Junior lefthander Patrick McGuff and freshman righty Brent Stoneking combined to allow Marshall just four hits as the Morehead State baseball team defeated the Thundering Herd 7-1 at the Kennedy Center YMCA Field Wednesday.
Morehead State, which knocked off the 'Herd for the second straight season, improved to 11-7 overall and 7-2 on the road. Marshall dipped to 6-13 overall and 0-1 at its facility in Huntington.
"We played well in all three phases today," Head Coach Mike McGuire said. "It started with pitching. Pat pitched even further than we envisioned because he filled up the strike zone and got quite a few quick innings. Brent came in and really gave the rest of our bullpen a chance to rest. Good teams make their opponents work to beat you, and that's what we did today."
McGuff (1-0), a transfer from Sinclair (Ohio) Community College collected his first Division I victory by surrendering four hits and striking out five in six innings. Stoneking, who prepped at nearby George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Ky., garnered his career save by facing the minimum nine batters in the final three frames.
Morehead State's offense notched 10 hits off seven pitchers. Senior left-fielder Chris Robinson and sophomore center-fielder Ryan Kent were 2-for-5, and Robinson drove in a pair of runs.
Senior right-fielder Brandon Rawe, senior shortstop Robby Spencer and freshman third baseman Evan Warden also collected RBI. Robinson and senior first baseman Kane Sweeney have reached base in 25 consecutive games since last season. Sweeney was held hitless today but drew two walks.
The Eagles scored all their runs in the middle three innings, including a four-run outburst in the sixth. Robinson had a two-run single in the stanza, Kent scored on a bases-loaded walk and Sweeney raced home on a wild pitch.
Marshall shortstop Sergio Leon tallied two of his team's four hits. Starting pitcher Callaway Kirkpatrick was hit with the loss to fall to 0-4.
MSU opens a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Belmont Friday at 5 p.m. ET.
"Belmont had a down year last season, but they are typically one of the tougher teams in this conference," McGuire said. "Their field will play similar to what the field did here today. We have to be able to play small ball and execute this weekend to be successful. We will be prepared for three tough battles."
