Big Inning Dooms Breds in Opener

Friday, March 21

Reagan Field

3 p.m.

Murray State

9-10, 4-3

SIU Edwardsville

7-12, 5-2

SIU Edwardsville

Murray State

Clay Kelly went 2-for-3 with a double in the opener against SIUE.

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

3/21/2014 6:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

| BOX SCORE (.pdf) | PHOTO GALLERY

SIUE used a four-run third inning to break open a scoreless game and lead the Cougars to a 6-2 victory over Murray State in the first game of a three-game series Friday afternoon at Reagan Field.

The Cougars (7-12, 5-2 OVC) struck big in the third inning as they loaded the bases on a double, error and a walk. Chase Green cleared the bases with a grand slam to left field.

The Breds (9-10, 4-3 OVC) got one run back in the home-half of the inning as Clay Kelly singled to left center and took second on the error. Clay Fuson sacrificed the runner to third before Taylor Mathews delivered a sacrifice fly to right field.

SIUE added to its lead in the fifth as Green hit a solo home run to start the inning, and Skyler Geissinger delivered an RBI double to right field.

MSU was able to push a run across in the eighth as Mathews tripled into the right-field corner and scored on a Ty Stetson sacrifice fly to center field.

Cameron Finch (2-2) took the loss after giving up six runs, five earned, on nine hits and five strikeouts over 5.1 innings. Ryan Daniels (3-0) earned the victory after surrendering two runs, one earned, on six hits and six strikeouts over eight innings.

The Breds bullpen did their job on Friday as Cameron Finch gave up two hits in two shutout innings, while Tyler Saltsman struck out three in retiring all five hitters he faced.

Kelly led the Breds with a pair of hits.

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