Breds Rally Falls Short in Series Opener

Friday, February 21

Reagan Field

2 p.m.

Murray State

2-2

Bowling Green

2-2

Bowling Green

Murray State

Sheldon Baxter retired the first 15 hitters he faced on Friday.

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

2/21/2014 5:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

| BOX SCORE (.pdf) | PHOTO GALLERY

Murray State overcame a slow start and nearly erased a four-run deficit before falling, 5-3, to Bowling Green in the series opener Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.

The Falcons (2-2) struck quickly in the first inning as Jeremy Shay delivered an RBI double to right field and scored on a Logan Walker single to right field.

BGSU added two more runs in the second inning as Brian Bien hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Shay plated a run with a triple to right center.

Sheldon Baxter restored order for the Breds as he entered the game with two outs in the second and proceeded to retire the first 15 hitters he faced.

While Baxter was keeping the Falcons off the board, the Breds offense began to chip away. Michael Hargrove helped get MSU on the board in the fourth by drawing a leadoff walk. A base hit from Luke Daugherty and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. Rick Linton plated a run with a groundout to the right side.

The Breds (2-2) bats came calling again in the fifth as Ty Stetson and Matt McGowan walked. Anthony Bayus put down a sacrifice bunt before Kollin Dowdy drove in both runners with a double off the fence in left center

BGSU added an insurance run in the eighth as Jesse Rait delivered an RBI single to right field.

MSU had chances to score throughout the game, but stranded 11 runners.

Baxter did not factor in the decision, but threw a career-best 7.1 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and four strikeouts. Andrew Bramley (1-1) took the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits in 1.2 innings.

Jason Link (2-0) picked the victory in relief for BGSU. He allowed three hits in shutout innings. Ethan McKenney (1) picked up the save after walking one over the final 2.1 innings.

Daugherty was the only Bred to collect two hits as he went 2-for-3 with a walk. Stetson went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch.

The two teams will play the middle game of the three-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m. MSU will start RHP Cameron Finch (0-0, 3.60 ERA), while BGSU will counter with RHP Mike Frank (0-0, 0.00 ERA).