Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
12-19, 6-9
Eastern Illinois
10-18, 3-8
Panthers Defeat Breds in Series Finale
4/7/2013 4:10:00 PM | Baseball
Murray State fell behind early and was not able to recover as the Breds fell 16-6 to Eastern Illinois in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.
The Panthers (10-18, 3-8 OVC) struck quickly as Caleb Howell doubled into the gap in right center to start the first inning. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch scored Howell before a single and a double put two more runners on with one out. Nick Priessman blooped an RBI single into left center and Demetre Taylor followed with an RBI single up the middle.
The second was more the same for the Breds as a fielding error and a base hit put a pair of runners on for Treysen Vavra to deliver a three-run home run to left field.
The Breds (12-19, 6-9 OVC) got on the board in the fourth as Brandon Elliott singled through the left side for his second hit in as many at bats. After a walk to Brandon Eggenschwiler, Elliott went to third on a flyout and scored on a Dylan Wheeler single through the right side.
The lead was extended in the fourth as Brant Valach and Jacob Reese had RBI base hits, wrapped around a Cameron Berra two-run triple on a ball that took a bad hop in right field.
MSU tried to climb back into the game in the fifth as Paul Ritzheimer singled through the left side and Ty Stetson beat out a bunt single. With two outs, Eggenschwiler delivered a two-run double to right center and Mike Kozlowski followed with an RBI single through the left side.
The Panthers answered back with two runs in the home-half of the inning as a two-out bloop double put two runners in scoring position and Nick Priessman followed with a two-run single to left. Mitch Gasbarro drove in the 13th run of the game in sixth with a single through the left side.
The Breds continued to battle in the seventh as the combo of Ritzheimer and Stetson singled to start the inning, and Kozlowski drove in both runners with a two-out single to right field.
Cody Maerz (1-1) took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits over 1.1 innings. Matt Borens (1-4) earned the victory after allowing six runs on nine hits and seven strikeouts over 6. 1innings.
Stetson paced the offense with his fifth-straight multi-hit game, going 3-for-5 with a run scored. Elliott also had two hits and two runs scored, while Kozlowski finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
The Breds return to the diamond Wednesday afternoon as they play host to Evansville. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Reagan Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BORENS, Matt (1-4)
L: Maerz, Cody (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Elliott, Brandon 1 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 1
RBI: Eggenschwiler, Brandon 2 ; Kozlowski, Mike 3 ; Wheeler, Dylan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Elliott, Brandon 2 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 1 ; Ritzheimer, Paul 2
Batting:
2B: HOWELL, Caleb 1 ; VALACH, Brant 2 ; PRIESSMAN, Nick 1 ; DEVITO, John 1
3B: BERRA, Cameron 1
HR: VAVRA, Treysen 1
RBI: GASBARRO, Mitch 1 ; VAVRA, Treysen 3 ; VALACH, Brant 1 ; PRIESSMAN, Nick 3 ; TAYLOR, Demetre 1 ; BERRA, Cameron 3 ; REESE, Jacob 1 ; SAUER, Dane 2
SH: GASBARRO, Mitch 1 ; PRIESSMAN, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOWELL, Caleb 2 ; GASBARRO, Mitch 2 ; VAVRA, Treysen 3 ; VALACH, Brant 3 ; PRIESSMAN, Nick 1 ; BERRA, Cameron 2 ; DEVITO, John 1 ; SAUER, Dane 2
HBP: VAVRA, Treysen 1 ; REESE, Jacob 1 ; SAUER, Dane 1
