RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Tony Wells hit a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning to lead the Eastern Kentucky baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Morehead State in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. The Colonels completed the doubleheader sweep with 6-2 win in game two as junior McKenzie Willoughby allowed just two runs in 6.1 innings and junior Joe Oliver went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Eastern improves to 11-8-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference with the victory, while the Eagles fell to 4-17 and 0-2. The teams conclude the series Sunday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Eastern came up in the seventh of game one down a run but sophomore Dylan McMaine launched his third home run of the season over the right field fence to lead off the inning and tie the score at four. Morehead State starter Quentin Morgan then hit sophomore Frank Krailler with his next pitch and gave way to reliever Tyler Lee who gave up consecutive singles to sophomore Aaron Barrows and senior Shawn Flora to load the bases. Junior Tyler Barnett struck out to bring up Wells who grounded one through the right side to score Barrows and Krailler and give EKU a 6-4 lead.
Morehead State cut the lead to one in the ninth as Drew Lee led off the inning with a home run to right field off sophomore Eric Hash. The Eagles then put runners on first and second with one out but Hash got Trent Hanna to foul out to first and Ryan Kinder to line out to third to end the game. Hash picked up his first victory of the season, allowing a run and two hits in 2.1 innings of relief work.
Eastern took an early 3-0 lead with a run in the fourth on an RBI single from sophomore Matt Davis and two in the fifth on Barnett's first career home run, a two-run shot just over the fence in right-center field. The Eagles got a run back in the sixth on a solo home run from Christian Winstanley off EKU starter Christian Friedrich who got a no-decision, allowing a run and five hits in 6.0 innings of work.
The Eagles took the lead with three runs in the seventh on a bases-loaded walked and a two-run single from Winstanley who went 3-for-4 with three RBI on the day.
Eastern jumped to a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the first inning of game two on an RBI single from Oliver driving in Barnett who had reached on a walk. Sophomore Matt Davis followed with a walk to load the bases but Eagle starter Henry Mabee got junior Clint Seymour to bounce into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Willoughby retired the first two hitters in the second but Trent Hanna then doubled down the right-field line and came around to score on an RBI single from Marc Midden.
The Colonels took the lead for good with three runs in the third. Wells reached second to lead off on an Eagle error bringing up Oliver who dumped a single into right field to give EKU a 2-1 lead. Mabee got Davis to ground into a double play but sophomore Dylan McMaine then walked and Seymour followed with an RBI triple to left-center field. Seymour then came home on a Mabee wild pitch.
EKU took advantage of another Eagle error to score two more runs in the fifth. Wells walked to lead off and then one out later Davis lined an RBI single into left that got by Eagle left fielder Dustin Miles, allowing Davis to come all the way around to score.
Willoughby picked up his second victory of the season, striking out five and scattering eight hits over his 6.1 innings of work.
