Breds Ride Strong Pitching to 4-0 Victory Over SEMO

Friday, May 3

Murray, Ky.

1:15 p.m.

Murray State

19-27, 7-15

Southeast Missouri

21-26, 12-13

Southeast Missouri

Murray State

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

5/3/2013 4:46:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The pitching duo of Brock Downey and Cameron Finch made quick work of the Southeast Missouri offense as they combined to allow just three hits in a 4-0 Murray State victory in the opening game of a three-game series Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.

The shutout was the third this season for the Breds pitching staff, and the second in OVC play. It marks the first time the Breds have had multiple shutouts in conference play since recording three during the 1999 season.

MSU pitched backwards as Downey made his first career start, and Finch came in to close out the game. Downey allowed just two bloop hits and fanned three in his four innings. Finch entered the game in the fifth and continued where Downey left off. After setting the Redhawks (21-26, 12-13 OVC) down in order in the fifth, Finch ran into trouble in the sixth as a single and a hit batter put two one with no outs. Finch then got a lazy fly ball to left field, and followed it with an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Finch just became more dominant from that point as he did not allow another SEMO hitter to reach base. He finished the game by allowing one hit and striking out three over five innings to improve to 5-3 on the season.

The Breds (19-27, 7-15 OVC) got all the offense they would need in the third inning. A bunt single and a fielder's choice put a runner on first with one out. After a stolen base, Ty Stetson delivered a base hit that deflected off the glove of the pitcher and shortstop. Brandon Elliott followed with a bunt single of his own, the 200th of his career, to load the bases. Brandon Eggenschwiler put the Breds on the board with a single to right center.

MSU added insurance in the fifth with the help of two Redhawk errors. A one out single followed by an error put runners on first and second. Eggenschwiler then singled to left field to load the bases. But, the ball went through the legs of the left fielder and allowed two runs to score and Eggenschwiler reach third. Mike Kozlowski made the Redhawks pay with an RBI single passed a drawn-in second baseman.

Zack Smith (2-5) was the tough-luck loser for the Redhawks as he allowed four runs, two earned, on 10 hits and eight strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

The top three in the Breds lineup did the majority of the damage as all three hitters collected a pair of hits and scored a run.

The two teams will play the middle game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.