Bulldogs Use Long Ball Power To Top Morehead 10-4
March 25, 2003 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Matthew Brinson, Thomas Berkery and Jon Mungle hit home runs for Mississippi State (18-3-1) Tuesday night powering the ninth-ranked Bulldogs to a 10-4 win over Morehead State (7-12) at Dudy Noble Field. It was the 12th win in the last 14 games for the Bulldogs, who close out the two-game set with Morehead State Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
State jumped on Eagles starter Casey Campbell (0-4) for a run in the first when Mungle walked, Brinson singled up the middle and Brad Corley lashed a single to left. Morehead State staged a two-out rally to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Bulldog starter Jeff Lacher (3-0), after striking out the first two batters he faced in the frame, gave up an infield single by Roy Gentry, a game-tying double by Brandon Baarstad, and a Kevin Bryant RBI single to right.
The lead was short-lived. Steve Gendron singled to left to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games, and Brinson followed with his team-leading fourth home run of the year. An inning later Berkery sent his third home run of the year, a two-run shot, over the left field fence for a 5-2 MSU lead.
Baarstad and Kevin Bryant drilled run-scoring singles in the fifth inning as the Eagles trimmed the Bulldog lead to 5-4. But State put the game away in the bottom of the frame with a four-run, four-hit surge triggered by Mungle's lead-off home run to left. Corley and Brent Lewis then delivered back-to-back RBI singles as the first five Bulldogs reached base in the inning.
Lacher picked up his third win in four starts, allowing four runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Jacob Blakeney replaced Lacher in the sixth and fanned four of the eight batters he faced during two innings of scoreless relief work. Saunders Ramsey and Brian Owens blanked the Eagles over the final two frames to close out the game.
Campbell, the Morehead State starter, was touched for nine runs on 11 hits. Donald Schneider worked the final three innings for the Eagles.
Brinson, Corley, and Berkery had two-hit, two-RBI nights at the plate while Craig Tatum and Brent Lewis also collected two hits apiece.
Baarstad and Bryant also turned in two-hit, two-RBI plate performances for Murray State.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 10, MOREHEAD STATE 4
Morehead State 002 020 000 -- 4- 7-4Mississippi State 102 240 10x -- 10-13-3
WP -- Jeff Lacher (3-0). LP -- Casey Campbell (0-4). HR (MSU) Matthew Brinson (4), Thomas Berkery (3), Jon Mungle (3). T -- 2:27. ATT -- 5,665 (paid), 1,732 (actual)
Jeff Lacher, Jacob Blakeney (6), Saunders Ramsey (8), Brian Owens (9) and Craig Tatum and Thomas Berkery. Casey Campbell, Donald Schneider (6) and Nate Lowe.
