 ; Griff Gordon 2 ; Coty Blanchard 3 ; Paschal Petrongolo 1 ; Eddie Mora-Loera 1 ; Andrew Bishop 1 ; Chase Silvani 1 ; Gavin Golsan 1
SB: Michael Bishop 2 ; Andrew Bishop 1 ; Chase Silvani 1 ; Gavin Golsan 1
CS: Tyler Gamble 1
HBP: Coty Blanchard 3
PO: Chase Silvani 1
Batting:
2B: Zipko, Noah 3
HR: Kozlowski, Mike 1
RBI: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Elliott, Brandon 1 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 1 ; Kozlowski, Mike 1 ; Zipko, Noah 2 ; Mathews, Taylor 1 ; Paradossi, Nick 1
SH: Paradossi, Nick 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Elliott, Brandon 1 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 1 ; Kozlowski, Mike 1 ; Zipko, Noah 1 ; Wheeler, Dylan 2 ; Mathews, Taylor 3 ; Paradossi, Nick 1
CS: Ritzheimer, Paul 1
HBP: Ritzheimer, Paul 1
