March 13, 2010
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Morehead State (7-10) answered a seven-run Purdue rally with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to a steal a 9-8 victory over the Boilermakers (2-7) in the Dunn Hospitality Classic at Braun Stadium on Saturday.
Trailing 7-1 after five innings, the Boilermakers cut into the Eagle lead with a pair of runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh, before taking the lead in the contest with three runs on four hits in the top of the eighth.
The 8-7 edge didn't last long, as MSU turn the one-run lead for Purdue into a one-run deficit when catcher Taylor Davis delivered a two-out, two-run double to the gap in right-center in the bottom of the eighth to sway the advantage back into Eagles' favor.
MSU reliever Josh Schneider worked around a pair of defensive fielding errors in the top of the ninth to keep Purdue scoreless in its final turn at the plate and send the Boilers to their fourth one-run loss of the year.
Morehead State opened the game with single runs in the first, second and third innings, before taking advantage of a two-run homer Drew Lee in the fifth, his team leading seventh of the year, and a Purdue defensive miscue for two more unearned runs later in the frame to jump out to a 7-1 lead.
The Boilers started their thwarted come-from-behind rally in the sixth on a two-run double by Payton Bieker after Eric Charles had singled and Cameron Perkins doubled to lead off the inning.
Purdue pulled within two runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Charles and an RBI double by Perkins, his second two-bagger of the game, to make it 7-5 MSU.
Bieker, who finished the game 3 for 4 and is 6 for 7 at the plate this season, led off the eighth with a solo home run to center to make it a one-run game, before Charles tied the game 8-8 on looping two-out RBI single down the right field line.
Perkins, who went 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and run scored in the game, followed Charles with an infield single to third to hand the Boilers a tenuous 8-7 lead.
After Boiler reliever Kevin Cahill retired the first out in the home half of the eighth, the right-hander ran into trouble by issuing a four-pitch walk MSU's J.D. Ashbrook and a two-out single to Lee. Davis followed with the go-ahead two-run double to push MSU back into the lead.
Schneider (3-2), who was on the hook for the loss after allowing the go ahead run score in the eighth, instead picked up his third win of the season with the scoreless ninth. He allowed one run on two hits, while walking one and striking out three in two innings of work.
Purdue's Cahill (0-2) was charged with his second loss of the season after allowing both runs on two hits in the eighth.
The Boilers will be back in action on Sunday when they face host school Evansville in the Dunn Hospitality Classic finale. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and left-hander Matt Jansen is the scheduled starter for Purdue.