Cougars Lose Due to Big Inning

Murray State scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday, picking up a come-from-behind 6-4 win over SIUE in the opener of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Reagan Field.

The Racers improved to 9-11 overall and 2-2 in OVC play. SIUE fell to 1-13 and 0-4 in the OVC.

"Our issues remain giving up the big innings and giving up too many earned runs," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "You have to have all three facets of the game working to win games in this league."

Trailing 4-2 going to the eighth, the Racers loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter, Cody Gilbert walked to force in Murray State's third run chasing SIUE reliever Ryan Agnitsch (0-1) from the game.

Zach Malach relieved Agnitsch, and got Moore to ground into a fielder's choice. The groundout brought home a run, tying the game 4-4. The Racers took the lead on a wild pitch by Malach. Cody Hall singled to drive in a run for the 6-4 final.

Malach was credited with a scoreless inning. He struck out one.

Agnitsch failed to record an out, surrendering all four runs in the eighth, and suffered his first loss of the year.

P.J. Schuster started for the Cougars and tossed a season-high seven innings. He allowed two unearned runs on five hits. He struck out seven and walked one.

"He was outstanding," Stoecklin said. "It was probably one of the best outings I have seen him from him and he has had some good ones. Today was pretty spectacular."

The Cougars got on the board, scoring three times in the fifth inning. SIUE loaded the bases on three walks. Kailer Smith scored on a wild pitch to put the Cougars up 1-0. Skyler Geissinger drove home Alex Skender with a sacrifice fly and Dustin Woodcock drove in Keaton Wright with an RBI-single through the right side of the infield to put SIUE on top 3-0.

Murray State answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a single by A. Bauer.

Logan Andersen made it 4-2 Cougars in the bottom of the sixth with a single to drive in Brock Weimer. Weimer reached on a one-out double.

Weimer led the Cougars at the plate. He was 2 for 4. Andersen, Geissinger and Woodcock had the only three RBIs for SIUE.

"Brock did a good job behind the plate again and came up with a couple of big hits," Stoecklin added. "He starting to look like the player we knew he could be."

Caleb Hicks and Hall each had two hits for the Racers.

Derrick Watson (2-0) threw three innings in relief to earn the win. He allowed a run on three hits and struck out three. Jack Hranec started the game and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out four. Sheldon Baxter struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save for Murray State.

The Cougars and Racers will play the second game of the series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.